Trust Me, I'm Lying
Confessions of a Media Manipulator
Ryan Holiday
You've seen it all before. A malicious online rumor costs a company millions. A political sideshow derails the national news cycle and destroys a candidate. Some product or celebrity zooms from total obscurity to viral sensation. What you don't know is that someone is responsible for all this. Usual...
The book was described as a confession of a media manipulator, detailing malicious online rumors and how they can be used to influence public opinion and damage careers.
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the next one is called Trust Me, I'm Lying confessions of a media manipulator by Ryan Holiday.
— Episode: CLASSIC: What is media manipulation?
Episode: CLASSIC: What is media manipulation?
The book was described as a confession of a media manipulator, detailing malicious online rumors and how they can be used to influence public opinion and damage careers.
"
the next one is called Trust Me, I'm Lying confessions of a media manipulator by Ryan Holiday.
Episode: CLASSIC: What is media manipulation?
It was discussed as a book detailing the manipulative tactics used to shape online narratives and control the spread of information, particularly in the realm of online blogs.
"
the next one is called Trust Me, I'm Lying confessions of a media manipulator by Ryan Holiday
Episode: CLASSIC: What is media manipulation?
It was discussed as a book written by a media strategist or manipulator where he talked about how malicious online rumors and scandals can cost companies millions of dollars and ruin careers.
"
the next one is called Trust me I'm lying confessions of a media manipulator by Ryan Holiday
It was mentioned as Ryan Holiday's book that discussed the tactics and strategies of the online marketing and blogging world, it was discussed as a book that brought aspects of the field to light.
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I was introduced to him with Trust Me I'm Lying and I thought it was such an amazing book because it outlined everything that we knew in the blogging world and kind of brought it to light.
— Episode: 45: Ryan Holiday | Solving for What You...
Episode: 45: Ryan Holiday | Solving for What You Really Wan...
It was mentioned as Ryan Holiday's book that discussed the tactics and strategies of the online marketing and blogging world, it was discussed as a book that brought aspects of the field to light.
"
I was introduced to him with Trust Me I'm Lying and I thought it was such an amazing book because it outlined everything that we knew in the blogging world and kind of brought it to light.
Episode: 45: Ryan Holiday | Solving for What You Really Wan...
It was mentioned as Ryan's first book, the one that helped introduce him and his perspective on marketing and blogging to the wider audience.
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I was introduced to him with Trust Me I'm lying and I thought it was such an amazing book because it outlined everything that we knew in the blogging world and kind of brought it to light.
The title was repeatedly highlighted as a seminal guide exposing how media manipulation works, with its author and various guests noting its ongoing relevance, updates, and influence on politics and education. It was recommended by the host, Renée DiResta, and other interviewees as essential reading for understanding fake news and the mechanics of modern journalism. The discussion emphasized the book’s lasting impact, its early sales success, and its role in shaping the host’s perspective on stoicism and media criticism.
Highly Recommended
Episode: It Could Just As Easily Be Us… | Stoicism's Formul...
The author mentioned this book and his experience getting injured while riding his bike, which disrupted his writing process.
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What I immediately appreciated about that was something I'd experienced when I was writing my first book, Trust Me I'm Lying.
Episode: Choose To Become Your Best | Paul Rabil PT2
Ryan Holiday mentioned Trust Me, I'm Lying as one of his books that helped him become a performance marketer.
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And the first book of yours that I read was trust me, I'm lying.
Episode: Unlocking Self-Discovery Through Shadow Work Journ...
Ryan Holiday recalled when his book Trust Me, I'm Lying sold 10,000 copies and how he could visualize 10,000 people in a stadium but a million copies seemed unfathomable. This was an example of a book's sales being different than music sales.
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I remember when Trust Me, I'm Lying had sold 10,000 copies. And I was like, I can imagine 10,000 people in a basketball arena, but a million was unfathomable to me.
Episode: The New Age of Media Manipulation | Renée DiResta
The podcast host mentioned updating this book and discussed podcasting as a positive medium within it, contrasting it with other forms of media.
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when I was writing the updated version of Trust Me, I'm Lying, I was talking about podcasting as a positive medium
Episode: Attention Wars: How Lies Spread Online Have Real-W...
It was Ryan Holiday's first book, initially titled "Confessions of a Media Hitman." He wrote it after leaving his job at American Apparel and becoming alarmed by online media trends; it is a how-to guide and a critique of the media landscape.
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I had no idea what it was going to be called. I had no idea whether it would get published or not.
The working title became Confessions of a Media Hitman and then eventually became Trust Me I'm Lying.
Was it a memoir and an expose? It was a how-to. And also please do something about this.
One of the models I was using for it is Michael Lewis, a New Orleans native as it happens, his book, Liar's Poker, which is sort of a Bible on Wall Street, but also at its core, a withering critique and condemnation of Wall Street.
I thought the book was very much of this moment. The idea that it would still be selling 10 plus years later, that I've updated it twice, that it would be influential in major political parties, major electoral races, all sorts of crazy stuff. I never would have guessed.
Episode: What We Can Learn From The Rich And Famous | Jorda...
