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
276
"Wintering," wisdom, and weathering life's dark...
62 min
277
Reframing America's race problem
49 min
278
Who owns the Western?
45 min
279
A Watchmen writer on race, TV, and tech giants
52 min
280
Uncovering the history of psychedelics in Chris...
48 min
281
Biden's immigration architect on racism, reform...
58 min
282
The Capitol Siege and American Revolution
41 min
283
Why fascism in Post-Trump America isn't going away
Vox's Sean Illing and Yale professor Jason Stanley discuss why American democracy provides such fertile soil for fascism
40 min
284
The Joe Biden experience
Ezra Klein and Evan Osnos discuss our new president
61 min
285
What it means to be a "good" rich person
Exploring the anxieties of wealthy people and their desire to be seen as "middle class."
46 min
286
Peter Kafka and Kevin Roose on big tech's power...
26 min
287
Sam Sanders and Olivia Nuzzi on President Trump...
41 min
288
Best of: We don’t just feel emotions. We make t...
A mind-blowing conversation with Lisa Feldman Barrett on how emotion is made
90 min
289
Best of: Ending the age of animal cruelty, with...
75 min
290
Best of: The moral philosophy of The Good Place
98 min
291
Best of: Michael Lewis reads my mind
101 min
292
Best of: Tracy K. Smith changed how I read poetry
85 min
293
What I’ve learned, and what comes next.
Ezra reflects on his time with Vox, what he's learned, and what comes next.
38 min
294
Best of: An inspiring conversation about democr...
67 min
295
Michael Pollan on the psychedelic society
70 min
296
Best of: Robert Sapolsky on the toxic intersect...
75 min
297
Joe Biden and "the new progressivism"
58 min
298
Best of: Frances Lee on why bipartisanship is i...
57 min
299
The most important book I've read this year
91 min
300
Best of: Alison Gopnik changed how I think abou...
92 min