Tell Me How You're Mighty: Real Talk About Cheating – Details, episodes & analysis

The holidays are coming and it's a good time to remember all the things you do not (or will not) miss about your cheating ex. We hear about puppets in church, obnoxious sneezing, and hair powder. Horrific hygiene and rage driving. Bizarre hobbies and bad attitudes. Sound engineer Beowulf does his best dramatic Grinchy Thurl Ravenscroft voice to read the list. Sarah and Tracy react in horror. Thank god, no more taxidermy.

We're back with Dr. Peter Salerno this week talking about his new book "Cruelty By Nature: The Science of Intentional Abuse." If you've been at the receiving end of abuse and were confused why unconditional love wasn't working, this episode is for you. Do some people enjoy being cruel? Is unkindess its own reward?

Salerno discusses the research around personality disorders and sadism and takes on therapists who endangers victims when they counsel victims to meet harmful acts with forgiveness and greater understanding. Conventional therapy argues that antisocial behavior comes from a person acting out trauma and masking shame. This view, Salerno argues, ignores behavioral science. Some people behave unethically because their brutish methods work for them. Worse, some disordered people actually derive pleasure from hurting others.

Sarah and Tracy hear from listeners about how their cheaters' affairs were exposed. (None of them by Jumbotron, alas.) Some affair partners outed the relationships to win the pick-me dance. In other cases, technology mishaps led to discovery. (Why don't these people learn how devices synch?) It's painful however you find out, but it's better to know than waster another minute being duped. 

Sarah and Tracy discuss being public with their chump stories. Guest Paul Doncaster takes mightiness to a new level when he tells his D-Day story "The Stranger" at Moth Radio storytelling contest in front of a live audience. And his ex turns up with her boyfriend! 

Sarah and Tracy discuss the ordinary people they've met who've impressed them with their extraordinary resilience. Teasers for mighty stories to come!