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
Trapped inside with Susanna Clarke's Piranesi
43 min
202
Bryan Stevenson on the legacy of enslavement
57 min
203
What's your status?
51 min
204
Is there a hack for enlightenment?
59 min
205
Fighting a world on fire with fire
56 min
206
Revolutionary Love
51 min
207
How to make meaning out of suffering
52 min
208
Ken Burns's latest on The Greatest
62 min
209
The road from 9/11 to Donald Trump
62 min
210
Rep. Pramila Jayapal on immigrants and America ...
45 min
211
Why America's obsession with rights is wrong
52 min
212
The news is by — and for — rich, white liberals
57 min
213
Clint Smith III on confronting the legacy of sl...
55 min
214
Was the cruelty the point?
55 min
215
How seashells shaped the world — and predict ou...
52 min
216
Bill Maher on free speech, comedy, and his haters
45 min
217
Robert Reich wants you to take on the system
48 min
218
Marty Baron on the future of news
49 min
219
The death of cool
43 min
220
We need to talk about UFOs. Seriously.
Professor Alex Wendt tells Sean Illing why he thinks the aliens might already be here
57 min
221
Philadelphia's progressive prosecutor
District attorney Larry Krasner talks about his reform agenda, rising gun violence, and how to take on the system
49 min
222
Fareed Zakaria on the fate of democracy
65 min
223
Jane Goodall on the power of hope
The world's foremost expert on chimps wants us to remember we're animals, too
56 min
224
Why we love drugs
Michael Pollan on humans, plants, and the coming psychedelic revolution
58 min
225
The rugged majesty of revision
Jamil Smith in conversation with author Kiese Laymon on revision, restoration, and repair
54 min