Podcast appearances and mentions of gray area

The story we tell about climate change is mostly a story about loss. But look to the data, and that story starts to fall apart. Emissions are peaking in key sectors. Clean energy is scaling faster than anyone predicted. Real progress is happening. It's just not happening in the way we imagine it. Sean's guest today is Hannah Ritchie, Deputy Editor at Our World in Data and author of Clearing the Air: A Hopeful Guide to Solving Climate Change. They discuss why our picture of the planet is so distorted, why despair can be as dangerous as denial, and what a truly energy-abundant, livable future could look like. Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling) Guest: Hannah Ritchie, author of Clearing the Air We'd love to hear from you. Tell us what you thought of this episode at thegrayarea@vox.com or leave a voicemail at 1-800-214-5749. Your comments and questions help us make a better show. And you can watch new episodes of The Gray Area on YouTube. Listen to The Gray Area ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members This episode was supported by a grant from Arnold Ventures. Vox had full discretion over the content of this reporting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Detroit Lions Podcast: Flying Into the Bye Week The Detroit Lions hit their bye week on a high note, taking down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a gritty Monday night victory that showed as much about their resilience as it did their depth. In this week's episode of The Gray Area, we dig into the defensive brilliance that carried the team, Jared Goff's calm amid chaos, and the evolving balance between Detroit's front seven and an offense still searching for its rhythm. The hosts also take aim at officiating across the NFL, media accountability, and how leadership inside the locker room has redefined expectations for a franchise that now expects to win. Defense Dominates as Alim McNeil and Whiteside Shine The story of the week was the defense. With multiple starters out, Kelvin Shepherd's unit produced one of its most complete performances of the season. The show dives into how Shepherd simplified the game plan and unleashed overlooked contributors like Nick Whiteside, Arthur Maulet, and a fully healthy Alim McNeil. McNeil was a wrecking ball, collapsing pockets and controlling the line of scrimmage while giving Aidan Hutchinson and the edge rushers room to thrive. The secondary, nicknamed the “Legion of Whom,” stepped up with tight man coverage that limited Baker Mayfield to his lowest completion rate of the year. The Lions' ability to contain Mayfield's scrambling and force Tampa Bay into predictable passing downs showcased how much this defense has matured. The hosts note that Detroit now leads the NFL in defensive DVOA and pass rush win rate, proof that the scheme is marrying discipline with aggression. The defense not only bailed out an inconsistent offense but also reasserted its identity after tough losses earlier in October. The discussion also highlights McNeil's return as the pivot point of the defensive resurgence. His blend of quickness and leverage inside disrupted Tampa Bay's blocking schemes from the opening snap. The difference was visible on tape: Mayfield's usual second-read plays disappeared, replaced by hurried throws and misfires that led to stalled drives. Offense and Officiating Under the Microscope While the defense dominated, the podcast doesn't let the offense off the hook. Jared Goff continued to run the huddle with poise but has been forced into quicker releases behind an offensive line still battling injuries. The hosts stress that the bye week will be crucial for recalibrating the offense's rhythm and allowing the line to heal. Despite those challenges, Goff's efficiency remains among the league's best, and the trust between him and Amon-Ra St. Brown has kept the passing game functional when big plays aren't there. No Detroit Lions podcast would be complete without addressing officiating, and this week's show pulls no punches. From the inconsistent calls in Kansas City to questionable reviews in Tampa Bay, the hosts argue that the NFL's centralized review system in New York has created more confusion than clarity. They call for transparency between referees and the league office, emphasizing that accountability should match the stakes of a billion-dollar sport. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFQa3wf7A9o Get yourself a Classic Detroit t-shirt here! Don't miss our great merch selection in the Detroit Lions Podcast store. Get your Lions Gear at: https://bit.ly/2Ooo5Px As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases made here: https://amzn.to/36e2ZfD Donate Direct at: https://bit.ly/2qnEtFj Join the Patreon Crew at: https://bit.ly/2bgQgyj #lions #detroitlions #detroitlionspodcast #allgrit #onepride #nfl #week7 #tampabay #tampabaybuccaneers #buccaneers #bucs #bakermayfield #mayfield #legionofwhom Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 497 / Gretchen AndrewGretchen Andrew is an artist born in Los Angeles, United States, 1988 who lives and Works in London and Park City, Utah. She studied Information Systems and got a BS from Boston College, and worked for Intuit as a Software Engineer, Google as a People Technology Manager, and apprenticed with Billy Childish at his studio.She's had shows at Gray Area, San Francisco, Heft Gallery, NYC, Hope 93, London. FxHash, Berlin Art Week, Galloire, Dubai UAE,  Falko Alexander, Cologne, Germany, Annka Kultys Gallery, London, United Kingdom and many others.She's shown at fairs including 2025 Expo Chicago, 2024 Untitled Miami, Paris Photo (21C Award, solo presentation) and the 2022 Vienna Contemporary (solo presentation).She has lectured at the Tate Modern, the Luma Foundation in Zurich, the Mia Foundation in Dubai and the University of Chicago.

