What does it mean to be "woke"? It's become a catchall term to smear or dismiss anything that has any... more

What can ancient Rome teach us about American democracy? The Roman Republic fell for a lot of reasons: The state became... more

Sean Illing speaks with one of his heroes: Werner Herzog. Herzog is a filmmaker, poet, and author of the memoir Every... more

How important is complexity? At The Gray Area, we value understanding the details. We revel in complexity. But does our desire... more

In part three of our series on creativity, guest host Oshan Jarow speaks with philosopher of neuroscience Mark Miller about how our minds actually... more

Sean revisits his interview with musician Laraaji, a pioneer of new age music who has recorded more than 50 albums since... more

What is the relationship between creativity and artificial intelligence? Creativity feels innately human, but is it? Can a machine be... more

Children live with a beginner’s mind. Every day is full of new discoveries, powerful emotions, and often unrealistically positive assumptions... more

Sean Illing has a special message for all you listeners: Look at me! We’ve made our first-ever video episode. See Sean... more

Climate change has become synonymous with doomsday, as though everyone is waiting for the worst to happen. But what is... more

Humans are good learners and teachers, constantly gathering information, archiving, and sharing knowledge. So why, after building the most sophisticated... more

There’s a certain glamor to cynicism. As a culture, we’ve turned cynicism into a symbol of hard-earned wisdom, assuming that... more

Sean Illing speaks with poet and historian Jennifer Michael Hecht, whose book The Wonder Paradox asks: If we don't have... more

How is the origin of our universe like an improvised saxophone solo? This week, Sean Illing talks to Stephon Alexander,... more

Sean Illing talks with Glory Liu, the author of Adam Smith’s America: How a Scottish Philosopher became an Icon of American Capitalism.... more

Sean Illing speaks with marriage and family therapist Vienna Pharaon, whose book 'The Origins of You' aims to help us... more

In an Orwellian twist, the word “Orwellian” has been misused so much over the decades that it’s essentially lost its... more

The US Constitution is a brilliant political document, but it’s far from perfect. This week’s guest, Erwin Chemerinsky, argues that... more

You can’t drop an f-bomb on the radio, but fortunately for our guest, you can say anything you want in... more

Sean Illing talks with political science professor Matt McManus about the political thought of Friedrich Nietzsche, the 19th-century German philosopher... more

Authoritarian tendencies have been on the rise globally and the liberal world order is on the decline. One hotspot of... more

We’re living in an era of extreme partisan politics, rising resentment, and fractured news media. Writer John Ganz believes that... more

Nathalie Etoke joins The Gray Area to talk about existentialism, the Black experience, and the legacy of dehumanization.  Host: Sean Illing... more

A mile of pure fire. A flash that melts everything — titanium, steel, lead, people. A blast that mows down... more

Albert Camus was a Nobel-winning French writer and public intellectual. During Algeria’s bloody war for independence in the 1950s, Camus... more

Old people have always worried about young people. But psychologist Jonathan Haidt believes something genuinely different and troubling is happening... more

Sebastian Junger came as close as you possibly can to dying. While his doctors struggled to revive him, the veteran... more

Ozempic and other new weight loss drugs are being touted as potential miracle cures for diabetes and obesity. Journalist Johann... more

Religious studies professor Diana Pasulka was a total nonbeliever in alien life, but she began to question this after speaking... more

Most of us don’t know how to truly listen, and it’s causing all sorts of problems. Sean Illing is joined... more

The internet has fractured our world into a million little subcultures catering to the specific identities and habits of everyone... more

Is it possible that we are living through one of the most revolutionary periods in human history? CNN’s Fareed Zakaria... more

Philosophy may seem like a theoretical or abstract discipline in which unanswerable questions are debated to the point of tedium.... more

Jane Marie is an expert in American bullshit. Her podcast The Dream explores life coaching, wellness, marketing, and other fraudulent... more

As a non-believer, Devin Moss never thought he would become a chaplain or a spiritual adviser, much less one who... more

Journalist Rhaina Cohen believes that modern culture undervalues friendships and discusses the ways in which deep friendships are distinct from... more

