Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Watch Ed Coper as he explains how angertainment has co-opted our social media feeds and taken over our lives, in conversation with Sushi Das.
Originally presented on Wednesday 24 June by The Wheeler Centre and supported by RMIT University.
When outrage equals engagement and our worst impulses are being targeted, gamed and monetised, is it too late to escape the rage-bait machine?
Social media is no longer a platform for connection – it’s a gladiatorial arena powered by an addictive mix of anger and entertainment. As a result, we’re being driven apart: our politics more extreme and empathy on the decline, while those who know how to game the outrage economy for clicks only become more powerful and influential.
In this illuminating in-conversation, pioneer communications expert and the strategist behind GetUp! – Australia's first major online political movement – Ed Coper sits down to unmask the architects of this new power. From manosphere gurus and tech oligarchs to political demagogues and corporate giants, he reveals how social media has evolved into an outrage machine that feeds on scandals, spectacle, extremism and notoriety to bait us into constant engagement.
-----
The Wheeler Centre acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people
of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which the Centre stands. We also acknowledge and pay our respects to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their Elders, past and present, as the custodians of the world's oldest continuous living culture.
🔔 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐓𝐮𝐛𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭-𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬
youtube.com/@WheelerCentre
𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞
The Wheeler Centre is where writers, storytellers, thinkers and readers connect through live events, insightful conversations and compelling stories in Melbourne.
𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞
Live and digital conversations, debates, readings, podcasts and discussions at The Wheeler Centre.
𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 👇
🔗 Website: wheelercentre.com
🔗 Instagram: instagram.com/wheelercentre
🔗 Facebook: facebook.com/wheelercentre
🔗Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wheelercentre.bsky.social
🔗 LISTEN wherever you get your podcasts: tinyurl.com/TWCLISTEN
Watch Ed Coper as he explains how angertainment has co-opted our social media feeds and taken over our lives, in conversation with Sushi Das.
Originally presented on Wednesday 24 June by The Wheeler Centre and supported by RMIT University.
When outrage equals engagement and our worst impulses are being targeted, gamed and monetised, is it too late to escape the rage-bait machine?
Social media is no longer a platform for connection – it’s a gladiatorial arena powered by an addictive mix of anger and entertainment. As a result, we’re being driven apart: our politics more extreme and empathy on the decline, while those who know how to game the outrage economy for clicks only become more powerful and influential.
In this illuminating in-conversation, pioneer communications expert and the strategist behind GetUp! – Australia's first major online political movement – Ed Coper sits down to unmask the architects of this new power. From manosphere gurus and tech oligarchs to political demagogues and corporate giants, he reveals how social media has evolved into an outrage machine that feeds on scandals, spectacle, extremism and notoriety to bait us into constant engagement.
-----
The Wheeler Centre acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people
of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which the Centre stands. We also acknowledge and pay our respects to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their Elders, past and present, as the custodians of the world's oldest continuous living culture.
🔔 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐓𝐮𝐛𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭-𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬
youtube.com/@WheelerCentre
𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞
The Wheeler Centre is where writers, storytellers, thinkers and readers connect through live events, insightful conversations and compelling stories in Melbourne.
𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞
Live and digital conversations, debates, readings, podcasts and discussions at The Wheeler Centre.
𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐬 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 👇
🔗 Website: wheelercentre.com
🔗 Instagram: instagram.com/wheelercentre
🔗 Facebook: facebook.com/wheelercentre
🔗Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/wheelercentre.bsky.social
🔗 LISTEN wherever you get your podcasts: tinyurl.com/TWCLISTEN
