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How Do We Know What’s Real Anymore? | Josh Smith From #485 | The Way I Heard It

2026-05-24 Entertainment
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Mike Rowe
Mike Rowe
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Description

I’ve spent a lot of time talking about the skills gap, the collapse of trust in our institutions, and the unintended consequences of technology. But this week, Josh Smith, founder of the Montana Knife Company, and I went a little deeper down the rabbit hole. It started with fake knives—actual counterfeit Montana Knife Company knives being sold online by thousands. Cheap knockoffs from China carrying Josh’s logo, branding, and his reputation. Customers buy them thinking they’re getting the real thing, only to discover the blade won’t hold an edge…or worse. And then there’s AI scams. Deepfakes. Fake websites. Social media companies profiting from fraud. The erosion of trust in literally everything we see online. At one point, we found ourselves asking, what happens when the average person assumes everything is a lie? And yet, we also found reasons to be optimistic. Because the same technology creating chaos might also help save small-town America, strengthen manufacturing, close the skills gap, and transform education in ways neither of us saw coming. Watch the full conversation with Josh: https://bit.ly/TWIHI485JoshSmith #podcast #america #ai If you like me, and even if you don't, subscribe to my channels and follow me. Much obliged. https://www.youtube.com/@therealmikerowe https://www.youtube.com/@therealmikeroweshorts https://www.youtube.com/@PYSKshow http://instagram.com/mikerowe http://facebook.com/TheRealMikeRowe https://twitter.com/mikeroweworks 00:00 Getting shadowbanned 05:51 Trust in advertising 07:02 Government's role ️ 10:12 Trust in institutions ️ 11:37 AI & social media 15:40 Saving small towns ️

Top Comments (10)

@justinschwendiman5833 2026-05-25

The default position for any advertising should be "This is a lie"

17
@steveRBForge 2026-05-25

YouTube is a major offender. 90 percent of the ads I see are for fraudulent products. It is to the point I just assume all ads are fake.

63 3 replies
@kathleenboggan6616 2026-05-26

I used to be amused by ads. Now I HATE THEM ALL, NO EXCEPTIONS. I don't believe ANYTHING ANY OF THEM ARE SAYING.

15
@SkipperPond 2026-05-24

Mike nailed it. Defrauding is rampant.

63 3 replies
@brandiwynter 2026-05-25

The amount of fraud in our country, almost exclusively perpetrated by China and to a slightly lesser degree, India, is so staggering that you have to purposely try to avoid seeing the problem.

33 3 replies
@WheelerRickRambles 2026-05-26

They are not in a basement on a laptop. They are in a corporate office conference room.

9
@muskwa1981 2026-05-25

Hopefully this comment can be shared with Josh. I bought several of MKC knives during 2025 as I planned to give them as XMas gifts along with some MKC swag. I wasn't sure if they would appreciate the MKC worksmanship and the MKC story ... fortunately I bought directly from MKC as I had no idea of all the fraud. The MKC knives and swag were very well received and in fact I had to order another MKC jacket. God Bless.

10
@Expat-Dream 2026-05-26

THANK YOU MIKE, I’m 69 years old, when I was young man I went to 2 Trade schools to learn how to weld , at the same time I was going through an Union Ironworker Apprenticeship Training Program completed it. Thirty years of work and also became a Union Representative. As a Union Representative I would visit the Trade Schools and non-Union Sites to seek out qualified AWS-Welders. I have always Appreciated Your Encouragement to the Uneducated to learn Trade Skills, College isn’t always the Answer. Retired Union Ironworker and former Union Business Agent.

15 1 replies
@RangeRoninChronicles 2026-05-25

As with anything that starts out with good intentions, Ai has become the tool of deception for some.

12
@geoffreywalker7308 2026-05-25

I work for a major sunglass manufacturer and their really speaks to me… lol. It’s disgusting all the knockoff, fake product out in the marketplace.

11 1 replies

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