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
326
What's your status?
51 min
327
Is there a hack for enlightenment?
59 min
328
Fighting a world on fire with fire
56 min
329
Revolutionary Love
51 min
330
How to make meaning out of suffering
52 min
331
Ken Burns's latest on The Greatest
62 min
332
The road from 9/11 to Donald Trump
62 min
333
Rep. Pramila Jayapal on immigrants and America ...
45 min
334
Why America's obsession with rights is wrong
52 min
335
The news is by — and for — rich, white liberals
57 min
336
Clint Smith III on confronting the legacy of sl...
55 min
337
Was the cruelty the point?
55 min
338
How seashells shaped the world — and predict ou...
52 min
339
Bill Maher on free speech, comedy, and his haters
45 min
340
Robert Reich wants you to take on the system
48 min
341
Marty Baron on the future of news
49 min
342
The death of cool
43 min
343
We need to talk about UFOs. Seriously.
Professor Alex Wendt tells Sean Illing why he thinks the aliens might already be here
57 min
344
Philadelphia's progressive prosecutor
District attorney Larry Krasner talks about his reform agenda, rising gun violence, and how to take on the system
49 min
345
Fareed Zakaria on the fate of democracy
65 min
346
Jane Goodall on the power of hope
The world's foremost expert on chimps wants us to remember we're animals, too
56 min
347
Why we love drugs
Michael Pollan on humans, plants, and the coming psychedelic revolution
58 min
348
The rugged majesty of revision
Jamil Smith in conversation with author Kiese Laymon on revision, restoration, and repair
54 min
349
How to forgive
53 min
350
What makes a great conversation?
Hosts Sean Illing and Jamil Smith introduce themselves and reintroduce Vox Conversations, a podcast exploring big ideas and hard questions together with bright minds and deep thinkers.
21 min