American Scandal - Encore: The Unabomber | Atomic Pearl | 1

Episode Date: December 26, 2023

Ted Kaczynski faces a painful rejection in high school. Then he endures an abusive psychology experiment at Harvard. Kaczynski may be an academic prodigy, but he feels lonely and out of place. His solution? He's going to get revenge on modern society.Need more American Scandal? With Wondery+, enjoy exclusive seasons, binge new seasons first, and listen completely ad-free. Start your free trial in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or visit wondery.app.link/IM5aogASNNb now.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

You're listening to the first episode of this American Scandal season. With Wondery+, you can binge the remaining episodes, listen to new episodes early, and explore more exclusive seasons completely ad-free. Start your free trial of Wondery+, in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify today. Earlier this year, Theodore Kaczynski died in prison of an apparent suicide after serving 25 years of a life sentence. Before his capture, he was known as the Unabomber, and he was one of the most prolific and evasive domestic terrorists in U.S. history. This is a special Encore presentation of our series on the Unabomber,

a story that originally aired in 2020. We hope you enjoy it. It's the morning of July 2nd, 1982. Patrick Webb hurries through campus at the University of California, Berkeley. His eyes dart left and right. He spots police cars, a crowd of students. There's yellow crime scene tape stretched across the computer science building. And everywhere, onlookers point and murmur. They all seem to be saying the same thing, that there was an explosion, a big one. It might have been a bomb. That's why Patrick Webb is here. Webb is a bomb expert who works for the FBI.

He's 37 years old, and normally he has an easy smile. But today, his expression is grim, because he knows the onlookers are right. This could have been a deliberate act of violence, and so he needs to move fast. Webb needs to figure out what exactly happened, and if there's any evidence of foul play, he and the FBI need to start looking for suspects before it's too late. Webb reaches the computer science building and flashes his ID. The officers move aside and Webb ducks beneath the yellow tape. As he approaches the building, he's met by another FBI agent.

The two enter together and walk up a stairwell. They exit on the fourth floor and head for the faculty break room. There, Webb pauses, and he stares in horror at the sight in front of him. Chairs lie tipped over, scorched. Debris litters the floor. There's a faint smell of coffee in the air, but it's overpowered by the reek of gasoline.

Webb squats down and examines the floor. There are shards of glass and a metal pipe. Webb squats down and examines the floor. There are shards of glass and a metal pipe. He spots fragments of a battery and scraps of parcel paper. There's no question that this was a bomb. Looking at the scraps, this could have been a plastic can filled with gasoline. It would have been wrapped in parcel paper as a disguise. And for the detonator, a pipe bomb with batteries.

When someone triggered it, the device would have exploded like one giant Molotov cocktail. Webb rises and turns to the agent who let him in. So, we had a victim? Yeah, a professor. He's got severe burns and might lose some fingers. Oh, God. Was there a note, anything? The agent hands Webb a Ziploc bag. Inside is a burnt piece of paper. It's a typewritten note. This is it? No ransom? No demands? Just... Woo, it works? I told you it would? No, nothing else.

Webb grits his teeth and gazes across the destruction. He's never heard of a bombing case without demands. Most bombers ask for money, the heard of a bombing case without demands. Most bombers ask for money, the return of a political prisoner, something, anything. This is bizarre, and not nearly enough to give him a read on the bomber's motivation. As Webb surveys the room, the other agent speaks up. You know, this could be Unabomb. Unabomb? I heard about him at a conference last year. Remember that United Airlines bomb back in 79? Almost took down a plane in Chicago. That was Unabomb.

He also mailed a bomb to an executive at United Air. What do airlines have to do with a break room at UC Berkeley? Well, that's where Unabomb comes from, the name Unabomb. We believe the same guy is also hitting university professors. He's sent bombs to Northwestern, Utah, Vanderbilt. So Unabomb, university and airline bomber. Webb taps his foot, stares at the agent. That's a weird connection. You think he did this? I talked to some lab techs at the conference and this bomb here, well, this looks exactly like what they described.

Webb exhales. If they're dealing with a serial bomber, then things just got a hell of a lot more complicated. But there's still something he can't wrap his head around. He turns back to the other agent. Now tell me something. He sets the explosive in front of a coffee machine. Yeah, right. Had him playing views, so anyone could have been the victim. Yep, yep.

He wasn't going after any single person. So no target, just a bomb in the break room. I don't know what the motive could be. Webb once again glances around the destroyed room. Then it hits him. Terror. He was going for terror. Webb squats back down and gazes at the debris on the floor again. He'll probably be here all night, and these may be the only clues he has to work with.

