Impromptu

Millions of Americans have moved to the South in recent years. The usual explanations — lower taxes, cheaper housing and warmer weather — are only part of the story. Host Megan McArdle explores the economic and historical forces driving the century-long transformation of America's fastest-growing region.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Host Megan McArdle talks with culture writer Kat Rosenfield about how dating apps, therapy-speak and online gender wars have changed romance — making flirtation feel risky, rejection feel catastrophic and desire feel suspect. They discuss the lost art of approaching people in real life, what older courtship norms got right and Rosenfield's new novel, “How to Survive in the Woods.”Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Political parties keep asking voters to overlook scandals, bad judgment and unstable behavior because the other side is worse. Senate candidates Graham Platner and Ken Paxton are only the latest examples. Host Megan McArdle argues that character still matters in politics — and that voters are not helpless victims of polarization.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Is empathy destroying the West? That's the provocative claim at the center of Gad Saad's new book, "Suicidal Empathy." Host Megan McArdle is joined by Saad, a professor at the University of Mississippi, to discuss the trade-offs societies make in the name of compassion and whether America has the capacity to absorb differences.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Eating food cooked at home has traditionally been considered a cheaper option to ordering takeout. So why are so many in Gen Z choosing food away from home? Host Megan McArdle explores how convenience, changing expectations and the modern economy have transformed the way we eat.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Are humans alone in the universe? The answer is more complicated than science fiction might suggest. Scientists have discovered billions upon billions of potentially habitable planets. But if life is possible elsewhere, why haven't we found it?Host Megan McArdle talks with astrophysicist Adam Frank, author of “The Little Book of Aliens.” They discuss the search for alien life, why intelligent civilizations may be harder to find than microbes and the limits of what UFOs can reveal.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

The average wedding now costs $36,000, and many couples feel like they are being taken for a ride. From weekend bottlenecks and customization to family dynamics and the pressure to get everything right, the answer is more complicated than simple price gouging. Host Megan McArdle explores why modern weddings have become so expensive.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

The average American household is now worth more than $1 million. Yet Gen Z is increasingly pessimistic about its economic future. Why does it feel like so many people are falling behind? Is homeownership out of reach? And how can young people build wealth in an economy that seems both richer and more uncertain than ever? Megan McArdle talks with Ed Elson, co-host of Prof G Markets, about wealth inequality, housing affordability, social media and the frustrations shaping younger generations' outlook.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Peptides are suddenly everywhere — touted by influencers, biohackers and longevity enthusiasts as the next breakthrough in wellness. But what exactly are they, and how much do we actually know about the risks?Host Megan McArdle talks with physician and Washington Post columnist Dr. Leana Wen about the booming peptide economy, the rise of gray-market injections and why so many people are turning to online health communities instead of doctors. As wellness culture pushes further into self-experimentation, how much risk are people willing to take in the pursuit of optimization?Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Trust in public health institutions has fractured since the covid-19 pandemic began, even as the threat of new outbreaks remains. Ebola is spreading in parts of Central Africa. Hantavirus has left some cruise ship passengers under quarantine. Neither is a repeat of covid-19 — and public health officials say the risk to most Americans remains low — but even distant outbreaks now provoke fear, skepticism and debate.Host Megan McArdle talks with physician and Washington Post contributing columnist Leana S. Wen about what we learned from covid-19, why trust in public health infrastructure has become so fragile and whether America is better prepared for the next serious outbreak — or simply more exhausted and distrustful.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Europe promises a life many Americans envy: longer vacations, universal health care, beautiful cities and a slower pace. But those benefits come with trade-offs.Host Megan McArdle looks past the usual America versus Europe arguments to explore what economic indicators reveal about quality of life.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Boys and men are struggling across some of the most important measures: education, employment, family life and mental health. But too often, attempts to talk seriously about these problems get pulled into a culture-war fight. So, what's actually happening, who is struggling and how we can help them without the conversation being framed as men versus women?Host Megan McArdle is joined by Richard Reeves, author of "Of Boys and Men," to break down the reality of the gender divide.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Host Megan McArdle explores the rise of the celebrity candidate, from Ronald Reagan to Arnold Schwarzenegger to Trump himself. She explains how parasocial relationships shape modern elections, and why Trump's success depended on a unique mix of media savviness, outsider status, timing and luck that may be impossible to replicate. And she argues that if America wants a more stable political future, it will need to return to a more normal kind of politics.

