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
151
Why we can't pay attention anymore
59 min
152
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
153
Pod Save the Democrats
55 min
154
A Yellowjackets creator spills his guts
39 min
155
A scientist's case for "woo-woo"
55 min
156
Imagine a future with no police
59 min
157
Novelist Lauren Groff on the other Matrix
42 min
158
Are we living in a simulation?
Philosopher David Chalmers on the question: what is reality, anyway?
63 min
159
Rep. Jamie Raskin on living through the unthink...
52 min
160
Best of: Why fascism in America isn't going away
44 min
161
Best of: Clint Smith III on confronting the leg...
56 min
162
Best of: We need to talk about UFOs. Seriously.
Professor Alex Wendt tells Sean Illing why he thinks the aliens might already be here
57 min
163
Chris Bosh on winning (and losing everything)
53 min
164
The cult of toughness
61 min
165
Is ethical investing a scam?
52 min
166
The good life is painful
49 min
167
The father of environmental justice
45 min
168
Jill Lepore on Elon Musk's imaginary world
57 min
169
E.O. Wilson's plan to save the world
51 min
170
Workers of the world, stay home!
57 min
171
How progressives get back in the game
57 min
172
The highs and lows of the "creator economy"
44 min
173
Why Chris Hayes thinks we're all famous now
55 min
174
The stories soul food tells
45 min
175
The paradox of American freedom
51 min