It'll be tedious work. But if this is the work of a serial bomber, then Webb knows one thing for sure. There will be more explosions and more victims. So now Webb has just a single goal. To track the bomber down before anyone else gets hurt. In the past decade, Boeing has been involved in a series of scandals and deadly crashes that have dented its once sterling reputation. At the center of it all, the 737 MAX, the latest season of Business Wars,

explores how Boeing allowed things to turn deadly and what, if anything, can save the company's reputation. Make sure to listen to Business Wars wherever you get your podcasts. From Wondery, I'm Lindsey Graham, and this is American Scandal. Political violence is nothing new to America. These extreme measures have been the reaction to a wide variety of issues, from slavery to war to changes in the nation's economy. Those who commit political violence often believe that their actions are the only way to create change. But others only seek to create terror. Whatever the intent, political violence has cost countless lives

and loomed as a specter during troubled times. From the late 1970s to the mid-1990s, America lived through one of these troubled episodes. A man named Theodore Kaczynski mailed or planted 16 bombs around the country. These devices injured 23 people and killed three and left a nation on edge. Known to the FBI as the Unabomber, Kaczynski railed against technology. He believed that industrial life had harmful effects on the human spirit,

and he believed that technology was hurting the planet. He sought to change the world with his bombs. The manhunt for the Unabomber began in 1979. Over the course of nearly two decades, it would grow into the longest and most expensive case in FBI history. But despite what he'd become, Ted Kaczynski wasn't born evil. Still, his experiences in childhood and at college would leave him alienated and angry.

And he grew determined to take revenge on everything he despised. This is Episode 1, Atomic Pearl. despised. This is Episode 1, Atomic Pearl. It's the spring of 1957. Ted Kaczynski stands in the hallway of his high school, watching students stream past. One after the other, they walk by Kaczynski, gossiping, laughing. Kaczynski stares at them, and his arms tremble. It seems like all the other students at Evergreen Park High School have friends. They all seem like they fit into a group. But not Kaczynski. No one seems to notice him.

Not today, not ever. Kaczynski runs a hand through his hair and looks around. At least today, though, no one's picking on him. That's a small improvement. Kaczynski leans back against the locker and waits. He knows he has to be one of the most unpopular high schoolers in all of Illinois. Probably doesn't help that he's skipped two grades. He's already younger than everyone else.

And on top of that, he's small for a 14-year-old. And it also doesn't help that most people think he's weird and different. It's true he likes to think logically, to argue. But every time he gets into these conversations, people seem to clam up and turn away. Altogether, high school has been a miserable experience. The only exceptions are science class and band. But that's not enough, and Kaczynski has made a decision. He's going to change things. He's tired of being a loner and being ignored by everyone. He wants to somehow feel like he belongs. And there's one person in particular he wants to get to know. Her name is Joanne. She's beautiful. Today, Kaczynski is going to make a move, and he's going to impress

her with his greatest strength, his mind. Kaczynski reaches into his pocket and grabs hold of what feels like a small tube of paper. It's a firecracker called an atomic pearl, and he made it himself. At home last night, he carefully twisted a little piece of paper into the shape of a barbell. On one end, he placed ammonium. On the other end, iodine. When you untwist the paper, the crystals mix, and then they explode. Anyone who sees the invention will be wildly impressed.

And there's one person he wants to impress most. That's why he's going to give the firecracker to Joanne. Kaczynski sees Joanne approach her locker. Her brown curls frame a heart-shaped face. Kaczynski walks up, and she looks at him with a weak smile. Then he reaches into his pocket and hands her the firecracker. Joanne squints at the gift, asks why she should open it, but Kaczynski says she just needs to trust him. Joanne is reluctant,

but finally she untwists the paper. There's a sudden pop and the firecracker explodes, sending a wisp of purple smoke into the air. Joanne shrieks and jumps back. Nearby students stop and stare. Joanne's eyes are wide open in shock, and for a moment Kaczynski feels his knees go weak. Suddenly, this seems like it was a terrible idea. What was he thinking? Joanne is scared, and now it feels like the whole school is watching him, judging. But then Joanne starts laughing, and Kaczynski feels the blood return to his face. He grins back. Pretty neat, huh? Joanne nods, but then she warns him to be careful. This could get him in trouble. Ted smiles and shakes his head. He says there's no way that'll happen. He's too smart to get caught. The two stand in silence, and then Kaczynski begins to feel lightheaded, because he knows this is his moment to make a move.