Prediction markets are having a moment. But what are they actually good for? Economist Robin Hanson has been thinking about this for decades. Long before betting markets went mainstream, he argued they could do more than forecast the future — they could help us make better decisions.Host Megan McArdle talks with Hanson about how prediction markets work, why they often beat other forms of forecasting and how today's versions could be improved.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

The hantavirus outbreak has reminded many about the mistakes of covid-19. In this episode, hosts Adam O'Neal, James Hohmann, Carine Hajjar and Kate Andrews discuss whether the confirmed cases on the Hondius cruise ship should cause concern — or if the media and public are overreacting.

Zohran Mamdani ran for mayor of New York on a platform of taxing the rich, proposing new levies targeting billionaires. Host Megan McArdle argues we've seen this kind of rapid shift before. In the 1970s, New York spiraled into crisis as rising spending, a shrinking tax base and economic change led to crime, population loss and near-bankruptcy. Those lessons still matter today, especially as remote work and mobile wealth make cities more vulnerable to decline. But these same forces also create opportunities for cities that adapt, grow and make themselves attractive places to live and work.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Social media is designed to keep us scrolling. But is it also keeping us angry? Rage bait is rewarded and amplified. It's easy to react and even easier to get pulled in. Over time, this has changed how we interact with the world — and with each other. But is this just bad behavior, or something closer to addiction?Host Megan McArdle is joined by Keith Humphreys, a Stanford professor and psychologist, to break down the mechanics of addiction and how they might apply to life online. Together, they explore why rage is so compelling, how platforms keep us hooked and whether it's possible to break the cycle.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Scroll through enough retro photos or vintage ads, and it's easy to convince yourself that life used to be simpler, even happier. But why does the past look better the farther away it gets?Host Megan McArdle unpacks how nostalgia distorts our view of history — from the food people ate to the cost of everyday life — and why forgetting the hardships can shape how we think about the present.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

From politicians to Silicon Valley, a growing chorus is sounding the alarm and calling for more babies. But the story behind America's declining birth rate is more complicated than headlines and political talking points suggest. Is this just a temporary trend, or something deeper — and what does it mean for the kind of society we're building?Host Megan McArdle is joined by economist and demographer Lyman Stone to discuss what's really driving the decline in birth rates — from delayed marriage to cultural shifts and rising anxiety about the future.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

From overdone plastic surgery to open-concept floor plans, we're designing our lives to look good on camera instead of optimizing for what we need. Influencer culture — and our constant exposure to curated, edited and optimized images — has reshaped the way we see the world and ourselves. But chasing the perfect image can leave real life feeling strangely hollow.Host Megan McArdle unpacks how we got here — and how to start seeing past the screen.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

The Supreme Court is supposed to be above politics. But these days, it doesn't feel that way. From high-stakes rulings to increasingly bitter confirmation hearings, the court has become one of the most divisive institutions in American government. So how did this happen?Host Megan McArdle is joined by Supreme Court analyst Sarah Isgur to break down what the justices actually do, why the court's breakdown isn't as simple as a 6-3 conservative-liberal split, and how Americans' expectations — and Congress's failures — have pushed the high court into a role it was never meant to play.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Anxiety around artificial intelligence is reaching a fever pitch and sparking real-world consequences. Recent violent incidents tied to opposition against data centers highlight growing public backlash, while Anthropic's new model, Mythos, raises alarms with its ability to uncover hidden software vulnerabilities across critical systems.Host Megan McArdle is joined by Damir Marusic, an op-ed editor at Post Opinions, to discuss the risks and inevitability of AI development, and what it will take for the U.S. to stay competitive in the race with China.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Host Megan McArdle breaks down why the corporate tax system is so complex, costly and potentially inefficient — and explores a bold idea: What if we eliminated it altogether? From hidden economic trade-offs to who really pays corporate taxes, this episode challenges how we think about fairness, efficiency and the future of taxation.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

