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.
101
Is ignorance truly bliss?
30 min
102
Is America broken?
46 min
103
The cost of spending time alone
Do Americans have too much 'me time?'
37 min
104
Attention pays (with Chris Hayes)
47 min
105
How to be happy
63 min
106
The screens between us
42 min
107
The importance of failure
42 min
108
What to do with your sadness, pain, and grief
53 min
109
What do animals feel?
44 min
110
Are men okay?
44 min
111
How to feel alive
49 min
112
The antidote to climate anxiety
47 min
113
America’s reactionary moment
70 min
114
Well this is awkward
54 min
115
What just happened, and what comes next
Your election questions answered
47 min
116
Does being "woke" do any good?
Musa al-Gharbi helps us untangle the concept of "wokeness"
49 min
117
Is America collapsing like Ancient Rome?
42 min
118
The world according to Werner Herzog
53 min
119
Ta-Nehisi Coates on complexity, clarity, and tr...
We revel in complexity. But does our desire to understand that complexity sometimes over-complicate an issue?
66 min
120
Your mind needs chaos
Oshan Jarow speaks with philosopher of neuroscience Mark Miller about how our minds actually work and why we thrive on creativity and chaos.
49 min
121
Musician Laraaji on the origin of creativity
Sean revisits his interview with musician Laraaji, a pioneer of new age music who has recorded more than 50 albums since he was discovered busking in a park by Brian Eno.
44 min
122
Is AI creative?
The first conversation in our three-part series about creativity
38 min
123
Happiness isn’t the goal
Are we wired to worry?
51 min
124
A message from Sean
Sean Illing has a special message for all you listeners: Look at me!
1 min
125
What if we get climate change right?
A marine biologist tells Sean why he shouldn't be a "climate sad boy"
45 min