He's not scared anymore. He has to take action. So Kaczynski blurts out an invitation. He asks Joanne if she wants to see a movie this weekend. She stiffens and stammers that she's busy this weekend. But Kaczynski isn't ready to give up, so he asks about next weekend. Joanne inches away, clutching her binder. She apologizes and says she has tennis lessons next weekend, and she should really get to class now.

Kaczynski is about to ask if she's actually taking tennis lessons all weekend, but before he can get the words out, Joanne is gone. Now alone in the hallway, Kaczynski slumps against a locker. He thought the atomic pearl was his best hope. He feels deflated, ready to give up. But he also knows he can't go on like this. He's a loner, without any friends or prospects for a girlfriend. He has to do something. Something else. Soon after Joanne walks away, Kaczynski hears the bell and takes off for class.

But then he gets the feeling that he's not alone. Out of the corner of his eye, he spots a student from his chemistry class. A boy, six feet tall, with facial hair already. He's beefy and wears a letterman's jacket. As the student approaches, Ted cringes instinctively. He knows that something bad is about to happen. He hurries up, trying to get away. But the student hurries after him and grabs Kaczynski by the shoulder.

Kaczynski goes limp as the boy steps in front of him. But then something completely unexpected happens. The big student shoots Kaczynski a big smile. And he says that Kaczynski is pretty smart. He saw that little bomb. He wants to know how to make something like that. Kaczynski looks at the ground and asks if the boy is serious. The boy says he is.

And so with his eyes still on the floor, Kaczynski starts to explain that it's not a bomb, it's just a firecracker. And there's a difference between the two. Kaczynski begins to explain, but the big student interrupts him. He says it doesn't matter. What does matter is that he's got a proposition. Kaczynski begins to explain, but the big student interrupts him. He says it doesn't matter. What does matter is that he's got a proposition. If Kaczynski can give him the recipe to make a bomb,

he'll put in a good word with some girls. He looks Kaczynski in the eye and asks, Is it a deal? Kaczynski swallows. He wants a girlfriend more than anything in the world. So he looks up, nods, and then explains the recipe for a bomb. The student punches him in the arm and runs off, saying he's going to tell everyone that Kaczynski is cool. Kaczynski stands there, suddenly feeling a glow like some religious halo, because he knows that this is the start of a new day.

A year later, a Pontiac pulls into the parking lot at Evergreen Park High. It sputters as it comes to a stop. Turk Kaczynski steps out of the car and looks up at the school building. He shakes his head, feeling annoyed. This building looks fine. There's no sign of damage from the event last year, when some jock blew out the windows during chemistry class. The boy blamed it all on Turk's son, Ted.

Remembering all those accusations and all of those school meetings, Turk still gets angry. But he's in a better mood today, as he's back on campus for a different reason. Ted's band teacher, Mr. Roberto, has invited him to a meeting. Turk is certain that the teacher wants to offer some well-earned congratulations. Ted is only 15 years old, but he was just admitted to Harvard, the most prestigious college in the country. It's true that Ted has no real friends. Turk has tried to whip him into shape and called him sick and emotionally disturbed. He knew this hurt Ted, but the boy needed to hear it in order to shape up. Still, despite his flaws, there's no question that Ted is a genius.

Still, despite his flaws, there's no question that Ted is a genius. As Turk steps into the band room, a few students are warming up. And then he notices Mr. Roberto, who approaches with a generous smile. Uh, Mr. Kaczynski, hello. Please, grab a seat. The two pull up a pair of plastic chairs, and Turk gazes across the classroom. How's the band this year? Ted says you're his favorite teacher. Well, that's very flattering. He's a special kid. Special's an understatement. I'm guessing you heard? He got into Harvard. Roberto pauses, suddenly looking wary. Yes, that's actually why I asked you in today. I don't know exactly how to say this, but have you considered that maybe Harvard isn't right for Ted? You're

kidding me. The boy's got an IQ of 167. Yeah, Ted is clearly brilliant, but emotionally, well, he's just not as mature as other seniors. And I don't think it helped to skip him two grades. I mean, take the bomb last year. That wasn't Ted's fault. All he did was share some basic science. Regardless, it shows poor judgment. Plus, Harvard's a different social sphere. Students there come from a certain class. Turk feels his face grow hot. Ah, just because I make a living making sausages,

that means my son isn't good enough for Harvard. I see, I see. You know where Ted gets his IQ from? From me. Well, I don't doubt that for Harvard. I see, I see. You know where Ted gets his IQ from? From me. Well, I don't doubt that, Mr. Krasinski, but there's an elitism at Harvard that has nothing to do with intelligence. And Harvard's just a pressure cooker for anyone, let alone someone so young. Have you considered Oberlin College?