Stephen Markley’s novel, “The Deluge,” is an ambitious and terrifyingly realistic look at our collective future on a warming planet.... more

It’s been 50 years since Ernest Becker’s breakthrough book The Denial of Death was first published, and its thesis has... more

Silicon Valley is in the middle of an AI frenzy, and many of its leaders believe this technology could eventually... more

America solidified its dominant posture in the international order following World War II and largely held that position for the... more

Sean Illing talks with economic historian Brad DeLong about his new book Slouching Towards Utopia. In it, DeLong claims that... more

Musician Laraaji joins Sean to talk about improvisation as meditation, the transcendent nature of laughter, and lessons from a long... more

Political philosopher Ingrid Robeyns believes that there should be a maximum amount of money and resources that one person can... more

For much of her life, author Maggie Jackson disliked uncertainty and thought of it as something to eradicate as quickly as... more

Americans have absorbed the “Protestant work ethic” — the idea that our value as human beings is determined by how... more

If you’ve felt that learning new information or developing a new skill seems harder as you get older, you are... more

When we find ourselves in a dark place, what if we didn't "lighten things up"? Sean Illing talks with philosopher... more

Jon Kabat-Zinn helped kick off the American mindfulness movement with his bestselling book Wherever You Go, There You Are. On... more

Most people think anarchists want to live in a lawless society devoid of any structure or order. But anarchism is... more

Constance Grady, a culture writer at Vox, is joined by Emily Wilson to discuss her bestselling translations of The Iliad... more

Sean Illing is joined by John Gray, political philosopher and author of the new book, The New Leviathans: Thoughts After... more

Sean Illing speaks with Robert Sapolsky, a professor of biology and neurology at Stanford University and the author of a... more

Zack Beauchamp, a Vox senior correspondent who writes about democracy and Israel, speaks with Shadi Hamid, a columnist at The... more

Sean Illing is joined by Matt Gutman, the chief national correspondent for ABC News, to talk about his new book,... more

Guest host Alissa Wilkinson speaks with Walt Hickey about his new book, You Are What You Watch: How Movies and... more

Sean Illing speaks with one of his heroes: Werner Herzog. Herzog is a filmmaker, poet, and author of the new... more

Michael Lewis joins Sean Illing to discuss his new book about Sam Bankman-Fried, Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of... more

Sean Illing and David Brooks talk about Brooks’s recent essay, “How America Got Mean.” They discuss the country's moral history,... more

Every generation thinks they’re living through the strangest times, but is our generation right? Sean Illing speaks with writer and... more

How worried should we be about AI? Sean Illing is joined by Stuart J. Russell, a professor at the University... more

Why is democracy worth saving? Sean Illing is joined by Astra Taylor, the author of the new book The Age... more

What will American politics look like after Trump? Sean Illing is joined by Sohrab Ahmari to discuss his new book,... more

Why don’t we spend more time imagining a better future? Sean Illing is joined by Kristen R. Ghodsee, the author... more

In this episode, which was originally published in August 2022, Sean Illing talks with Corey Robin, author of a 2019... more

What does masculinity mean these days? Sean Illing speaks with Christine Emba, a columnist at The Washington Post who wrote... more

What does it mean to be “authentic” in the digital age? Sean Illing speaks with Tara Isabella Burton about her... more

In the ‘80s and ‘90s, MDMA (also known as molly or ecstasy) was dismissed as a club drug and became... more

There are many ways people are trying to know themselves these days – from taking the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator test... more

Does being a parent today necessarily mean also being a climate activist? Sean Illing speaks with moral philosopher and political... more

When we find ourselves in a dark place, what if we didn't "lighten things up"? Sean Illing talks with philosopher... more

Sean Illing talks with Carrie Jenkins about her new book Sad Love, and her call to rethink the shape and... more

Sean Illing talks with evolutionary anthropologist David Samson, whose new book Our Tribal Future delves into how tribalism has shaped... more

What do we do when an artist we love does something monstrous? Constance Grady, a culture writer at Vox, talks... more

Sean Illing talks with Clancy Martin, professor of philosophy at University of Missouri Kansas City, about his powerful new book... more

What is the future of the racial justice movement in America? Sean Illing talks with Cedric Johnson, professor and author... more