In recent years, the idea of a “crisis of men and boys” has taken center stage in the cultural conversation. That can feel like a pendulum swing: from making space for women to examining men's struggles, rarely holding both in view at the same time. Some see this moment as a reaction to the 2010s — an era shaped by “girlboss” ambition, #MeToo and a renewed focus on women's advancement and autonomy. So, what gets missed when these struggles are framed as separate?Host Megan McArdle is joined by Leah Libresco Sargeant, senior policy analyst at the Niskanen Center and author of "The Dignity of Dependence: A Feminist Manifesto." Sargeant offers a different lens — challenging the idea that independence is the ultimate goal and instead pointing toward a more interconnected understanding of men and women.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

From AI-generated scams that cost Americans hundreds of dollars to voice cloning schemes, the line between real and fake is becoming harder to detect. At the same time, technology companies are setting their own limits on how these artificial intelligence tools can be used. This is raising new questions about who really controls this technology — and what that will mean for our future.Host Megan McArdle is joined by Dean Ball, a senior fellow at the Foundation for American Innovation and former White House AI policy advisor, to unpack the rapidly shifting landscape of AI governance, what it will take to rein it in — and what comes next. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

When UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was killed on a Manhattan sidewalk in December 2024, the nation was stunned. But the act of violence exposed the fury simmering beneath America's health care debate. For many, the system feels impossibly expensive, confusing and unfair — especially when compared to other countries.Host Megan McArdle is joined by Dr. Ashish Jha — physician, public health expert and former White House covid-19 response coordinator — to unpack what's really going on inside the U.S. health care system. They explore why costs are so high and what it would actually take to build a system that works better for everyone.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Until recently, universities were widely seen as places for asking questions, debating ideas and accessing upward mobility. Now, they're just as likely to be seen as battlegrounds in the culture wars. As public trust eroded and political scrutiny intensified, a bigger question emerged: When did this shift happen? And more importantly, can it be repaired?Host Megan McArdle is joined by Daniel Diermeier, chancellor of Vanderbilt University. He is trying to answer those questions not just in theory but in practice. Drawing on his experience leading a university, Diermeier shares where he thinks universities have gone off course, what needs to change and what's still worth protecting — and whether they can once again become places where more people feel they belong.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

How can the U.S. lead in rebuilding industrial capacity? Christian Keil believes the answer lies with American dynamism. He is a partner at a16z, who sees technology as a key to our future. Even through uncertain times and sharp competition from China. He joins host Megan McArdle to discuss his experience — from innovating satellite technology during his time at Astranis to now investing in companies through venture capital. He also gives more detail on his recently published the report "More Perfect," which explores how technology has shaped and will reshape America.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

On Feb. 28, the U.S. and Israel initiated strikes on Iran. What comes next? Host Megan McArdle sits down with Washington Post Columnist David Ignatius to discuss Iran's response, whether the U.S. can sustain a prolonged conflict, what the war signals to adversaries like China and the economic risks of a closed Strait of Hormuz.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

We hear a lot about what artificial intelligence can do. We hear a lot less about what it takes to run it. The explosion of AI depends on massive data centers — and massive amounts of energy. Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass.) joins host Megan McArdle to discuss how his views on AI have evolved, and to explore how his state — and the nation — can meet the energy and infrastructure demands of the AI boom.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

This week, we celebrated Presidents Day, which makes it a fitting time to recognize one of America's most underrated presidents. Herbert Hoover presided over the onset of the Great Depression and is widely viewed as the inferior predecessor to Franklin D. Roosevelt. But, as host Megan McArdle explains, that judgment is unfair to Hoover. It also reflects a larger problem: the assumption that a president can singlehandedly fix or wreck the economy.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Want to win the dating game? Turns out business school has the playbook. Host Megan McArdle breaks down romance through Econ 101: addressable market, signaling, specialty products and sunk costs.Whether you're single, swiping or settled down, this episode will reshape how you think about love and commitment. Because in relationships, the fundamentals still matter — and sometimes it pays to think like a market participant.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Artificial intelligence is moving fast, with new tools changing how people work, create and compete. Whether you're an AI doomer or AI boomer, it's hard to ignore what's coming. Economist and professor Tyler Cowen has spent years analyzing how these developments could reshape the economy and everyday life. He joins host Megan McArdle to talk through how AI could transform talent, human capital and competition — and how to make sure you don't get left behind.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Walkable neighborhoods, vibrant nightlife, the sheer bounty of it all. City living isn't for everyone, but it's amazing for the people who want it. Unless, that is, they also want a family.Today's cities are designed for demographic churn — as a rest stop en route to the suburbs, rather than a place you can live a full life. That's bad for families and for America. Bobby Fijan is one of the people trying to fix that. He is the co-founder of The American Housing Corporation, a real estate development company building affordable, family-sized rowhomes in cities across America.Fijan joins host Megan McArdle to explain how urban housing pushed families out of cities and how his company plans to bring them back.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

