Explain It to Me
Should I buy a house? Why do I say “like” so much? Should Gen Z bother to save for retirement?
Explain It to Me is the hotline for the issues that matter to your life. Send us your questions about health, personal finance, relationships, and anything else that matters to you. Host Jonquilyn Hill will take you on a journey to find the answers, whether it's to the halls of Congress or the local bar. You’ll get the answers you were looking for, and sometimes ones you didn't expect — and always with a dose of humor. New episodes every Sunday. Part of Vox and the Vox Media Podcast Network.
26
That text is a scam
You know those annoying scam texts offering an easy, remote job? We find out how they work, why they're so ubiquitous and the dark world behind them.
27 min
27
Paging Dr. ChatBot
Patients and doctors both are turning to AI for help with diagnosing ailments and managing chronic issues. Should we trust it?
26 min
28
Why (some) food tastes better abroad
We tell the stories of three ingredients that can shine outside the US: beef, bread, and tomatoes.
26 min
29
Should we give toddlers phones?
What we know about early childhood and screens, including a surprising argument for introducing tech at a tender age.
26 min
30
Is empathy toxic?
Society teaches us empathy is a good thing. But some are now saying the opposite, and science is complicating our assumptions too.
26 min
31
Who is the modern American dad?
Young men are more interested in becoming parents than young women are, and there's a growing number of single dads by choice. A look at modern fatherhood.
25 min
32
A nation of jerks
Americans seem to be getting ruder. Are our attempts at making ourselves better actually making us worse?
26 min
33
Why horror kills at the box office
Hollywood has always made money from vampires and brain-eating zombies. But this year's a record-breaker thanks to sequels, hilariously unlikely creators, and pure thrills.
26 min
34
The United States is Southern now
From #rushtok to country music, American culture is getting more and more southern.
26 min
35
The golden age of exercise
Americans are flocking to gyms and fitness classes. It wasn't always that way.
27 min
36
Hacking our health
We track our steps and our sleep, guzzle supplements and protein shakes, and even inject hormones – all in the name of wellness.
27 min
37
What wellness costs us
Americans are investing billions in their health and wellness. What good do all these green powders and costly club memberships actually do?
26 min
38
America’s high-speed rail fail
26 min
39
Is tipping fair?
From raising the tipped minimum wage to "no tax on tips," we look at the challenges of remaking tipped work.
27 min
40
The summer I turned into a bookworm
Summer. Time for pools, BBQs, and the beach read. But why do we read "summer books"?
27 min
41
Chat BFF
More and more of us are interacting with chatbots. Can we have real relationships with AI, and can AI teach humans to be better people?
27 min
42
Our complicated relationship with the flag
Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar openly celebrate the American flag. But a lot of Black Americans feel differently. What does that tell us about identity today?
27 min
43
Can we ever know our dogs?
So many of us believe we understand what our pets are feeling. Are we fooling ourselves?
27 min
44
Sleepaway camp's nostalgia economy
Unpacking the American rite of passage that so many children love — but that isn't right for everyone.
27 min
45
Let's fight over bike lanes
A caller asks why it's so hard to make biking safe in LA. We bike around different US cities to get the answer.
27 min
46
The recession indicator game
Press-on nails, new music from Katy Perry, and an uptick in Klarna purchases: signs of an economic downturn or no?
27 min
47
How Gen Z found religion
For the first time in decades, American Christianity is not in decline. What are young people looking for–and finding–at church?
27 min
48
Why are my allergies getting worse?
It feels like sneezing season lasts longer and takes more victims every year. An allergist and a public health specialist explain how to fight back.
25 min
49
The drama and trauma of 23andMe
With the at-home DNA testing company 23andMe filing for bankruptcy, what happens to all the data millions of Americans handed over? And how should you approach the family you've found through sites like these?
27 min
50
Why is personal style so hard?
Fashion has made a big swing from a strict set of rules to the idea that we should all just wear what we want. But personal style is still dictated by outside forces. And a lot of people don't even know where to start.
26 min