Detroit Lions Podcast: A Defensive Statement and a Well-Timed Bye The Detroit Lions delivered one of their most complete performances of the season on Monday night, beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24-9 to improve to 5-2. In this week's episode of The Gray Area, the focus is on how this team, led by Dan Campbell, continues to evolve. The conversation explores the resurgence of the Lions defense, Jared Goff's continued efficiency, and how coordinator Kelvin Shepherd and defensive tackle Alim McNeil helped shut down Baker Mayfield and a capable Buccaneers offense. The show also dives into officiating trends across the NFL, offensive inconsistency, and what this bye week means for a team that's banged up but on the rise. Defense Defines the Night For the first time this year, the Lions won a game with their defense, and they did it with a lineup that was barely recognizable. Kelvin Shepherd orchestrated a masterclass with a patchwork secondary — a “Legion of Whom” featuring players like Nick Whiteside, Rocky Ya-Sin, and Arthur Maulet — all of whom contributed to one of the season's most dominant defensive showings. The Buccaneers were held to their lowest scoring output since September 2024, with just nine points and under 250 total yards. The turning point came up front. Alim McNeil, returning from injury, was a wrecking ball in the interior, collapsing the pocket and forcing Mayfield to rush decisions. His presence completely changed the dynamic of the defensive front, freeing up Aidan Hutchinson and the edge rushers to play looser. The hosts praise Shepherd for trusting his depth and his players' preparation, noting that the defensive cohesion and communication looked better than at any point this season. The win also adds weight to the ongoing officiating conversation. After a string of questionable calls in Kansas City, the Lions were finally on the favorable side of the whistle, with a soft push-off penalty on Jared Goff's would-be interception erased by contact downfield. The episode discusses how the team managed to keep composure, even as fans remain skeptical of how officiating has shaped games across the NFL this season. Goff's Efficiency and the Offense's Next Step Offensively, Jared Goff continued his efficient rhythm, completing 72 percent of his passes despite constant pressure from Todd Bowles' blitz-heavy scheme. The Lions didn't produce gaudy numbers, but they were opportunistic. Baker Mayfield couldn't replicate the magic that had fueled Tampa Bay's early-season run, thanks in large part to Detroit's defensive containment and red-zone execution. The podcast also highlights the need for the offense to rediscover its balance coming out of the bye week. Running back Jahmyr Gibbs broke off an explosive 78-yard touchdown, but outside of that, Detroit managed just 2.7 yards per carry. The hosts stress that the run game must be more consistent, particularly as the schedule toughens in November. The bye week arrives at a perfect time. Key players like Brian Branch, Kirby Joseph, and Terrion Arnold are expected to return soon, giving the Lions their full arsenal for the first time since Week 2. As the hosts conclude, the Detroit Lions look every bit like a contender — deep, resilient, and battle-tested — and with Shepherd's defense rounding into form, they're built to stay that way when the season gets serious. https://youtu.be/ltI9NM_qi6U Get yourself a Classic Detroit t-shirt here! Don't miss our great merch selection in the Detroit Lions Podcast store. Looking for the relief that CBD products can bring? Click here: https://bit.ly/2XzawlG Get your Lions Gear at: https://bit.ly/2Ooo5Px As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases made here: https://amzn.to/36e2ZfD Donate Direct at: https://bit.ly/2qnEtFj Join the Patreon Crew at: https://bit.ly/2bgQgyj #lions #detroitlions #detroitlionspodcast #allgrit #onepride #tampabay #tampabaybuccaneers #buccaneers #bucs #bakermayfield Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Open a browser and you can feel it instantly: everything online just feels… worse. Search results that look like ads. Social feeds that you don't control. Streaming platforms that are packed with ads. Services that used to be free, but are now behind paywalls. It's not your imagination — it's enshittification, the process by which good platforms turn bad… and it's starting to happen outside the internet as well. Sean's guest today is Cory Doctorow, author of Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It. They discuss how the web became enshittified, why monopolies are the true engine behind our digital decay, and what it would mean to build a freer, fairer, and more human internet. Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling) Guest: Cory Doctorow (https://x.com/doctorow), author of Enshittification: Why Everything Suddenly Got Worse and What to Do About It. We'd love to hear from you. Tell us what you thought of this episode at tga@voxmail.com or leave a voicemail at 1-800-214-5749. Your comments and questions help us make a better show. And you can watch new episodes of The Gray Area on YouTube. Listen to The Gray Area ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Detroit Lions Podcast: Lessons from Kansas City and What Comes Next The Detroit Lions left Arrowhead with a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, and while it was a frustrating finish, there was more to unpack than just the score. In this week's episode of The Gray Area, we break down what went wrong, what went right, and how this team needs to respond as it prepares for another prime-time matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. From Jared Goff's efficiency to Brian Branch's fiery moment, from officiating frustration to Aidan Hutchinson's continued impact, this episode covers it all. What We Learned Against the Chiefs The biggest takeaway from the Kansas City game is that this Detroit Lions team is built to win with its offense, not in defensive slugfests. Head coach Dan Campbell has preached complementary football since the day he arrived, but this roster leans on its offensive firepower to carry the load. In both of Detroit's losses this season, the offense was held under 20 points—13 against Green Bay and 17 against Kansas City. Against elite opponents like Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs, that simply isn't enough. Jared Goff was sharp again, completing 79 percent of his passes with two touchdowns despite heavy pressure and limited ground support. Amon-Ra St. Brown's rare drop on fourth down and penalties from the offensive front cost Detroit opportunities to extend drives. Meanwhile, Aidan Hutchinson and the defense couldn't generate consistent stops, forcing only one punt from Kansas City all night. When Mahomes is given that kind of rhythm, the result is predictable. The officiating became a headline, and for good reason. The Chiefs went an entire game without a single enforced penalty, something that hadn't happened in 363 straight nfl contests. Still, Detroit made enough of its own mistakes to shoulder much of the blame. Brian Branch, Discipline, and the Road Ahead Brian Branch's postgame scuffle and looming fine added another layer of frustration to an already heated night. His aggressiveness is part of what makes him great, but his emotional control is now a point of emphasis for Campbell. Branch has been fined over $129,000 this season, and another deduction appears imminent after Sunday's melee. The coaching staff knows it must regroup quickly. Tampa Bay arrives for Monday Night Football with a 5-1 record, confidence in quarterback Baker Mayfield, and a defense capable of exploiting any lingering Lions injuries. The message this week is clear: stay poised, play your game, and get back to executing the fundamentals that fueled Detroit's four-game win streak. Dan Campbell called the Chiefs loss a “wake-up call,” and that's exactly what it needs to be. The Lions are still one of the NFL's top teams, but if they want to stay in the NFC's top tier, they have to clean up the mistakes and refocus their edge—because nobody is going to feel sorry for them. https://youtu.be/Ju3LwbZJH7Q Let us know what you think about the show by commenting in the podcast thread in the subreddit, or by leaving us a voice mail message via Skype at: Detroit Lions Podcast  Your input will help make the show better, and if you leave us a message on Skype, you just might be featured in an upcoming podcast! You can also give us a call at (929) 33-Lions. Get yourself a Classic Detroit t-shirt here! Don't miss our great merch selection in the Detroit Lions Podcast store. Looking for the relief that CBD products can bring? Click here: https://bit.ly/2XzawlG Get your Lions Gear at: https://bit.ly/2Ooo5Px As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases made here: https://amzn.to/36e2ZfD Donate Direct at: https://bit.ly/2qnEtFj Join the Patreon Crew at: https://bit.ly/2bgQgyj #lions #detroitlions #detroitlionspodcast #allgrit #onepride #kansascity #kansascitychiefs #chiefs #brainbranch #branch Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is America at a tipping point? Sean Illing talks with Barbara Walter, one of the world's leading experts on violent extremism and domestic terror. She's the author of How Civil Wars Start, about how democracies unravel from within, and a professor at UC San Diego's School of Global Policy and Strategy. Walter talks to Sean about the warning signs she's seeing in the US, why polarization and party identity become combustible, and what lessons we can draw from other countries. They also discuss what an American civil war might look like in the 21st century, the social and informational dynamics that accelerate breakdown, and whether America still has a path away from the brink. Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling) Guest: Barbara Walter, professor at UC San Diego and author of How Civil Wars Start We would love to hear from you. To tell us what you thought of this episode, email us at tga@voxmail.com or leave us a voicemail at 1-800-214-5749. Your comments and questions help us make a better show. And you can watch new episodes of The Gray Area on YouTube. Listen to The Gray Area ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We like to think of memory as a record of the past. But that's not really what it is. Memory doesn't keep the past — it can also remake it. It stitches fragments into stories, and those stories — true or not — are what we end up calling our life, and sometimes, our collective history. Sean's guest today is Charan Ranganath, a neuroscientist and author of a book called Why We Remember. The two discuss the strange alchemy of remembering and how the stories our minds create end up creating us. Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling) Guest: Charan Ranganath, neuroscientist and author of Why We Remember We would love to hear from you. To tell us what we thought of this episode, email us at tga@voxmail.com or leave us a voicemail at 1-800-214-5749. Your comments and questions help us make a better show. And you can watch new episodes of The Gray Area on YouTube.Listen to The Gray Area ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Thanks to our partners Promotive and Wicked FileEvery fall, tax season brings the same loaded question: “Can I write that off?” From flat-screen TVs to four-wheelers, the temptation to blur the line between personal and business expenses is real. But where's the line between smart tax strategy and a dangerous gray area?This week, Hunt Demerast, CPA at Paar Melis & Associates, breaks down the myths and realities of tax write-offs. With humor, clarity, and two decades of experience, he explains what the IRS actually looks for, why “ordinary and necessary” matters more than anything, and how going too far can distort your books, risk an audit, or even tank your business valuation.In this conversation, you'll learn how to confidently identify legitimate deductions, when to play it safe, and how to document expenses that will stand up in an audit. Whether you're debating a truck purchase, deducting meals, or mixing vacation with a conference, Hunt shows you how to maximize tax benefits—without losing sight of the bigger financial picture.If you're ready to stop guessing and start using the tax code to your advantage, this episode will sharpen your perspective on every business expense you make.What You'll Learn in This Episode(00:00) The infamous question: “Can I write that off?”(02:18) Why “ordinary and necessary” are the IRS's two magic words.