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.

Philosophy
Politics
News Commentary
251
Trapped inside with Susanna Clarke's Piranesi
43 min
252
Bryan Stevenson on the legacy of enslavement
57 min
253
What's your status?
51 min
254
Is there a hack for enlightenment?
59 min
255
Fighting a world on fire with fire
56 min
256
Revolutionary Love
51 min
257
How to make meaning out of suffering
52 min
258
Ken Burns's latest on The Greatest
62 min
259
The road from 9/11 to Donald Trump
62 min
260
Rep. Pramila Jayapal on immigrants and America ...
45 min
261
Why America's obsession with rights is wrong
52 min
262
The news is by — and for — rich, white liberals
57 min
263
Clint Smith III on confronting the legacy of sl...
55 min
264
Was the cruelty the point?
55 min
265
How seashells shaped the world — and predict ou...
52 min
266
Bill Maher on free speech, comedy, and his haters
45 min
267
Robert Reich wants you to take on the system
48 min
268
Marty Baron on the future of news
49 min
269
The death of cool
43 min
270
We need to talk about UFOs. Seriously.
Professor Alex Wendt tells Sean Illing why he thinks the aliens might already be here
57 min
271
Philadelphia's progressive prosecutor
District attorney Larry Krasner talks about his reform agenda, rising gun violence, and how to take on the system
49 min
272
Fareed Zakaria on the fate of democracy
65 min
273
Jane Goodall on the power of hope
The world's foremost expert on chimps wants us to remember we're animals, too
56 min
274
Why we love drugs
Michael Pollan on humans, plants, and the coming psychedelic revolution
58 min
275
The rugged majesty of revision
Jamil Smith in conversation with author Kiese Laymon on revision, restoration, and repair
54 min