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.
1
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
2
Can we ever know our dogs?
So many of us believe we understand what our pets are feeling. Are we fooling ourselves?
27 min
3
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
4
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
5
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
6
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
7
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
8
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
9
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
10
Retire? In this economy?!
With 401(k)s taking a hit and the fate of Social Security uncertain, we get some advice for how to talk to the elders in your life about work and retirement.
26 min
11
Is climate progress doomed?
Many worry that the clean energy transition will be derailed by the Trump administration. But there's reason to believe otherwise.
25 min
12
What if college isn't for everyone?
For decades, high schools and parents have prioritized college for all graduating seniors. Now, more students are asking if there's another way.
26 min
13
Is a house still a good investment?
Given the economy and interest rates, homebuying doesn't seem like it’s necessarily the way to go anymore. So consider this not your parents’ real estate advice.
27 min
14
Explain It to Me can be ad-free!
1 min
15
Blinded by the headlights
Drivers and passengers are right: Car headlights are brighter now. And the solutions aren't simple.
27 min
16
Gen Sex
Gen X women are freeing themselves from the hangups of the '90s, and having the best sex of their lives. Media portrayals of middle-aged women are starting to catch up too.
26 min
17
Did diversity ever work...at work?
27 min
18
Why does dating suck for guys?
The rules of romance have changed, and many young men feel they can't keep up. We get some tips from a Texas men's relationship coach.
26 min
19
Ok for real, what is a REAL ID?
And do I need it?
30 min
20
We’ve got some news for you!
Starting this week, Explain It to Me is moving to Sundays. Check out our next episode here on March 2. You can also find us in the Today, Explained feed as of Sunday, March 9.
1 min
21
Why can't I sleep?
25 min
22
Should I freeze my eggs?
Listener Elisa has heard egg freezing touted as “an easy, perfect solution” for women who want to have it all, but she’s skeptical. Writer MeiMei Fox tells the disastrous story of freezing her own eggs, and Vox senior correspondent Anna North explains why freezing your eggs is not really a girlboss panacea.
31 min
23
We have some questions for you
9 min
24
Is flying ethical?
Sometimes questions don’t have one right answer. Then what?
24 min
25
Why can I make a citizen's arrest?
Are they a real-life thing, or just something on TV?
35 min