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.
401
Is the cure worse than the disease?
Are we overreacting to coronavirus? An economist and a bioethicist weigh in.
62 min
402
An economic crisis like we’ve never seen
Annie Lowrey on the coronavirus depression
79 min
403
"The virus is more patient than people are"
Obama's Ebola Czar on why coronavirus is much worse
75 min
404
A master class in organizing
116 min
405
Weeds 2020: The coronavirus election
Ezra and Matt on dueling pandemic response plans from Sanders and Biden, and Trump's oval office address.
51 min
406
Dan Pfeiffer on Joe Biden, beating Trump, and s...
The former Obama White House communications director has some critical feedback for the Democratic party
92 min
407
Are you a "political hobbyist?" If so, you're t...
Political scientist Eitan Hersh on how political hobbyism is ruining politics
80 min
408
What would a Sanders or Biden presidency look l...
Matt Yglesias and I talk foreign policy, staffing, the Democratic Party and more.
69 min
409
Rebecca Solnit on Harvey Weinstein, feminism, a...
The radical wisdom of Rebecca Solnit
102 min
410
Weeds 2020: The Bernie electability debate
Welcome to Weeds 2020! Every other Saturday Ezra and Matt will be exploring a wide range of topics related to the 2020 race.
55 min
411
Tracy K. Smith changed how I read poetry
America’s two-time poet laureate on love, language, and erasure
84 min
412
Barbara Ehrenreich on UBI, class conflict, and ...
Ezra Klein and Barbara Ehrenreich discuss our most pervasive cultural myths from rugged individualism to positive thinking
62 min
413
What Donald Trump got right about white America
AEI's Tim Carney on how social breakdown killed the American Dream
69 min
414
Ta-Nehisi Coates on my “cold, atheist book”
Ezra is joined by Ta-Nehisi Coates to discuss "Why We're Polarized" live from Brooklyn, NY.
70 min
415
If God is dead, then … socialism?
Philosopher Martin Hagglund and Vox's Sean Illing discuss the meaning of life
59 min
416
Tim Urban on humanity’s wild future
The Wait But Why creator thinks the human species is at an existential fork-in-the-road. Is he right?
84 min
417
Jill Lepore on what I get wrong
Easily the toughest interview of my book tour so far
79 min
418
Is Tom Steyer the solution to our dysfunctional...
Why the presidential candidate thinks we need another billionaire to beat Trump
60 min
419
Why We're Polarized, with Jamelle Bouie (live!)
In conversation with Jamelle Bouie on my new book, "Why We're Polarized"
70 min
420
Antisemitism now, antisemitism then
Antisemitism is called “the oldest hatred.” But what is it, and where, exactly, does it come from?
86 min
421
Book excerpt: A better theory of identity politics
A special preview of Ezra's book; Why We're Polarized.
58 min
422
The war on Muslims (with Mehdi Hasan)
Mehdi Hasan on the rise of global Islamophobia
85 min
423
Post-debate special!
Matt Yglesias and I unpack the debate that did, and didn't happen.
54 min
424
An “uncomfortable” conversation with Cory Booker
Cory Booker is one of most promising candidates in the 2020 Democratic field. So, why is his campaign struggling?
88 min
425
The conservative mind of Yuval Levin
The AEI scholar discusses human nature, the conservative movement, and the case against socialism
75 min