It was mentioned that the author's first book had just come out around 2012, and that it led to one of his first podcast appearances with Jordan Harbinger.
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This would have been like 2012. My first book had just come out and I'd done one of my first ever podcasts. It was with this guy, Jordan.
Episode: There Is No Better Time Than Now | Ask DS
The book, which was assigned as part of a course at West Point, discusses self-discipline and how it relates to Stoicism. The author shares anecdotes from his personal life and career to illustrate his points.
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Well, in the the preferred translation of Marcus Aurelius that I love, the Gregory Hayes translation, he tends to render it as self-discipline or sometimes does and so you know that was a decision that ultimately I made and there was a bunch of different ways I was going to title or present that book.
There's an there's an Eisenhower quote that I love that's in the intro of the book but he says freedom is better defined as the opportunity for self-discipline right and to me that captures what the virtue of sophrosyne or discipline or self-discipline is really about that it's the things that you can do but choose not to right.
Marcus is best line about this idea is tolerant with others strict with yourself right and and I think that's it that's a great way to think about it as far as the discipline that we we are instructed in or taught in or pick up as part of our profession.
Episode: It’s Going To Take A While, So You Need To Do This...
The author reflected on writing this book about media manipulation and fake news, its unexpected success, and how its themes became even more relevant years later in the context of the information war with Russia. He was unsure of its reception but felt compelled to write it, drawing influence from Upton Sinclair's "The Brass Check."
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When I wrote my first book, Trust Remboing, honestly there was a part of me that thought it was early.
I was writing about medium manipulation and fake news and how the ideas that we take for granted are a culture where they come from and the forces that marketing and public relations exert on that information.
I wasn't sure how the book would do. I just knew it was a book like I had to write.
I was very much influenced by this wonderful book from Upton Sinclairi wrote The Brass Check after the jungle. He wrote this expo-ze of media in the early 1900s and that's what I was trying to do it in Trust Remboing.
Show what's really happening behind the scenes. Words and all including my own screwed up role in it.
Episode: No One Can Hold Anything Over You | Keeping “The N...
This book, written by the speaker, is about how the news manipulates people. It was also inspired by another book, Upton Sinclair's *The Jungle*.
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obviously one my book trust me I'm lying is about how the news manipulates you
the other book which inspired my book trust me I'm lying if you read the jungle as a kid in high school or whatever
Episode: Garland Robinette On The Stoic Principle That Shap...
The guest, Garland Robinette, recounted how his executive producer insisted he read this book. He found it impactful, particularly regarding business communications.
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my staff brought in this book, trust me I'm lying, you got to read this
I read it one night and I came back and Jesus Christ we had to get this guy on
I'd never seen put that way
I wrote trust me I'm lying in New Orleans
Episode: Ryan And Guy Raz On Controlling Only What You Can
The author stated that if he had to rewrite one of his books, he would choose this one because he wrote it when he was young and because of the book's legacy.
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i tried to rewrite one uh i probably rewrite trust me i'm lying uh just because i wrote that when i was so young and also i've seen the legacy of that book did you have some good stuff out of that you did or uh or maybe i wouldn't publish it at all um but um yeah i i don't know it's it's uh i've also had the the pleasure slash horror of doing new additions of a book that i wrote when i was 24 which is not an experience i would wish on on anyone
Episode: You Deserve Moments Like This | (Dis)integration
The speaker mentioned this book and its cover as being different from his current work, Daily Stoic. He reflected on his past self and the lack of integration between his personal philosophy and professional life when he wrote this book.
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If you've read Trust Man Line and you've heard of it, it might seem very different than what I talk about here at Daily Stalker if you see a video of me and then you contrast it with the somewhat ominous, even evil cover of Trust Man Line, it might seem as difficult to reconcile.
If you've read Trust Man Line and you've heard of it, it might seem very different than what I talk about here at Daily Stalker if you see a video of me and then you contrast it with the somewhat ominous, even evil cover of Trust Man Line, it might seem as difficult to reconcile. Indeed it is. I talk about this in the intro of the book.
I was of course familiar with Stoicism when I wrote that book. I was studying Stoke Philosophy before I even got into marketing and I read Marx really many times in those years that I worked for those controversial clients.
Episode: Where Is Your Command Center? | Casey Neistat's 10...
The speaker discussed writing "Trust Me, I'm Lying," and how the subsequent success allowed them to pursue projects they felt passionate about, regardless of their publisher's initial hesitation.
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Look when I went to my publisher after I wrote Trust Me I'm Lying
Episode: Tim Miller on Political Games and Building Integri...
The podcast host reflected on writing this book over 10 years prior, noting how his perspective and understanding of stoicism have evolved since then. He mentioned that while the book's factual content remains relevant, his personal views have significantly changed.
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It's kind of unbelievable to me now that I wrote Trust Me Online more than 10 years ago.
Like lots of that book holds up well, the facts of what is an effort holds up well but who I was as a person isn't someone I feel like holds up well.
It wasn't for me with Trust Me I'm Line.
Episode: John Barry on the Great Influenza and the Value of...
This was the speaker's first book, published exactly 10 years prior to the podcast recording. The speaker moved to New Orleans while working on it.