(04:43) The peer problem: when shop-owner advice becomes risky.(06:54) The flat-screen and four-wheeler test—how intent changes everything.(09:11) Why write-offs save more than taxes—they protect cash flow.(11:17) Vehicles in your business: the registration rule that matters most.(15:41) Paying yourself back—how to legally reimburse tools and trucks.(17:57) Meals vs. meetings: the 50% vs. 100% deduction debate.(20:10) Turning vacations into business trips (the right way).(22:20) The dark side of deductions: audit risk and distorted books.(24:42) Why overdoing write-offs lowers your business valuation.Thanks to our partner PromotiveIt's time to hire a superstar for your business; what a grind you have in front of you. Introducing Promotive, a full-service staffing solution for your shop. Promotive has over 40 years of recruiting and automotive experience. If you need qualified technicians and service advisors and want to offload the heavy lifting, visit https://gopromotive.com/Thanks to our Partner WickedFileTurn chaos into clarity with WickedFile, the AI for auto repair shops. Transform invoices into insights, protect cash flow, and stop losing parts, cores, or credits to maximize your bottom line. visit https://info.wickedfile.com/Paar Melis and Associates – Accountants Specializing in Automotive RepairVisit us Online: www.paarmelis.comEmail Hunt: podcast@paarmelis.comText Paar Melis @ 301-307-5413Download a Copy of My Books Here:Wrenches to Write-OffsYour Perfect Shop Aftermarket Radio Network

This week, Sean talks with Emily Baker-White, author of Every Screen on the Planet, about why TikTok feels uniquely addictive, how it turned social media into a push-not-pull entertainment feed, and what happens when human editors inside the company can override the algorithm. A few days after they spoke, TikTok was in the headlines again. So they jumped on a follow-up call to unpack the latest twists in the saga of who will ultimately control the app's US-operations. Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling) Guest: Emily Baker-White, reporter and author of Every Screen on the Planet: The War Over TikTok The Gray Area has been nominated for a Signal Listener's Choice Award. Vote for The Gray Area here: https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting#/2025/shows/genre/thought-leadership We'd love to hear from you. Email us at tga@voxmail.com or leave a voicemail at 1-800-214-5749. Your questions and feedback help us make a better show. Watch full episodes of The Gray Area on YouTube. Listen ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Who are you, really? Our friends at The Gray Area ask whether it's really possible to change. Guest: ⁠Olga Khazan⁠, author of Me, But Better: The Science and Promise of Personality Change For show transcripts, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vox.com/unxtranscripts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For more, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vox.com/unexplainable⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ And please email us! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠unexplainable@vox.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ We read every email. Support Unexplainable (and get ad-free episodes) by becoming a Vox Member today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vox.com/members⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

THE GRAY AREA SEASON ONE EPISODE 0: Prologue Virginia Gaskell, an underappreciated 66-year-old cult writer forced into a rest home, contends with mysterious voices summoned from her typewriter and an obscure literary interviewer named Ed Champion. (9 minutes) Written, directed and edited by Edward Champion CAST: Virginia Gaskell: Chris Smith Ed Champion: Edward Champion Orderly: Zachary Michael Demon #1: Greta Christie Demon #2: Pete Lutz

Original Air Date: 11/15/2022 Today, we take a look at our extremely steady history of political violence from the Revolution, through the Civil War, Reconstruction and Jim Crow, into the Civil Rights era, the Militia Movement and domestic terrorism, and now to our current once-again-radicalized, right-wing movement willing to use and tacitly condone violence as a political tactic. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Capitol Attack Wasn't the 1st Violent Incident in Congress - Inside Edition - Air Date 1-20-22 Ch. 2: A history of US political violence Part 1 - Americast - Air Date 11-2-22 Ch. 3: Storm of White Right Wing Violence Isn't Coming... It's Here Featuring Luke Mogelson Part 1 - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 9-15-22 Ch. 4: Political Violence Is No Anomaly in American History - System Check - Air Date 1-8-21 Ch. 5: Today's Republicans were made in the 1990s - Part 1 - The Gray Area with Sean Illing - Air Date 11-7-22 Ch. 6: Storm of White Right Wing Violence Isn't Coming... It's Here Featuring Luke Mogelson Part 2 - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 9-15-22 Ch. 7: Pelosi Attack Leads to Conspiracies, Obama Crushes GOP - The David Pakman Show - Air Date 10-31-22 Ch. 8: A history of US political violence Part 2 - Americast - Air Date 11-2-22 Ch. 9: Political Violence - In the Thick - Air Date 11-4-22 Ch 10. Today's Republicans were made in the 1990s - Part 2 - The Gray Area with Sean Illing - Air Date 11-7-22

Bill McKibben has spent four decades warning us about climate change. Much of what he predicted has come true. And yet, his new book Here Comes the Sun is more hopeful than you might expect. That's because, for the first time, we have a genuine alternative: Solar and wind energy are now the cheapest, fastest-growing sources of power on Earth. The revolution has already begun. This week, Sean is joined by McKibben to talk about the peril and promise of this moment. They explore how close we are to catastrophe, why each fraction of a degree of warming matters, and how the fossil fuel industry is fighting a desperate last stand. They also discuss the politics of energy in the age of Trump, why Texas and Utah may hold surprising lessons, and how cheap, abundant power could transform not just the climate fight but democracy itself. Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling) Guest: Bill McKibben, climate activist and author of Here Comes the Sun We'd love to hear from you. Email us at tga@voxmail.com or leave a voicemail at 1-800-214-5749. Your questions and feedback help us make a better show. ⁠⁠This episode was made in partnership with Vox's Future Perfect team. Watch full episodes of The Gray Area on YouTube. Listen ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Free speech is often treated as a timeless and sacred right. But what if it's more myth than reality? This week, Sean is joined by historian Fara Dabhoiwala, author of What Is Free Speech? They trace the history of free expression from 18th-century pamphleteers, to John Stuart Mill, to the digital platforms that dominate our lives today. They explore why speech is never just “speech,” how context and power shape who gets heard, the dangers of harmful speech, and the challenges of regulating platforms in a global media environment. Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling) Guest: Fara Dabhoiwala, historian and author of What Is Free Speech? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at tga@voxmail.com or leave a voicemail at 1-800-214-5749. Your questions and feedback help us make a better show. Watch full episodes of The Gray Area on YouTube. Listen ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: http://vox.com/members Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is an episode we think you'd enjoy of The Gray Area with Sean Illing.  American higher education is under attack. Project 2025 laid out the battle plan pretty clearly: Get rid of the Department of Education, shut off federal funding, take control of the accreditation system, and take down diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. And in the end, change what students are encouraged to study and what professors are allowed to teach. The questions we're left with is why? And is it working? Today's guest is Michael Roth, president of Wesleyan University. He's a vocal defender of higher education. But he's also honest about where things have gone wrong and what needs to change. Michael and Sean discuss the Trump administration's efforts to change universities and colleges, the potential societal effects of that effort, political biases on campus, the dangers of ideological conformity, and the value of a college education (what is even the point of going to college any more?). You can listen to more of this podcast by searching for The Gray Area with Sean Illing in your podcast app. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This is the second school year since the provincial restrictions on cell phone use in schools came into effect. But what exactly are the rules? And how are they put into practice? As you'll hear in this episode, that's not exactly clear. Island teachers and administrators talk about how they're interpreting and creating the rules.

How much money is too much? In today's episode, political philosopher Ingrid Robeyns tells Sean that we need to cap the amount of wealth a person can accumulate. They talk about how extreme inequality affects democracy, the role of money in politics, and why limiting personal wealth benefits everyone, including the super rich. Host: Sean Illing (⁠⁠@SeanIlling⁠⁠) Guest: Ingrid Robeyns, ⁠⁠professor⁠⁠ and author of Limitarianism: ⁠⁠The Case Against Extreme Wealth⁠⁠ This episode originally aired in January 2024 We would love to hear from you. To tell us what you thought of this episode, email tga@voxmail.com or leave a voicemail at 1-800-214-5749. Your comments and questions help us make a better show. You can watch new episodes of ⁠⁠The Gray Area on YouTube⁠⁠. Listen to The Gray Area ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: ⁠⁠vox.com/members Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

America has a hard time building stuff. Roads. Trains. Bridges. Housing. Everything takes seemingly forever. Meanwhile, China seems to have no trouble at all: high-speed rails, solar panels, electric cars, bridges, ports, all churned out at breakneck speed. Why is that? Sean's guest is Dan Wang, author of the new book Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future. They discuss the policies and mindset that allow China to tackle remarkable feats of engineering, the advantages and drawbacks of America's "lawyerly society," and what China and America must learn from each other. Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling) Guest: Dan Wang, author of Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future This episode was made in partnership with Vox's Future Perfect team. We would love to hear from you. To tell us what you thought! Email us at tga@voxmail.com or leave us a voicemail at 1-800-214-5749. We read and listen to everything, and might use your comments and questions in future episodes. Listen to The Gray Area ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members and watch new episodes of The Gray Area on YouTube. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello! Decoder senior producer Kate Cox here. I'm afraid I'm still not Nilay, but I hope you've been enjoying our series of guest hosts this summer while he's out on parental leave. We have a few more really great guest episodes coming up, before Nilay returns to the host chair later this fall, so stay tuned. The production team is taking our own break this week, so while we're off we're excited to share this episode of The Gray Area with you. Students all over the country — including my own kids, thank goodness — are back in school right around now, and so we thought it would be a perfect time to revisit host Sean Illing talking with journalist James Walsh about how AI tools like ChatGPT have kicked off a new cheating arms race that's proving extremely disruptive to college education.  There are a lot of big Decoder ideas — and problems — wrapped up in all this. Okay, The Gray Area, with Sean Illing. Enjoy.  Links: If AI can do your classwork, why go to college? | The Gray Area Everyone Is cheating their way through college | New York Magazine How to get students to stop using AI | Verge I used the ‘cheat on everything' AI tool and it didn't help me cheat on anything | Verge Inside the frat-bro startup that wants you to ‘cheat on everything' | SF Standard A new headache for honest students: proving they didn't use AI | NYT Credits: Decoder is a production of The Verge and part of the Vox Media Podcast Network. Our producers are Kate Cox and Nick Statt. Our editor is Ursa Wright.  