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
Best of: Robert Sapolsky on the toxic intersect...
75 min
302
Joe Biden and "the new progressivism"
58 min
303
Best of: Frances Lee on why bipartisanship is i...
57 min
304
The most important book I've read this year
91 min
305
Best of: Alison Gopnik changed how I think abou...
92 min
306
Best of: Vivek Murthy on America’s loneliness e...
76 min
307
What Democrats got wrong about Hispanic voters
60 min
308
Antitrust, censorship, misinformation, and the ...
How 2020 changed Facebook and Twitter for the better
55 min
309
The crisis isn’t Trump. It’s the Republican Party.
60 min
310
The Joe Biden experience
63 min
311
Chris Hayes and I process this wild election
Polarization, polling error, and the Latino vote
59 min
312
Stacey Abrams on minority rule, voting rights, ...
In 2020, democracy is on the ballot.
65 min
313
Nate Silver on why 2020 isn't 2016
The Wizard of Odds on 2016's mistakes, polling error, and Trump's chances
65 min
314
Sarah Kliff grades Biden and Trump's health car...
Sarah Kliff and I wonk out on the 2020 healthcare stakes
73 min
315
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
316
What should Democrats do about the Supreme Court?
Ganesh Sitaraman on court packing, democracy reform, and the future of the Democratic Party
81 min
317
Marilynne Robinson on writing, metaphysics, and...
A joyful, cathartic conversation with Marilynne Robinson
70 min
318
The case for Trump’s foreign policy
Rebeccah Heinrichs on great power competition, China, and how Trump sees the world
68 min
319
Fareed Zakaria on how Biden and Trump see the w...
The scholar and pundit discusses China, American exceptionalism, and foreign policy
76 min
320
How a climate bill becomes a reality
How to craft a climate bill that will actually work
82 min
321
The meat we eat affects us all
The human costs of eating meat
33 min
322
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
323
A radical — or obvious? — plan to save American...
Lee Drutman's case against America's two party system
66 min
324
RBG, minority rule, and our looming legitimacy ...
Political scientist Suzanne Mettler on whether American democracy will survive 2020
70 min
325
David French and I debate polarization, secessi...
Competing paths to solve our polarization crisis
87 min