I suggest it because it's got an excellent music program. Turk stares at the music teacher. He can't believe this man thinks he can just intrude on their lives. Mr. Kaczynski, I'm going to be blunt. I know you're proud of Ted. Damn right I am. But your pride will doom him. Harvard is not in his best interest.

Turk bolts up. He can't take it anymore. You know what's not in his best interest? Having to listen to idiots like you. Before Roberto can protest, Turk throws open the door and stalks out. He took off work today, and for what? To have his judgment questioned? Evergreen Park, Turk thinks. A dead-end school. He should have expected this. Turk gets into his car and slams it in gear. As he pulls out of the parking lot, he makes a promise to himself. His boy's going to Harvard, and that's final. Later that year, in the summer of 1958,

Ted Kaczynski stands on his front lawn, waiting impatiently. He desperately wants to get in the car and finally head off to Harvard. But first, he has to deal with his parents. His mother is making a huge fuss. She's trying to get a photograph of what she keeps calling Teddy's big day. Ted scowls as she and his father fidget with the camera. Ted is, of course, excited about Harvard. For the first time in his life, he'll be able to meet people just like him, smart, curious about the world. It'll be a different universe than Evergreen Park, Illinois. Maybe he'll even meet a girl. He also can't wait to get away from his parents. His mother, Wanda, is always telling him what to do. Join a club,

try and make friends this way or that way. Even today, she's trying to control everyone. She made him dress up in a sports jacket just for the photo. And she did the same for Ted's little brother, David. The boy is barely nine, and here on the front lawn, he looks miserable in an oversized jacket. Ted watches his mother struggle to tame David's cowlick, but he can't stand it anymore.

He barks at her to take the picture. Finally, the family lines up. There's a click, and the photo's done. Ted exhales. He's ready to leave. But first, Wanda pulls him aside and says she wants to talk for just a minute. Ted groans. He can hear it in her tone.

He's about to get another pep talk. And sure enough, Wanda says she knows he had a rough time in high school, especially socially. But Harvard will be better. Ted mutters to himself and starts to walk away, but his mother grabs his sleeve, surprisingly hard, and she looks right into his eyes, says that she's proud of him, and she hugs him. Ted hates this. He doesn't understand why people are always touching, so he just stands there stiffly. Finally, Wanda pulls away and says, I love you, Teddy. Ted rolls his eyes and says he's in college now. It's Theodore, not Teddy. His mother looks hurt, but she repeats the message. I love you, Theodore. And grudgingly, he says that he also loves her.

The front door of the house swings open and Ted's father, Turk, comes bounding down the steps. He says they're going to be late. Ted breaks free from his mom and tosses the suitcase in the back of the car. Before she can hug him again, he jumps in the passenger seat and locks the door. Ted sees his brother, David, standing in the doorway. Ted gives a quick wave and then turns away as his father starts the car. Soon, their little brick house disappears into the distance. Ted feels himself relaxed for the first time in months, maybe years. Finally, he's leaving Evergreen Park, a town full of small-headed people,

people who are never smart enough to understand him. That's why he never fit in, and why he never made friends. But Harvard, Harvard will be different. Ted smiles. He knows the worst days are behind him, and he can't wait for his next chapter to begin. On January 5th, 2024, an Alaska Airlines door plug tore away mid-flight, leaving a gaping hole in the side of a plane that carried 171 passengers. This heart-stopping incident was just the latest in a string of crises surrounding the aviation manufacturing giant, Boeing. In the past decade, Boeing has been involved in a series of damning scandals and deadly

crashes that have chipped away at its once sterling reputation. At the center of it all, the 737 MAX. The latest season of Business Wars explores how Boeing, once the gold standard of aviation engineering, descended into a nightmare of safety concerns and public mistrust. The decisions, denials, and devastating consequences bringing the Titan to its knees. And what, if anything, can save the company's reputation. Now, follow Business Wars on the Wondery app or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge Business Wars, the unraveling of Boeing,

early and ad-free right now on Wondery Plus. I'm Jake Warren, and in our first season of Finding, I set out on a very personal quest to find the woman who saved my mom's life. You can listen to Finding Natasha right now, exclusively on Wondery Plus. In season two,

I found myself caught up in a new journey to help someone I've never even met. But a couple of years ago, I came across a social media post by a person named Loti. It read in part, Three years ago today that I attempted to jump off this bridge, but this wasn't my time to go. A gentleman named Andy saved my life.