The Decoder music is by Breakmaster Cylinder. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A loose movement of radical intellectuals is driving American politics.  They're called the “New Right,” and they share a basic hostility to American liberal democracy, a real desire to fundamentally overhaul it, and real influence in the White House. But why do they think that? How much influence do they really have? And what would a response to their rising prominence look like? Today's guest is Laura Field, a political theorist who's spent a lot of time in the conservative intellectual world cataloging the wild world of far-right thinking for her book Furious Minds: The Making of the MAGA New Right.  She speaks with guest host Zack Beauchamp, author of Vox newsletter On The Right, about why ordinary Americans should really, definitely, and absolutely care what a handful of thinkers are putting out on obscure Substacks and YouTube channels. Host: Zack Beauchamp Guest: Laura Field We would love to hear from you. To tell us what we thought of this episode, email us at tga@voxmail.com or leave us a voicemail at 1-800-214-5749. Your comments and questions help us make a better show. And you can watch new episodes of The Gray Area on YouTube. Listen to The Gray Area ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GRAY AREA PRODUCTIONS present Libromendel During an unspecified “government transition” in the near future, the young scholar Alejandra Cortez (no relation to AOC) returns home from Rhinebeck on an extremely rainy night and stumbles into a West Village café where she was once a regular during the Second Trump Administration.  But aside from the rowdy RPG players, what happened to all the colorful eccentrics?  Why does nobody remember the history of Café Gluck aside from an overworked barista named Sporschill?  Who is the strange new owner claiming to be a “crypto king”?  And why doesn't anybody remember the charming and eccentric old bookseller Jaime Abrego Mendel who set up shop in the adjacent card room every day?  This full-cast 332 track standalone epic examines the true human cost of removing vital figures from American life. (Running time: 54 minutes) Written, produced, and directed by Edward Champion Adapted from the short story “Buchmendel” by Stefan Zweig Original music soundtrack by Edward Champion CAST: Alejandra:  Belgys Felix Mendel: Wolf Reigns Florian: Zack Glassman Standhartner: Sally Maitland Sporschill:  Julie Chapin Ramirez:  Melissa Medina Dirks: Luvelle Pierre Tallis: Jack Ward Becky: Emily Carding ICE Officer: Will Billingsley ICE Officer #2:  Frank Romeo Felicia/The Radio: Samantha Jo Clueless Customer: Glenn Kenny The New Yorkers: Heath Martin and Pauly Sinatra Boris: Pete Lutz DM:  Dr. Implausible The Staffers: Ella Gans and Jay Silver Victim:  Zoraya Christian Exuberant Customer: Lokia Rockwell Café Patron: Laura Spear and Edward Champion as The Assassin. This is a co-production of The Sonic Society and The Gray Area.

Jason and Gary wrestle through the gray area of the hobby - collecting vs gambling.Caitlin and Clemente Sales Pop off!PSA has a "special"Late Season Baseball Prospect PicksFollow The Ballcard Show On All Socials and See full video episodes on YT @theballcardshow. 

Almost every tech platform is designed to grab and hold your attention, to keep you clicking, scrolling, and buying for as long as possible. Sports gambling has become one of the clearest examples of this. The industry has created frictionless apps on your phone that let you bet on everything from March Madness to a pregame coin toss to who wins a minor league British dart tournament. While betting has become easier — and arguably fun — the cost of these apps is much higher than the money that is won and lost on them. Today's guest is Jonathan D. Cohen, author of Losing Big: America's Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling. He and Sean discuss the rise of sports betting, why the industry targets young men in their advertising, the social costs of frictionless sports gambling, and how the industry could be improved. Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling) Guest: Jonathan D. Cohen, writer and author of Losing Big: America's Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling We would love to hear from you. To tell us what we thought of this episode, email us at tga@voxmail.com or leave us a voicemail at 1-800-214-5749. Your comments and questions help us make a better show. And you can watch new episodes of ⁠The Gray Area on YouTube⁠. Listen to The Gray Area ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: ⁠vox.com/members⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hello to you, Annie Jesperson & Nathaniel Talbot listening from Deep Harvest Farm on Whidbey Island!Coming to you from Whidbey Island, Washington this is Stories From Women Who Walk with 60 Seconds (& a bit more goodness) for Wednesdays on Whidbey and your host, Diane Wyzga.  Every week I head over to Deep Harvest Farm from July through Thanksgiving to fill my basket with organic produce as a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) member. Early in day the CSA members get an email with a list of what's been harvested, a recipe or two and a musing by Farmer Annie like this one, The Fallacy of Sunk Costs. Maybe like me you'll recognize yourself in her words:          The Fallacy of Sunk Costs [~ by Annie Jesperson]“Sometimes a benefit and other times a detriment of long farm days are the countless hours alone with one's thoughts. A morning spent pruning tomatoes and dragging irrigation lines offers opportunity to practice deep breathing, mindfully listen to the sparrow songs or to stew on last night's sub-optimal conversation with your sister while mentally spiraling about foreign affairs.There's time for it all! We spend many moments with the gentle coo of the wind but also keep our brains stimulated with a wide assortment of podcasts. A few of us love "The Gray Area with Sean Illing," which is a philosophy show that covers culture, politics, and other big conversation topics.I'm pretty sure it was here, I learned about one of my now favorite philosophical principles that comes in handy most