We like to think that we make up our own minds, that we make our own choices about how

we spend our time and money, what we watch and where, how we think about the issues of

the day.

But the truth is, we are influenced into these choices, in ways large and small, and

often invisible.

Some of this influence may be harmless, even fun, and some of it isn't harmless at

all.

That's right.

You make a really provocative but resonant argument that a lot of behaviors are copycat

behaviors, including workplace or school shootings, terrorist attacks, product tampering,

what should media outlets do about those events?

You may say their coverage is dangerous.

They say it's their duty to cover it intensely.

Why are you more right than they are?

Because of that last word intensely, they give us the news, they are invaluable for

that.

The problem is when they sensationalize it for ratings.

That bothers me because the actions described are contagious.

We're seeing it right now with shootings, just a cluster of them.

One after another after another because people are learning from the news what other disturbed

people do to resolve their issues.

Our guest today is among the world's experts on the power of influence.

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