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As you know, I used to live in New Orleans. I moved to New Orleans when I was writing my first book Trust Me I'm Lying. It's crazy to me to think it came out exactly 10 years ago this month.
Episode: There Needs To Be Outlets | Keeping “The News” In...
This book, written by the podcast host, explores how news manipulates its audience. It was mentioned as a response to the discussion about excessive news consumption.
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obviously one my book trust me am lying is about how the news manipulates you
Episode: Comedian Drew Michael on Optimization, Social Medi...
This book was described as an updated version of Edward Bernays's work on public relations, relevant to new technologies and social media. A quote about the emotional valence of content and its spread was highlighted.
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And there's there are two books that I think I've sent to people the most one is Ant Kind by Charlie Kaufman
that there is trust me I'm lying by you and the reason is because it feels almost like the sort of update the updated version
but it feels like an update from you know this sort of Edward Bernays outline of the sort of you know
public relations industry in the 20th century and so this felt like you know sort of that just still down to the elements
but like just the idea of the emotional valence of something
being the determining factor of how quickly it spreads or how rapidly or how how much it proliferates
and just this idea that outrage and anger spreads I think I think it was something in a three to one clip
Episode: You’d Be A Fool To Not Do This
It was mentioned as one of many books that Mark Zuckerberg should read; the context suggests it's a book offering insightful commentary.
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By the way there are plenty of books at Suckerberg ought to read these days in that vein, including amusing ourselves to death, the storm before the storm, the brass check, the filter bubble and trust me online.
Episode: Kathryn Schulz on Misinformation and Coping with G...
The podcast host mentioned reading this book while writing their own book. No further details were provided.
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One of the best books I read while I was writing a book Trust Me Online was called Being Wrong by the Wonderful Catherine Schultz.
Episode: Professor Jo Lukito on the Rise of Misinformation
It was mentioned as Ryan Holiday's first book, written in 2011, and discussed the concept of "trading up the chain", where rumors or gossip start on blogs and get picked up by larger news outlets. The book's central theme was explored in the podcast conversation with Professor Lukito, who independently discovered this same phenomenon.
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It's in the first chapter of my first book Trust me I'm lying it was me watching how rumors or gossip or things that started on blogs would get sort of laundered through a local news site or social media and then get picked up by increasingly large websites until it was a breaking story on CNN or Fox News or NBC News or whatever.
Took me back all the way to my first book which is crazy to me that I wrote in 2011 Trust Me I'm Lying now almost 10 years old.
You can pick up a copy at my bookstore ThePaintedPorture at thepaintedPorture.com or anywhere books are sold there's an audiobook version as well.
I think I talk about this a little bit in trust me online where it's like you would never you would never tolerate a journalist owning stock in a company they're reporting about right but what happens in this sort of clickbait universe or the universe where they are largely judged based on the numbers they put up right is that the stock they own is in their own stories right and so they don't stop and go yeah why why is this magic like why would someone gift me this scoop
Episode: Author Adam Rubin on Creativity and Pursuing Your...
The speaker recounted moving to New Orleans to write this book, a marketing and media book, and later moving to New York City for a time.
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when I wrote my first book, Trust Man Line, which is sort of a marketing media book
Episode: Megan Phelps-Roper on Radicalization and Redemptio...
The author discussed his first book, mentioning how his experiences in marketing and working for controversial figures were different from his later work and study of Stoicism. He discussed how he eventually reconciled these two seemingly contrasting aspects of his life.
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And if you read Trust Me On Mine, which is my first book, then you can trust it with what we talk about here,
Episode: Leaders Are Made Not Born | Keeping “The News” In...
This book, written by the podcast host, discusses news manipulation and was presented as a recommendation related to controlling news consumption and its manipulative nature.
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obviously one my book trust me I'm lying is about how the news manipulates you
Episode: Paul Skallas on the Lindy Effect and Standing the...
The podcast host, Ryan Holiday, mentioned his first book, reflecting on its continued success and enduring relevance despite initial concerns about its timeliness. He noted its ongoing sales years after publication.
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We're actually coming up this year on the 10-year anniversary of my first book, Trust Me I'm Lying, which I thought had to be this thing that you get out to the market right now or won't be relevant. And here it is still selling and selling.
Episode: A.J. Daulerio on Recovery and Finding Peace With S...
The author mentioned a bike accident that occurred while he was writing this book, but instead of hindering the process, he used the time for long walks and felt the book would ultimately be improved as a result.
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I remember I was writing, trust me, I'm lying and I got on a bike accident and I broke my elbow and I could have said, I can't write because instead I said, I'm going to go for a lot of long walks. I'm going to have to delay this process a little bit. But the book is going to be better for it, having happened.
Episode: Rome's Last Citizen: The Life and Legacy of Cato -...
Ryan Holiday briefly mentioned writing this book while living in New Orleans in 2011, around the time he first encountered the manuscript of "Rome's Last Citizen."
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I read a draft of this book in 2011 when I was living in New Orleans writing, Trust Me I'm Lying.
Note: The book recommendations on this page are discovered automatically from podcast transcripts, and may be incorrect or incomplete.
