The Gray Area with Sean Illing

The Gray Area with host Sean Illing is a philosophical take on culture, politics, and everything in between. We don’t pretend to have the answers, but we do offer a space for real dialogue. Resist certainty, embrace ambiguity, and get some cool takes on a very hot world. Formerly the Vox Conversations podcast. New episodes drop every Monday.

Philosophy
Politics
News Commentary
126
The War in Ukraine, Explained — Part 2: Sanctions
56 min
127
The spirituality of parenting
43 min
128
The War in Ukraine, Explained — Part 1: Why did...
55 min
129
The Philosophers: Resisting despair
How can Albert Camus help us understand the war in Ukraine, post-pandemic life, and the absurdity of our modern world?
51 min
130
What happened to American conservatism?
55 min
131
The limits of forgiveness
46 min
132
The madness behind The Method
62 min
133
David Cross is disappointed in you guys
44 min
134
Author Kiley Reid on why we read novels
42 min
135
The conversation about guns we're not having
59 min
136
Why does middle school suck?
60 min
137
Russia's war with Ukraine — and reality
33 min
138
Robert Glasper on why Black Radio is back
The 4-time Grammy winner is creating a new genre of music
51 min
139
Could we lose delicious foods forever?
60 min
140
What Don't Look Up is really about
The film's co-writer doesn't think it was smug.
56 min
141
Democracy in crisis, part 2: The two-party problem
53 min
142
Why we can't pay attention anymore
59 min
143
Democracy in crisis, part 1: Ross Douthat isn't...
First in a two-part series on the dangers facing American democracy, hosted by Zack Beauchamp
60 min
144
Pod Save the Democrats
55 min
145
A Yellowjackets creator spills his guts
39 min
146
A scientist's case for "woo-woo"
55 min
147
Imagine a future with no police
59 min
148
Novelist Lauren Groff on the other Matrix
42 min
149
Are we living in a simulation?
Philosopher David Chalmers on the question: what is reality, anyway?
63 min
150
Rep. Jamie Raskin on living through the unthink...
52 min