Finance professor Alex Edmans joins to expose how research, statistics, and stories are often weaponized to mislead us—and what we can do to resist confirmation bias in a post-truth world.

Alex Edmans is a Professor of Finance at London Business School, a former investment banker, TED speaker, and the author of May Contain Lies: How Stories, Statistics, and Studies Exploit Our Biases—and What We Can Do About It.

• CEO pay, testimony before UK Parliament, and research misrepresentation
• The problem with cherry-picked or manipulated studies
• Diversity, ESG, and performance: what research really shows
• Why “smart” people still fall for bad ideas (e.g., Theranos)
• How confirmation bias affects policymakers, businesses, and parents
• The myth of breastfeeding and IQ
• Using ChatGPT and AI tools more critically
• Why post-truth thinking is dangerous—and how to fight back

• Misquoting research is rampant—even in government policymaking.
• Studies can be cherry-picked or selectively framed to “prove” anything.
• Diversity and ESG don’t always lead to better performance, especially when oversimplified.
• Smart investors, policymakers, and academics are just as vulnerable to bias.
• AI tools like ChatGPT can reinforce misinformation unless prompted with skepticism.
• It's not about learning statistics—it’s about applying common sense and open-mindedness.
• Be as skeptical of studies you like as those you dislike.

• “Even if a statistic is 100% correct, the interpretation of it can still be completely misleading.”
• “We know how to poke holes in studies we disagree with. The challenge is doing the same when we agree with the findings.”
• “AI can’t fix misinformation—it reflects it. You need to know how to interrogate it.”

🎙 The Pod is hosted by Jesse Wright
💬 For guest suggestions, questions, or media inquiries, reach out at https://elpodcast.media/
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Tony Edwards, author of The Good News About Booze, argues that moderate alcohol consumption—especially wine—offers significant health benefits that public health authorities deliberately downplay.

Guest Bio:
Tony Edwards is a medical research journalist and author of The Good News About Booze and The Very Good News About Wine. A self-described "research nerd," he draws from hundreds of peer-reviewed studies to argue that moderate alcohol consumption—especially red wine—has significant health benefits, including reduced risk of heart disease, dementia, and arthritis.

Topics Discussed:

• The “J-curve” relationship between alcohol and health outcomes
• WHO’s anti-alcohol messaging and comparisons to tobacco
• Obesity, processed food, and deflection from real public health issues
• Alcohol’s impact on the liver, heart, cholesterol, and weight
• Wine vs. beer vs. spirits: What’s healthiest?
• Alcohol and the microbiome (“second brain”)
• Historical and social roots of alcohol demonization
• Alcohol’s role in aging, community, and social bonding
• Publishing censorship around “positive” alcohol science

Main Points:

• Moderate drinking is associated with better health outcomes than abstaining, especially regarding cardiovascular disease, dementia, and longevity.
• Health authorities suppress or ignore nuanced evidence, promoting a binary “alcohol is poison” message similar to tobacco fear campaigns.
• Red wine is particularly beneficial due to its high polyphenol content and synergistic effects with alcohol.
• Social drinking strengthens community bonds and psychological well-being through endorphin activation and routine social rituals.
• The real health threats—processed foods, pharmaceutical overuse, and poor lifestyle habits—are often overshadowed by anti-alcohol messaging.

3 Best Quotes:

• “Alcohol is actually good for your health—up to a certain level. It’s a paradoxical substance.”
• “You will die five years earlier if you drink nothing but water compared to people who drink wine.”
• “They won’t tell you the truth because they think people are too stupid to understand that a little of something is good for you—and a lot is not.”

🎙 The Pod is hosted by Jesse Wright
💬 For guest suggestions, questions, or media inquiries, reach out at https://elpodcast.media/
📬 Never miss an episode – subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.
⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show. It helps others find us.

Thanks for listening!

Marketing executive and business lecturer Melise Panetta breaks down why Gen Z is drinking less alcohol—and what that means for wellness culture, social life, and the future of consumer marketing.

👤 Guest Bio:
Melise Panetta is a seasoned business executive with over 20 years of experience at major firms like PepsiCo and General Mills. She is currently a marketing lecturer at the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics at Wilfrid Laurier University in Ontario, Canada, with deep expertise in wellness trends, consumer behavior, and brand strategy.

🧭 Topics Discussed:

• Why Gen Z is drinking less alcohol than previous generations
• The impact of social media, wellness culture, and DUIs
• Substitutes for alcohol: marijuana, vaping, microdosing
• The rise of “low and no” alcohol beverages
• Marketing missteps (e.g. Bud Light/Dylan Mulvaney) and lessons
• The generational shift in social behavior and its business implications
• The future of alcohol, soda, and wellness branding
• AI in marketing: threat or tool?
• Broader trends in consumer psychology, brand trust, and authenticity
• Shortcuts vs. sustainability in weight loss and lifestyle changes

💡 Main Points:

• Gen Z’s reduced alcohol consumption is tied to wellness values, mental health awareness, and economic constraints.
• The generation’s delayed adultification—living at home longer, dating less, socializing less—shapes consumption habits.
• Brands must adapt by offering “low/no” alcohol options, emphasizing functional benefits, and targeting women and minorities with distinct campaigns.
• Social drinking is being replaced by health rituals, gym culture, and digital interaction, contributing to loneliness.
• AI will reshape marketing by assisting with research and content creation, but human insight remains critical.

📌 Three Best Quotes:

• “This isn’t a fad—it’s rooted in a decades-long wellness trend that’s only gaining momentum.”
• “Gen Z isn’t putting alcohol at the center of their social life anymore. And that changes everything for marketers.”
• “If you don’t drink alcohol because it controls you, and you also can’t drink it because you’re scared of it—then it still controls you.”

🎙 The Pod is hosted by Jesse Wright
💬 For guest suggestions, questions, or media inquiries, reach out at https://elpodcast.media/
📬 Never miss an episode – subscribe and follow wherever you get your podcasts.
⭐️ If you enjoyed this episode, please rate and review the show. It helps others find us.

Thanks for listening!