The truthfulmanipulation Podcast

This episode examines the cluster of infrastructure projects around Textile Road — the proposed U‑M computing center, Ford Lake Dam, gas line relocations, electrical transmission work, and a planned substation — and asks for a single map and timeline to clarify how each piece relates.

Hosts Dave Kelsey and H. Daniel Majahid urge transparent answers from utilities, the university, and township officials, proposing four c...

Hosts Dave Kelsey and H. Daniel Mujahid examine how political spending and persuasive tactics can shape voter judgment without outright lies. Using super PACs and real campaign examples, they explain how true facts can be framed to create misleading impressions.

The episode explores access, transparency, and the ethical pressures politicians face when money and influence grow large, and offers practical questions listeners can use ...

Dave Kelsey and H. Daniel Mujahid examine the University of Michigan’s proposed supercomputing facility in Ypsilanti Township, focusing on the October 1 town hall, Los Alamos’ role, the project’s financial structure, and community concerns about governance, transparency, and local impacts.

The hosts outline practical steps to rebuild trust: independent moderation, enforceable community commitments, clear financial...

Hosts Dave Kelsey and H. Daniel Mujahid examine who should set the rules for artificial intelligence: the public through accountable government or the companies and investors who profit from it. They explore how unchecked industry control can shift risks onto workers, communities, and democracy, and why transparency, independent testing, human appeals, data rights, and community consent are essential.

This episode outlines practica...

Hosts Dave Kelsey and H. Daniel Mujahid attend a Ypsilanti Township town hall on the University of Michigan–Los Alamos research computing project to probe key issues: the 200 jobs originally touted versus roughly 30 permanent on-site roles, whether the facility is a data center or a high-performance research computing center, and how responsibility is shared under a 90/10 operational split.

The episode raises concerns about t...

In this episode of Truthful Manipulation, hosts Dave Kelsey and H. Daniel Mujahid investigate whether Republicans or Democrats have done more harm to their own constituents by comparing party promises to real-world outcomes.

They explore examples like rural health care, farm policy, housing affordability, cultural messaging, and political identity, concluding that both parties can fail their supporters when loyalty replaces account...

Hosts Dave Kelsey and H. Daniel Mujahid explore what character looks like when there’s no audience, using everyday moral tests—like returning a shopping cart, accidental overchange, workplace credit-stealing, online anonymity, and power dynamics—to probe the difference between reputation and true integrity.

With sharp humor, parody ads, and practical questions for self-examination, the episode argues that integrit...

Hosts Dave Kelsey and H. Daniel Mujahid examine tribalism, confirmation bias, motivated reasoning, and how technology and social media amplify our tendency to defend our side and condemn the other.

Using examples from politics, sports, family, and business, they show how identical behavior is judged differently depending on who does it and offer a practical test: pause, ask if you'd judge your own side the same way, check your evid...

In this second anniversary episode, hosts Dave Kelsey and H. Daniel Mujahid review 102 episodes tracing how personal manipulation patterns—fear, flattery, false urgency, and loyalty tests—reappear in institutions, leadership, media, and concentrated wealth, including venture capital and private equity.

They offer practical defenses: six short questions to spot manipulation, reminders to slow down and check evidence, and...

In this episode, Dave Kelsey and H. Daniel Mujahid unpack what happens when wealthy entertainers and investors enter politics: how spectacle distracts the public, elites reshape rules behind the scenes, and everyday citizens end up paying the price.

We identify the cast (ringmasters, lobbyists, private equity, tech bros), explain why spectacle works, and offer practical steps—follow the money, check the facts, support indepen...

In this episode, hosts Dave Kelsey and H. Daniel Mujahid examine how private equity, venture capital, and extreme wealth can prioritize returns over people, using fees, debt, and euphemisms to extract value from companies, workers, and communities.

They break down common tactics, explain the human consequences, and outline ethical alternatives—sustainable debt, shared rewards, transparency, and accountability—so listene...

Dave Kelsey and H. Daniel Mujahid define and expose the dangers of buffoonery and shenanigans—foolishness performed with confidence and organized confusion—showing how they appear in politics, workplaces, families, and social media and why they become manipulative when people stop asking questions.

This episode offers practical defenses: pause before reacting, name the tactic, ask clear questions about evidence and who ...

On this episode of Truthful Manipulation, hosts Dave Kelsey and H. Daniel Mujahid examine America’s 250th anniversary and ask whether our democracy can endure. They explain how manipulation, dishonesty, and division threaten civic life and why truth and integrity are necessary for repair.

The episode calls for active citizenship—voting, asking better questions, holding leaders accountable, and choosing truth over ego&md...

This episode examines what happens when public figures outgrow—or turn on—the people meant to manage them. Dave Kelsey and H. Daniel Mujahid walk through the stages of opportunism, rationalization, and panic, outline warning signs that handlers are losing control, and explain why audiences, advisers, and institutions share responsibility.

They offer practical takeaways on early honesty, walking away from toxic loyalty, ...

In this episode of Truthful Manipulation, hosts Dave Kelsey and H. Daniel Mujahid explore why people often double down on lies even after being shown the truth. They examine identity, pride, shame, tribe loyalty, and manipulation tactics that make falsehoods hard to abandon.

The episode offers practical steps—intellectual humility, accountability, and recognizing emotional influence—to help listeners choose truth over l...