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
301
Elites have captured identity politics
52 min
302
The moral dangers of dirty work
54 min
303
Did the sexual revolution go wrong?
53 min
304
Who decides how to conserve nature?
55 min
305
The Philosophers: Loneliness and totalitarianism
58 min
306
The War in Ukraine, Explained — Part 4: The fut...
59 min
307
Michael Lewis on why Americans distrust experts
52 min
308
The War in Ukraine, Explained — Part 3: The nuc...
51 min
309
The case for regret
45 min
310
The War in Ukraine, Explained — Part 2: Sanctions
56 min
311
The spirituality of parenting
43 min
312
The War in Ukraine, Explained — Part 1: Why did...
55 min
313
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
314
What happened to American conservatism?
55 min
315
The limits of forgiveness
46 min
316
The madness behind The Method
62 min
317
David Cross is disappointed in you guys
44 min
318
Author Kiley Reid on why we read novels
42 min
319
The conversation about guns we're not having
59 min
320
Why does middle school suck?
60 min
321
Russia's war with Ukraine — and reality
33 min
322
Robert Glasper on why Black Radio is back
The 4-time Grammy winner is creating a new genre of music
51 min
323
Could we lose delicious foods forever?
60 min
324
What Don't Look Up is really about
The film's co-writer doesn't think it was smug.
56 min
325
Democracy in crisis, part 2: The two-party problem
53 min