I still haven't found him. This is a story that I came across purely by chance, but it instantly moved me, and it's taken me to a place where I've had to consider some deeper issues around mental health. This is season two of Finding, and this time, if all goes to plan, we'll be finding Andy.

You can listen to Finding Andy and Finding Natasha exclusively and ad-free on Wondery Plus. Join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. It's October 1958 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Ted Kaczynski steps out of his dorm in a hurry and begins making his way across the quad. He looks down and notices that pants he's wearing are stained. His stomach crumbles, and he realizes that all he's eaten today is half a sandwich

and some milk that may have been spoiled. Still, right now, Kaczynski has all he needs, his trombone and his sheet music. He's on his way to band practice, but he needs to hurry, otherwise he'll be late. As he races through the quad, Kaczynski can't help but feel a dull frustration coursing through him. Because even though it's hard to admit, Harvard's been a tough adjustment. Back home, he never had to work for his straight A grades. But at Harvard, he's barely pulling Cs. The social scene is even worse. Everyone's dad is

some rich banker or lawyer or even a senator, and all his classmates want to do is sneak liquor and go to dances. He's not interested in either, but band is different. The kids there are quirky and creative. It's his only refuge, the one place where he feels he belongs. That's why Kaczynski has been looking forward to band practice all day. But now, as he turns a corner, he stops in surprise. Normally, the band practice is inside, but today, everyone's out on the lawn, and they're spread out in formation. Kaczynski finds the trombone section leader and asks what they're doing. The girl explains that now that it's cooled off, it's time to practice marching.

Marching? Kaczynski grimaces. In high school, he hated marching. Made him feel like they were all a bunch of army grunts, that they were following orders just because someone told them to for no logical reason. Kaczynski tells the section leader that he doesn't like to march.

She just snorts and says that if he wants to play in band, he has to march. Kaczynski and says that if he wants to play in band, he has to march. Kaczynski protests and says his high school band teacher let him skip marching practice, but the section leader looks exasperated. She tells him that if that's what he wants, then he should go back to high school. Then she adds that he's the right size for it. Kaczynski feels his stomach drop. He's always been sensitive about being small But then a fury takes hold of him And then he says he refuses to march

That's final The girl shrugs And says if that's the case then he can't be in band She then pushes past him For a moment he's stunned And then Kaczynski turns and storms off furious He can't believe that this is what Harvard is like Even the musicians are conformists.

He can feel it in his bones. He's glad to quit. He heads back through the quad. But as he returns to his dorm, he realizes he now has nothing to do but study. He doesn't have plans tonight or all weekend. He realizes then that he needs to find something else to occupy him, something intellectual.

He doesn't know what it is yet, but he'll start looking. A year later, Wanda Kaczynski is cleaning out Teddy's old bedroom in Evergreen Park. She finds a stack of old magazines and stops. She takes them and sits down on Teddy's twin bed, and she begins flipping through issues of Scientific American. Bittersweet memories come flooding back with every page. She remembers how when Teddy was a child, she'd hold him on her lap and read these magazines to him.

He always had the smartest questions. Pains her to remember how close they once were. Now Teddy's a sophomore at Harvard, and she hardly hears from him. To make matters worse, it sounds like he's lonelier than ever. She wishes she could do something to help him, but sitting here halfway across the country, she's not sure what she could do.

Wanda hears a thud from the front of the house. It sounds like the mail arrived. She could use a break from her heavy heart, and so she gets up and heads downstairs. She's flipping through a pile of coupons and catalogs when she spots an envelope with a crimson seal. It's something from Harvard. Wanda tears it open.

It's a letter from a research psychologist there, someone named Dr. Henry Murray. He says he wants to enroll Teddy in a psychological study. It will be a friendly discussion about philosophy and life. The goal of the study, Murray says, is to contribute to the solution of certain psychological problems. But Murray says the issue is that Teddy is still only 17. He needs Wanda's permission to enroll him in the study.

Wanda frowns. She's not sure what psychological problems Murray wants to study. But she reads the letter again, and her concern for Teddy overtakes her. He was supposed to meet friends at Harvard and maybe even a nice girl, but he's spiraling more than ever. He even quit band. That was the one place he was happy. Wanda looks again at the permission form. This Dr. Murray is a psychologist, someone who helps people with their problems. Maybe he can help Teddy. She's not sure about the study, but she is sure that if Teddy doesn't get help soon, he'll be in big trouble. So she grabs her pen, signs the form, and goes to find a stamp. She's going to mail this off today.

