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
301
Michael Pollan on the psychedelic society
70 min
302
Best of: Robert Sapolsky on the toxic intersect...
75 min
303
Joe Biden and "the new progressivism"
58 min
304
Best of: Frances Lee on why bipartisanship is i...
57 min
305
The most important book I've read this year
91 min
306
Best of: Alison Gopnik changed how I think abou...
92 min
307
Best of: Vivek Murthy on America’s loneliness e...
76 min
308
What Democrats got wrong about Hispanic voters
60 min
309
Antitrust, censorship, misinformation, and the ...
How 2020 changed Facebook and Twitter for the better
55 min
310
The crisis isn’t Trump. It’s the Republican Party.
60 min
311
The Joe Biden experience
63 min
312
Chris Hayes and I process this wild election
Polarization, polling error, and the Latino vote
59 min
313
Stacey Abrams on minority rule, voting rights, ...
In 2020, democracy is on the ballot.
65 min
314
Nate Silver on why 2020 isn't 2016
The Wizard of Odds on 2016's mistakes, polling error, and Trump's chances
65 min
315
Sarah Kliff grades Biden and Trump's health car...
Sarah Kliff and I wonk out on the 2020 healthcare stakes
73 min
316
Trumpism never existed. It was always just Trump.
American Affairs editor Julius Krein on Donald Trump and the decay of the American right
55 min
317
What should Democrats do about the Supreme Court?
Ganesh Sitaraman on court packing, democracy reform, and the future of the Democratic Party
81 min
318
Marilynne Robinson on writing, metaphysics, and...
A joyful, cathartic conversation with Marilynne Robinson
70 min
319
The case for Trump’s foreign policy
Rebeccah Heinrichs on great power competition, China, and how Trump sees the world
68 min
320
Fareed Zakaria on how Biden and Trump see the w...
The scholar and pundit discusses China, American exceptionalism, and foreign policy
76 min
321
How a climate bill becomes a reality
How to craft a climate bill that will actually work
82 min
322
The meat we eat affects us all
The human costs of eating meat
33 min
323
A dark, dangerous debate
In a special, post-debate episode, I'm joined by Matt Yglesias to discuss the most unnerving presidential debate I've ever seen.
68 min
324
A radical — or obvious? — plan to save American...
Lee Drutman's case against America's two party system
66 min
325
RBG, minority rule, and our looming legitimacy ...
Political scientist Suzanne Mettler on whether American democracy will survive 2020
70 min