The Gray Area with Sean Illing

The Gray Area with Sean Illing takes a philosophy-minded look at culture, technology, politics, and the world of ideas. Each week, we invite a guest to explore a question or topic that matters. From the the state of democracy, to the struggle with depression and anxiety, to the nature of identity in the digital age, each episode looks for nuance and honesty in the most important conversations of our time. New episodes drop every Monday. From the Vox Media Podcast Network.

Philosophy
Politics
News Commentary
251
The Philosophers: Resisting despair
How can Albert Camus help us understand the war in Ukraine, post-pandemic life, and the absurdity of our modern world?
51 min
252
What happened to American conservatism?
55 min
253
The limits of forgiveness
46 min
254
The madness behind The Method
62 min
255
David Cross is disappointed in you guys
44 min
256
Author Kiley Reid on why we read novels
42 min
257
The conversation about guns we're not having
59 min
258
Why does middle school suck?
60 min
259
Russia's war with Ukraine — and reality
33 min
260
Robert Glasper on why Black Radio is back
The 4-time Grammy winner is creating a new genre of music
51 min
261
Could we lose delicious foods forever?
60 min
262
What Don't Look Up is really about
The film's co-writer doesn't think it was smug.
56 min
263
Democracy in crisis, part 2: The two-party problem
53 min
264
Why we can't pay attention anymore
59 min
265
Democracy in crisis, part 1: Ross Douthat isn't...
First in a two-part series on the dangers facing American democracy, hosted by Zack Beauchamp
60 min
266
Pod Save the Democrats
55 min
267
A Yellowjackets creator spills his guts
39 min
268
A scientist's case for "woo-woo"
55 min
269
Imagine a future with no police
59 min
270
Novelist Lauren Groff on the other Matrix
42 min
271
Are we living in a simulation?
Philosopher David Chalmers on the question: what is reality, anyway?
63 min
272
Rep. Jamie Raskin on living through the unthink...
52 min
273
Best of: Why fascism in America isn't going away
44 min
274
Best of: Clint Smith III on confronting the leg...
56 min
275
Best of: We need to talk about UFOs. Seriously.
Professor Alex Wendt tells Sean Illing why he thinks the aliens might already be here
57 min