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
401
Nikole Hannah-Jones on the 1619 project, choosi...
Ezra Klein and Nikole Hannah-Jones discuss America's founding contradiction, racial segregation, capitalism and more
98 min
402
Randall Munroe, the genius behind XKCD
A quirky, weird, illuminating, curious trip through the mind of a genius
82 min
403
Julián Castro's quiet moral radicalism
Why Julián Castro wants to decriminalize migration, admit climate refugees, reimagine our relationship with the homeless, and protect animals.
61 min
404
Political animals (with Leah Garcés)
Leah Garcés and Ezra Klein discuss how building coalitions with unlikely allies may just be the key to reducing animal suffering
87 min
405
John McWhorter thinks we're getting racism wrong
John McWhorter and Jane Coaston discuss the limits of third-wave antiracism
63 min
406
The rocky marriage between libertarians and con...
Jane Coaston and Conor Friedersdorf discuss the future of the GOP in Trump's America
83 min
407
A mind-bending, reality-warping conversation wi...
What psychedelics, burning money, and postmodernism have in common
85 min
408
Jia Tolentino on what happens when life is an e...
Ezra Klein and Jia Tolentino discuss how the Internet distorts identities, cheapens solidarity, and erodes morality
99 min
409
The original meaning of “identity politics” (wi...
Ezra Klein and Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor discuss the origins of identity politics and the future of Black liberation
79 min
410
Are bosses dictators? (with Elizabeth Anderson)
Elizabeth Anderson sits down with Ezra Klein to discuss workplace tyranny, the power of ideology, and a vision for a more democratic society
85 min
411
The Constitution is a progressive document
Gerrymandering, constitutionalism, and the future of the Supreme Court
56 min
412
Matt Bruenig’s case for single-payer health care
Ezra interviews Matt Bruenig
119 min
413
Can Raj Chetty save the American dream?
Ezra chats with Raj Chetty about the fading American dream.
77 min
414
Astra Taylor will change how you think about de...
Is democracy even possible? A conversation with Astra Taylor
76 min
415
Is big tech addictive? Nir Eyal and I debate.
Is big tech addictive? Nir Eyal and Ezra debate.
73 min
416
Generation Climate Change
Ezra sits down with Varshini Prakash of Sunrise Movement
91 min
417
Is the media amplifying Trump’s racism? (with W...
Ezra interviews Whitney Phillips
82 min
418
Rutger Bregman’s utopias, and mine
Ezra interviews Rutger Bregman
86 min
419
How white identity politics won the Republican ...
83 min
420
George Will makes the conservative case against...
70 min
421
What deliberative democracy can, and can’t, do ...
Ezra interviews Jane Mansbridge
51 min
422
Rod Dreher on America’s post-Christian culture ...
110 min
423
White threat in a browning America (Jennifer Ri...
73 min
424
Behind the panic in white, Christian America
91 min
425
An enlightening, frustrating conversation on li...
105 min