Have clicks, likes, and shares driven media and democracy to the point of disrepair? Sean Illing is joined by Ben... more

Sean Illing speaks with history professor Robert Zaretsky about Simone Weil, a 20th-century French writer and activist who dedicated her... more

Can we live a good life in a world where animals are factory farmed? Guest host Dylan Matthews talks with... more

Are we responsible for keeping poor people poor? Sean Illing is joined by Matt Desmond, a sociology professor at Princeton... more

The pandemic caused many to rethink our relationship to work. But how did that relationship develop in the first place?... more

What do we know — and what don't we know — about how the human mind works? Sean Illing talks... more

There are many debates within the American left, but the fundamental dispute is over the viability of the current system.... more

Will AI change what it means to be human? Sean Illing talks with essayist Meghan O'Gieblyn, author of God, Human,... more

Why don't more philosophers take psychedelic drugs seriously as a means of examining reality? Sean Illing talks with Justin Smith-Ruiu,... more

What happens when you apply the Socratic method to personal relationships? Philosopher Agnes Callard joins Sean Illing to discuss how... more

Could our brains make us less lonely? Sean Illing talks with psychiatrist and author Julie Holland, whose new book Good... more

Sean Illing is joined by reporter Jeff Sharlet, whose new book The Undertow: Scenes from a Slow Civil War takes... more

Most of us don’t know how to truly listen, and it’s causing all sorts of problems. Sean Illing is joined... more

Sean Illing is joined by Anand Giridharadas, author of The Persuaders: At the Front Lines of the Fight for Hearts,... more

Rep. Katie Porter became well-known for using a whiteboard and asking tough questions during Congressional hearings. Her frank questions resonated... more

Guest host Alissa Wilkinson talks with Dorothy Fortenberry, a co-showrunner, executive producer, and writer on Extrapolations, the new star-studded anthology... more

What would drive someone to renounce all their possessions, relationships, and ambitions to join a religious community? Sean talks with... more

Guest host Sigal Samuel talks with professor of philosophy and law Nita Farahany about her new book The Battle for... more

Will the Dominion Voting Systems lawsuit against Fox News be a watershed moment? Is the media industry beyond repair? Sean... more

Sean Illing speaks with Matthew Jones, historian of science and technology, and co-author (with data scientist Chris Wiggins) of the... more

Is our society's fixation with success hindering our ability to find humility? Sean Illing speaks with Costica Bradatan about his... more

Sean Illing speaks with poet and historian Jennifer Michael Hecht, whose new book The Wonder Paradox asks: if we don't... more

In America, there's been an increase of available jobs, and there's also been a series of high-profile layoffs, strikes, and... more

The giant panda is no longer endangered. This, of course, is good news. But the model of conservation that worked... more

Sean Illing speaks with marriage and family therapist Vienna Pharaon, whose new book The Origins of You aims to help... more

Guest host Alissa Wilkinson talks with Dr. Robin R. Means Coleman about her new book, The Black Guy Dies First:... more

Sean Illing talks with political science professor Matt McManus about the political thought of Friedrich Nietzsche, the 19th-century German philosopher... more

Sean Illing speaks with Malcolm Harris, a journalist, critic, and author of the new book Palo Alto: A History of... more

Guest host Rebecca Jennings talks with Justin Charity, cultural critic and senior staff writer at The Ringer, about what it... more

Sean Illing speaks with Rosa Brooks, a former reserve police officer and current law professor at Georgetown University. Brooks wrote... more

Guest host Fabiola Cineas talks with author, lawyer, and organizer Derecka Purnell about her recent book Becoming Abolitionists. They discuss... more

Sean Illing speaks with Alana Newhouse, the editor-in-chief of Tablet magazine. They discuss her recent essay on "brokenism," a term... more

Sean Illing talks with Noah Hawley, the creator and showrunner of the anthology drama Fargo on FX, as well as... more

Sean Illing talks with Glory Liu, the author of Adam Smith’s America: How a Scottish Philosopher became an Icon of... more

Guest host Sigal Samuel talks with Holden Karnofsky about effective altruism, a movement flung into public scrutiny with the collapse... more