A month later, Dr. Henry Murray takes a seat inside the Harvard Psychology Annex. Murray is a 66-year-old psychologist, and right now he's inspecting the room where his next experiment will take place. It's covered in wallpaper with tiny yellow flowers, and an entire wall is dominated by a one-way mirror. Murray cracks his knuckles and turns to the young man sitting in front of him. With his freckles and red hair, the man looks young enough to pass as a student. But Murray knows the truth. This man is actually a lawyer, and he's a key part of Murray's psychological study, which begins today. When the study's participants arrive, they'll be told that

they're debating a fellow student about their philosophy on life. In truth, they'll be debating one of the fiercest young litigators in Massachusetts. And Murray wants this lawyer to break the students down. That's the point of the study. But right now, Murray is frustrated. The lawyer keeps asking whether he really should be so aggressive. Murray shakes his head and tells the lawyer he needs to attack the students. He needs to make them squirm. What Murray doesn't say is that he has ties to the intelligence community in Washington, D.C.

And throughout World War II, he worked for the precursor to the CIA. Murray studied spy interrogations, harsh ones, and this study is the culmination of his work in the field. Now he wants to see what happens when a group of 22 students are verbally brutalized and receive this treatment on an ongoing basis. But first, this lawyer needs to toughen up. Murray tells the man that he can't be soft. The U.S. is still at war with Russia, and the country needs this research.

With that, Murray asks who the first participant is. The lawyer consults a sheet in his lap and says the first up is codename Lawful. Murray's eyes light up. He's been eager to test Lawful, his codename for a sophomore named Theodore Kaczynski. He's young, blue-collar, and appears to be the most alienated. That should make for a highly combustible mix. Soon, the interrogation will begin. Murray pulls up a chair behind the one-way mirror and settles in to watch the sparks fly. mirror and settles in to watch the sparks fly. It's the fall of 1960 and a year later. Today,

Ted Kaczynski is once again sitting under bright hot lights in the observation room of the Harvard Psychology Annex. Two lights are aimed into his eyes. He squints at the bright light and dabs his forehead, wiping away beads of sweat. He feels like he's overheating. Doesn't help that he's recently grown a beard. It's another hopeless attempt to look older than just 18. Across from Kaczynski sits an older student with bright red hair and freckles. The two sit facing each other. The chairs are the only furniture in the room. Sitting next to Kaczynski is a heart rate monitor with wires connected to his chest. The monitor beeps every now and then, and a movie camera whirs in the corner recording the psychological study.

Right now, Kaczynski is trying to make a point about technology. It's something he has heard in one of his classes, and since then he hasn't been able to stop thinking about it. But he's been involved in these debate sessions for a year, and as always, the other student keeps interrupting and twisting his words. Kaczynski's jaw clenches, and he decides he's going to try and make his point another way. What I'm trying to say is that technology limits humankind, spiritually, I mean. The other student shoots Kaczynski a look of pure contempt.

That's so cliche. Because it's true. A new technology may seem positive at first, but in the end, it almost always has a cost. That's so cliche. Because it's true. A new technology may seem positive at first, but in the end, it almost always has a cost. It takes away your independence, your dignity. So, technology's bad. How about cancer drugs, huh? Curing little kids with brain tumors, that limit your freedom?

No, that's not... It's like I was saying about the Amish. Again with the Amish. Just listen. You're supposed to listen during a debate. Ah, so you get to make the rules of the debate. That right? Kaczynski squeezes his eyes shut and slaps his own leg. Just listen.

The Amish do it right. They accept some technologies but reject others. They lead a simple life. Wait, you're an atheist, right? Right, but the Amish are Bible beaters. You're completely contradicting yourself. No, I'm not. You could still admire some aspects of their life.

The other student leans back in his chair, smirking. What? Why are you smiling? I never saw it before. Now I know why you like the Amish so much. Oh yeah? Why? It's that stupid beard of yours.

You even look Amish. The student then reaches forward and tugs Kaczynski's beard, hard. Then he makes a billy goat noise. Kaczynski recoils and rips the heart rate patches off his chest. He jumps up, glaring fiercely into the mirror. He knows that the psychologists are watching him from the other side. And for a moment, he considers smashing his fist into the glass. He hovers there, his body shaking. He doesn't want to give up. He doesn't want to let them win. But he decides he's had enough. He turns and runs for the door. As he does, the other student begins laughing and says he looks forward to their next meeting in a week. Kaczynski grabs the

doorknob and pauses. He feels small, humiliated, because the worst part is Kaczynski knows this guy is probably right. He's getting paid for each session, and he needs the money. Kaczynski throws open the door and stalks down the hallway, and as he runs down the steps of the psychology annex, there's only one thought coursing through his mind. He wants to burn down the whole building with every last person still inside. He was hip-hop's biggest mogul, the man who redefined fame, fortune, and the music industry. The first male rapper to be honored on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Sean Diddy Combs. Diddy built an empire and lived a life most people only dream about. Everybody know ain't no party like a Diddy party, so.