This month marks the 10-year anniversary of Jason Rezaian's release from imprisonment in Iran. In 2014, Rezaian — then The Washington Post's Tehran bureau chief — was arrested with his wife at their home and detained in Iran's notorious Evin Prison. He joins host Megan McArdle to discuss his time in captivity, Iran's trajectory since his release, and what his experience reveals about press freedom — and its fragility — around the world. Read more in Rezaian's book, “Prisoner: My 544 Days in an Iranian Prison.”Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

When Renée Good was fatally shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis, it reignited a familiar debate. Was this another case of police brutality, or an act of self-defense? Protests followed. Politicians and public figures weighed in. But why does this keep happening—and how do we make policing better and safer for everyone?Host Megan McArdle speaks with former New York City police commissioner William Bratton and former NYPD chief Kenneth E. Corey. They join Megan to discuss their work at University of Chicago's Policing Leadership Academy, and advocate that the program, and more like it, can reduce violence and improve fairness in policing.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Journalist Katie Herzog was 12 years old when she first drank alcohol. It wasn't until her 30s that she decided to quit. She tried everything — Alcoholics Anonymous, cleanses, therapy, yoga — but nothing stuck. Eventually, she turned to an unorthodox approach: the Sinclair Method.Katie joins host Megan McArdle to explain this science-based path to sobriety and how it inspired her book, "Drink Your Way Sober."Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Early on Jan 3, news broke that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had been captured by U.S. troops and was being flown to New York to stand trial. Later that day, President Donald Trump said the United States would take control of Venezuela's massive oil reserves. Protests erupted almost immediately, reviving the Iraq War–era slogan, “no blood for oil.”Host Megan McArdle breaks down the long, troubled history of Venezuelan oil and explains why the U.S. has a responsibility to help rebuild the country's economy.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Matthew Yglesias has been a disrupter his entire career. He started as an early adapter to the web, running a blog before blogs were a thing. He went on to co-found the media company Vox and has written all over the internet. He joins host Megan McArdle to discuss their career trajectories and how the internet has changed both media and politics. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

After Charlie Kirk's death on her campus, Utah Valley University president Astrid Tuminez found herself in an impossible position. She was at the helm of Utah's largest public university and had to find a way to lead her campus after the tragedy. Now, at the end of the fall semester, she joins host Megan McArdle to discuss how her faith, upbringing and love for her community gave her the strength and wisdom to get through. Plus, she shares the lessons she learned through the process to help other leaders — including the president of Brown University — who may find themselves in a similar position.Subscribe to The Washington Post here.

There's no one in politics quite like the Democratic governor of Colorado, Jared Polis. He's a serial entrepreneur who cashed in on the dot-com boom and has pushed back on over-regulation of artificial intelligence and the tech industry. He's in favor of abortion rights, but was against overregulation of mask mandates. He's pro-business and pro-weed. The “pro-liberty” governor joins host Megan McArdle to discuss Trump's tariff and immigration policies, transgender care and how to make housing and health care more affordable.Timecodes00:00 Welcome Gov. Jared Polis01:27 Jared Polis's entrepreneurial start03:54 Three most important qualities in an entrepreneur04:28 Most important qualities in a governor05:00 Transition from tech to government05:52 Transition from Congress to governor07:03 First year as Governor08:20 Regulation of Tech Companies11:45 The “Pro-business,” “Pro-trade” Party15:02 Are tariffs shifting voters?16:35 Being pro-freedom17:22 The only Democrat in The Liberty Caucus 18:39 The polarization of transgender care22:59 The Jared Polis brand of politics23:29 Making health care more affordable27:40 Making housing more affordable31:14 Does his politics have national appeal?32:22 Jared Polis's MAGA uncle33:24 Can Americans be civil again?34:55 How to fix Congress 36:02 The activist base of the Democratic Party37:36 One thing to praise Trump on 38:32 Collecting Coins41:02 What is Jared Polis reasonably optimistic about?Subscribe to The Washington Post here.