426. How Fear, Attention, Tribalism, and Engagement Shape Everyday Events

Send Bidemi a Text Message! In this episode, host Bidemi Ologunde explores the FATE model—fear, attention, tribalism, and engagement—as a lens for understanding modern information environments without jumping to “psyops” conclusions. He unpacks how different three-factor combinations of FATE show up in real-world cases since 2022: diaspora communities who care about crises back home but rarely mobilize; global public health threats like mpox and antibiotic-resistant “superbugs” that generate fear and action without tribalism; niche social media firestorms such as the Rings of Power (Lord of the Rings) backlash that are intense but not widely noticed; and major socioeconomic battles like France’s pension reform that ignite attention and tribal engagement without widespread fear. The episode offers practical tools for recognizing when FATE dynamics are organic social behavior versus signs of deliberate manipulation. Support the show