Yeah, that's what's up. But just as quickly as his empire rose, it came crashing down. Today I'm announcing the unsealing of a three-count indictment charging Sean Combs with racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking, interstate transportation for prostitution. I was f***ed up. I hit rock bottom. But I made no excuses. I'm disgusted. I'm so sorry. Until you're wearing an orange jumpsuit, it's not real.

Now it's real. From his meteoric rise to his shocking fall from grace, from law and crime, this is The Rise and Fall of Diddy. Listen to The Rise and Fall of Diddy exclusively with Wondery Plus. It's six years later, 1967, in the middle of the night in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Inside a small apartment, Ted Kaczynski is having a nightmare. The same one he's had over and over again. In the dream, he's sitting inside a small, dark room. A psychologist stands behind him.

His breath is rancid and hot, and he whispers that Ted is sick. That he is worthless. Ted swivels in the chair and sees that the psychologist is holding some sort of device. He's using it to control Ted's mind, and he's also going to use it on Ted's younger brother, David. Like he does most nights, Kaczynski lashes out and attacks the psychologist in his dream. That's when he starts thrashing in his sleep and wakes up in a sweat. It takes him a full minute to realize where he is. He's lying in his dingy apartment, surrounded by piles of clothes, books on math, and plates of old food. He sits up and tries to

slow his breath. It's been a terrible six years since he finished school at Harvard. He didn't know what to do with himself when he graduated, and so he decided to follow one of his only real interests, to study math as a graduate student at the University of Michigan. He knows that people here consider him a rising star. He's published several impressive papers and even received a job offer at the University of California, Berkeley. It's one of the top math departments in the world. But inside, Kaczynski boils with anger. He hates academia. His colleagues were supposed to be brilliant, but they mostly argue over titles and parking spots.

They're petty conformists, not free thinkers. And more and more, all Kaczynski dreams about is escaping somewhere, to just disappear. He goes for long walks in the woods, and sometimes he doesn't want to turn back. But he knows he has to, because he can't figure out how to live without money. Kaczynski falls back onto the pillow. Right now, lying in bed, he has more immediate needs.

He has to get back to sleep. It's only 2 a.m. He has classes to teach. But just as he's drifting off, something thuds against his wall. He jumps up, his adrenaline surging. Then he hears another low thud and then another in a slow building rhythm. Kaczynski groans and sinks back down into his sheets. It's the young couple next door.

They're insatiable, never quiet. So Kaczynski pounds his fist against the wall. The only response is a muffled giggle. He lies back down in bed, listening in misery. He's been at Michigan for years and he hasn't gotten a single date. He's a full-grown man now, six feet tall, but the insecurities of high school still eat away at him. Kaczynski buries his face in his pillow and screams.

He's leaving for Berkeley in a few weeks. When he gets there, his life has got to change. It must. Two years later, Ted Kaczynski sits on a bench on the campus of UC Berkeley. It's an overcast day and bells chime out from a nearby tower. Kaczynski turns the page in his book and takes a bite of an apple. He's trying to concentrate, but right now he can't. He looks up, his impatience rising once again. It's those damn protesters. Their shouts and chants are never ending. It's 1969, and the media has

been calling the campus berserkly, and with good reason. Black Panthers are gathering for a march. zirkily, and with good reason. Black panthers are gathering for a march. Anti-war protesters are waving signs in their black peacoats and berets. Nearby, some long-haired communists sell copies of Chairman Mao's Little Red Book. Kaczynski scowls at all the assembled protesters. They're convinced that politics will change things, that they can reform society. Kaczynski snorts. He knows they're wrong. No matter what sort of government they set up, technology will always be there. That's the real danger, he has no doubt.

Industrial society chokes off everything that's meaningful about human life. And it's not just human life. The planet is dying too. Kaczynski has seen all this firsthand. He's now a professor at UC Berkeley, and he's seen how the university and its professors are part of the problem. Math, physics, chemistry, psychology. They're all advancing the agenda of an industrial society and ruining the world. Kaczynski knows that somehow he has to stop this, but he won't be doing it by marching.

