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
201
The moral dangers of dirty work
54 min
202
Did the sexual revolution go wrong?
53 min
203
Who decides how to conserve nature?
55 min
204
The Philosophers: Loneliness and totalitarianism
58 min
205
The War in Ukraine, Explained — Part 4: The fut...
59 min
206
Michael Lewis on why Americans distrust experts
52 min
207
The War in Ukraine, Explained — Part 3: The nuc...
51 min
208
The case for regret
45 min
209
The War in Ukraine, Explained — Part 2: Sanctions
56 min
210
The spirituality of parenting
43 min
211
The War in Ukraine, Explained — Part 1: Why did...
55 min
212
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
213
What happened to American conservatism?
55 min
214
The limits of forgiveness
46 min
215
The madness behind The Method
62 min
216
David Cross is disappointed in you guys
44 min
217
Author Kiley Reid on why we read novels
42 min
218
The conversation about guns we're not having
59 min
219
Why does middle school suck?
60 min
220
Russia's war with Ukraine — and reality
33 min
221
Robert Glasper on why Black Radio is back
The 4-time Grammy winner is creating a new genre of music
51 min
222
Could we lose delicious foods forever?
60 min
223
What Don't Look Up is really about
The film's co-writer doesn't think it was smug.
56 min
224
Democracy in crisis, part 2: The two-party problem
53 min
225
Why we can't pay attention anymore
59 min