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
Why we can't pay attention anymore
59 min
302
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
303
Pod Save the Democrats
55 min
304
A Yellowjackets creator spills his guts
39 min
305
A scientist's case for "woo-woo"
55 min
306
Imagine a future with no police
59 min
307
Novelist Lauren Groff on the other Matrix
42 min
308
Are we living in a simulation?
Philosopher David Chalmers on the question: what is reality, anyway?
63 min
309
Rep. Jamie Raskin on living through the unthink...
52 min
310
Best of: Why fascism in America isn't going away
44 min
311
Best of: Clint Smith III on confronting the leg...
56 min
312
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
313
Chris Bosh on winning (and losing everything)
53 min
314
The cult of toughness
61 min
315
Is ethical investing a scam?
52 min
316
The good life is painful
49 min
317
The father of environmental justice
45 min
318
Jill Lepore on Elon Musk's imaginary world
57 min
319
E.O. Wilson's plan to save the world
51 min
320
Workers of the world, stay home!
57 min
321
How progressives get back in the game
57 min
322
The highs and lows of the "creator economy"
44 min
323
Why Chris Hayes thinks we're all famous now
55 min
324
The stories soul food tells
45 min
325
The paradox of American freedom
51 min