Somehow, he has to stop this. But he won't be doing it by marching. Kaczynski can't help but smile at the irony. All those hippies think he's the square, because he's the math professor in a tweed suit. But soon they'll never know that he's far more radical than they'll ever be. Kaczynski rises and tosses the half-eaten apple in a trash can. He walks past a group of protesters and grins as they shout their anti-war slogans.

Right now, Kaczynski has to go teach a class, but he's not going to do this forever. He has other plans, and soon his life and his work are going to look a lot different. Two months later, Ted Kaczynski strides down the hallway of the Math Building at UC Berkeley. Bulletin boards line the hallways and are pinned with flyers about poetry readings and upcoming protests. Kaczynski hardly notices them.

He's heading to a meeting with the chair of the math department, and he's feeling annoyed. They shouldn't have to have this meeting. Kaczynski already wrote a letter and made his intentions crystal clear, but he'll do them the courtesy of explaining himself again, so there's no ambiguity about his big decision. Kaczynski arrives at the office of John Addison. Addison is the department chair, and at the moment he's frowning over something. His desk is piled with books and stacks of papers,

and in front of him is Kaczynski's letter. Addison looks up. Ah, Ted, come in. Take a seat. Can I get you some coffee? No, thank you. Tea? Anything else? I've stated my preference. Oh. All right, well, let me turn this down. Addison steps over to her radio and shuts it off. Then he turns back to Kaczynski. Cousin steps over to a radio and shuts it off. Then he turns back to Kaczynski. It really is beautiful, isn't it?

Music, math, they're one and the same. I just love Beethoven. That wasn't Beethoven, it was Mozart. All right, well, let's get down to it. I've read your letter, and I have to say I'm stunned. And I'm afraid I can't accept your resignation. I don't need your acceptance, John. Come June, I'm leaving.

But why, Ted? You're a star. The youngest assistant professor in the history of the entire department. Be honest, did Stanford poach you? Harvard? Whatever salary they offered, we can try to match it. No one offered me a job. Well, Ted, I have to tell you, I'm baffled. I just don't understand your resignation, so please, are we through? Wait, just tell me why you're doing this. Why are you quitting?

Kaczynski stared at him for a long moment. He was hoping to avoid this, but Addison might as well hear the truth. I'm leaving because I'm through with it. I can't support the technological industrial complex. Addison squints, a look of confusion in his eyes. I'm sorry, what? I said I can no longer support the technological industrial complex. I heard you, but Ted, you're a mathematician.

Math feeds science. Science feeds technology. But we do pure math, which gets twisted into terrible things. Math helps people drill for oil or make some new insecticide that kills birds and trees. Math is the gasoline on the fire. You're serious. You realize you're throwing away your career. That's exactly my intention. What are you going to do? Kaczynski smiles. Who knows? Goodbye, Professor. You're a fool, but you were always decent to me. Kaczynski heads for the stairs, then walks outside. It's a glorious day, the first real day of spring. For the most part, Kaczynski believes every word he said about

technology. But he did tell one lie. He knows exactly what he's going to do with himself now. Kaczynski is going to save up his last few paychecks, then he's going to buy a piece of land somewhere remote, maybe in Canada. But he won't just escape. If technological society has been choking him to death, well then Kaczynski knows he's fully justified in fighting back. The thought makes him feel strong. He breathes deep, then starts to whistle as he walks. He spent his whole life getting bullied and jerked around. And what has he ever done but take it,

take it, and then take it some more? The time for taking it is over. He's going to give. Give himself the time and space he needs. Give himself an escape from the technological world. And give everyone else hell. From Wondering, this is Episode 1 of The Unabomber for American Scandal. In our next episode, Ted Kaczynski retreats into the wilderness in Montana,

where he pushes forward with a deadly bombing campaign. where he pushes forward with a deadly bombing campaign. If you're enjoying American Scandal, you can unlock exclusive seasons on Wondery Plus. Binge new seasons first and listen completely ad-free when you join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. And before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a survey at wondery.com slash survey. reenactments and dramatized details. And while in most cases we can't know exactly what was said, all our dramatizations are based on historical research. American Scandal is hosted, edited, and executive produced by me, Lindsey Graham for Airship. Audio editing by Molly Bach. Sound design by Derek Behrens. Music by Lindsey Graham. This episode is written by Sam Kean, edited by Christina Malsberger. Our senior producer is Gabe Riven. Executive producers

are Stephanie Jens, Jenny Lauer Beckman, and Marsha Louis for Wondery.