farm days and in the rest of life, too. It's called “The fallacy of sunk costs.” Anyone else a fan?? This concept expresses the mental error in one's tendency to keep going on an endeavor just for the sake of finishing it. You've invested some time, money, and energy so you want to complete a task even if the costs of completing it outweigh the positives. It's knowing when to cut losses and till in those overly weedy carrots, shrug your shoulders and leave the last 10% of the giant fruit tree unpruned or close the book you're not loving and pick up something else. There's nothing to gain by doing otherwise!Every day, we look at our mammoth to-do list and decide what's a priority and what just isn't going to happen and not infrequently we kiss some hard work goodbye for the sake of future plantings and more vital tasks. Prioritizing and letting go might be a farmer's most important skills as well as life talents, too, aiding us in the efficiency, time, productivity and happiness of Life!”Click HERE to visit Deep Harvest Farm,  learn about the farm & its farmers, sign up for the Seed Newsletter for hot garden tips, farm news and seed discounts, join the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Farm Share, AND shop the 170 varieties of Certified Organic, Open-Pollinated, & Non-GMO seed proven to thrive in the Pacific Northwest: FLOWER SEEDS  ~  VEGETABLE & HERB SEEDSThank you for listening!You're always welcome: "Come for the stories - Stay for the magic!" Speaking of magic, I hope you'll subscribe, share a 5-star rating and nice review on your social media or podcast channel of choice, bring your friends and rellies, and join us! You will have wonderful company as we continue to walk our lives together. Be sure to stop by my Quarter Moon Story Arts website, check out the Services, arrange a no-sales Discovery Call, and stay current with me as "Wyzga on Words" on Substack.ALL content and image © 2019 to Present Quarter Moon Story Arts. All rights reserved.  If you found this podcast episode helpful, please consider sharing and attributing it to Diane Wyzga of Stories From Women Who Walk podcast with a link back to the original source.Stories From Women Who Walk Production TeamPodcaster: Diane F Wyzga & Quarter Moon Story ArtsMusic: Mer's Waltz from Crossing the Waters by Steve Schuch & Night Heron Music

Do you sometimes wonder about your relationship with alcohol? Should you drink less? Or not at all?What does a “healthy” relationship with alcohol look like?The answers may surprise you.On this episode I'm joined by Colleen Freeland, an intuitive drinking coach, Founder of Emotional Sobriety Coaching©, and host of the top-ranked It's Not About the Alcohol podcast, for a conversation about women, wine, and the emotional patterns that often drive our drinking habits.Colleen shares her own story of secretly struggling with alcohol use disorder for over 20 years and the solutions she discovered to create emotional sobriety for herself. She says it's about so much more than just the drink in our hand. Much like emotional eating, it's really about de-coding our emotional cravings and learning to tune in to what we're truly seeking.Key Takeaways:What intuitive drinking looks likeWhy willpower doesn't work, and what doesHow to tune into your body's needs instead ‘numbing out' with alcoholHighlights: 05:02 "Understanding Alcohol Use Disorder"13:45 ‘Gray Area' Drinking 18:45 Sober Identity26:03 Different Approaches to Alcohol RecoveryImportant Links

The internet was supposed to set us free. But somewhere along the way, it became a tool for surveillance, extraction, and control. What happened? And is there still time to reclaim the weird, untapped potential of the digital world? This week, Sean is joined by Douglas Rushkoff. He's a media theorist, author of Survival of the Richest and Team Human, and host of the Team Human podcast. They trace the arc of the internet from its utopian beginnings to its corporate capture, and explore what it would take to build something different. Along the way, they talk about the loss of weirdness, the logic of capitalism, the dangers of scale, and the difference between systems thinking and systems feeling. They also reflect on whether it's still possible to use technology to foster a more connected and communal life. Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling) Guest: Douglas Rushkoff, media theorist and host of Team Human We'd love to hear from you. Email us at tga@voxmail.com or leave a voicemail at 1-800-214-5749. Your questions and feedback help us make a better show. Watch full episodes of The Gray Area on YouTube. Listen ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sonic Summerstock starts the month of August with a barn-burner of an original adaptation of Stefan Zweig's famous short story, “Buchmendel”! The Gray Area's director, writer, producer, and actor, Edward Champion pulls out all the stops for this performance- "LIBROMENDEL", So sit back and relax with this incredible full modern classic! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sonic Summerstock starts the month of August with a barn-burner of an original adaptation of Stefan Zweig's famous short story, “Buchmendel”! The Gray Area's director, writer, producer, and actor, Edward Champion pulls out all the stops for this performance- "LIBROMENDEL", So sit back and relax with this incredible full modern classic! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What comes after the human? We're living through multiple crises — ecological, technological, political. But beneath all of that is something even deeper: a crisis of the self. Who are we, really? How did we come to see ourselves as separate from the world, from each other, from the systems that sustain us? And what if that way of thinking is what got us into this mess? Today's guest is Mark C. Taylor, philosopher, cultural critic, and author of After the Human. Mark and Sean discuss the philosophical roots of climate change, the dangers of individualism, the false promise of techno-utopianism, and what it might mean to shift from seeing ourselves as isolated egos to members of a vast, interdependent web. They talk about AI, death, Hegel, Descartes, hope, and why ideas matter. Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling) Guest: Mark C. Taylor, philosopher and author of After the Human: A Philosophy for the Future. We would love to hear from you. To tell us what we thought of this episode, email us at tga@voxmail.com or leave us a voicemail at 1-800-214-5749. Your comments and questions help us make a better show. And you can watch new episodes of The Gray Area on YouTube. Listen to The Gray Area ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're back with science-based naturopathic doctor, Dr. Josh Levitt. No, it doesn't have to be an oxymoron - he's a myth-buster extraordinaire and this conversation is all about finding the truth in the mess of modern wellness. From essential oils and detoxes to gallbladder flushes and ear candles, we get into what's actually helpful, what's hype, and why so many people get caught in the middle. Dr. Josh and I talk about the nuance that often gets lost in clickbait culture — how real healing usually lives in the gray space between conventional and natural medicine. He shares how his own journey (which involves a blister, a Swiss pharmacy, and a serious wake-up call) shaped his approach to integrative care. And we dig into why people fall for bad health advice, how to spot the red flags, and what you can do instead. If you've ever felt overwhelmed by conflicting health info or frustrated by medical systems that leave out the whole picture, this episode is for you. 00:00 | Meet Dr. Josh Levitt (Again) 02:30 | Medicine as a Bridge, Not a Binary 05:50 | The Problem with Extremes in Wellness 08:50 | Snake Oil: The Origin Story 12:05 | Essential Oils: Helpful or Hype? 17:15 | Buyer Beware: Scams, Grifters & the Gray Area 21:15 | Ear Candles: A Hot Mess (Literally) 26:00 | Gallbladder Flushes & Detox Culture 33:30 | Life After Gallbladder Surgery: What No One Tells You 39:15 | Why We're Still So Sick Find Dr. Josh: upwellness.com instagram.com/drjoshlevitt tiktok.com/@drjoshlevitt Find Stacy: ⁠⁠realeverything.com⁠⁠ ⁠⁠instagram.com/realstacytoth⁠⁠ ⁠⁠missionmakersart.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tawny and Lisa talk with Lindsay Sutherland Boal, a coach, advocate, and the founder of both The Uncovery App and She Walks Canada, which support women overcoming problematic relationships with alcohol. They chat about gray-area drinking and the concept of “rock enough,” the acknowledgement that you don't need a “rock bottom” crisis to quit drinking. The Uncovery App is dedicated to the pursuit of alcohol-free living through self-investigation and support. She Walks Canada organizes walks around the world to support recovery and foster community.Music Minute features Lindsay's opera career and tropical lounge music. Check out The Uncovery App Learn about She Walks Canada On Instagram: @theuncoveryapp and @shewalkscanada Order The Sobriety Deck  Listen to The Sobriety Deck Playlist by Hannah Gardner Order Tawny's book, DRY HUMPING: A Guide to Dating, Relating, and Hooking Up Without the Booze. Sign up for Tawny's newsletter, "Beyond Liquid Courage" Order Tawny's new NA drink, (parentheses) Order Lisa's memoir, Girl Walks Out of a Bar

GRAY AREA PRODUCTIONS Presents "The Yellow Wallpaper" From Edward Champion, creator of The Gray Area audio drama series, comes this exciting modernization of the classic 1892 story, “The Yellow Wallpaper“, from Charlotte Perkins Gilman. When a woman is captivated by the patterns of the wallpaper in her home, a powerful testament in psychological terror is the result!

My guest this week is Deb from Kentucky – aka Mocktail Mom   This was her second time on the show - click here to listen to the first interview In this episode:- Deb quit drinking on December 31, 2020. She originally took a break to evaluate her drinking and felt so good she just kept going! Deb was a Late Starter and only started drinking heavily in her 40s during after her divorce. Like many of us she was a Gray Area Drinker: She often found herself drinking more than she had intended, particularly when she was alone on weekends without her kids. Debs Turning Point: came when she realized that alcohol was taking up too much mental space I loved her analogy of the ticker tape of breaking news that we see on tv – Deb felt she had an alcohol related ticker tape constantly turning in the background of her mind! She joined a sobriety challenge in January 2021 and community did the trick It was a breakthrough for Deb when she finally accepted that moderation wasn't working for her Like many of us she discovered it was easier to stop completely altogether than to try to control it. This is because alcohol changes our brain chemistry – once we have crossed the line into dependence just one drink can trigger intense cravings I wish someone had explained that to me before I spent 10 long years trying (and failing) to control my drinking! Deb's Top 3 Benefits of Sobriety: Freedom from ticker tape mental chatter about alcohol. No more waking up with guilt and shame. Confidence and trust in herself (she gave that example of being able to collect her daughters if they called her in the evening.) Mocktail Mom Platform: Deb shares mocktail recipes and alcohol-free fun on Instagram and TikTok. Created a mocktail recipe book: The Happiest Hour. Learn more via her website mocktailmom.com Both Deb and myself are breast cancer survivors. We didn't know about the alcohol-cancer link when we were drinking so are keen to let as many women as possible understand that alcohol is linked to 7 types of cancer Debs Sobriety Advice: Don't think in terms of “forever.” Take it one day or one event at a time. Don't worry about future events (e.g., weddings or trips). Celebrate any alcohol-free progress; it all adds up. Her last tip was to get support—having a community made all the difference for her If you're looking for a community then try Tribe Sober! More info  Tools & Resources in Tribe Sober Member Journey Course (7 modules: psychology, biology, neuroscience) Members Vault with searchable tips and content Daily check-ins, trackers, 5 Zooms meetings a week – to suit all timezones Personal guidance from coaches, ambassadors, and cheerleaders Subscription membership for Tribe Sober join up HERE To access our website click HERE If you would like a free copy of our e-book "66 days to sobriety" please email us at janet@tribesober.com If you would like to come to our Saturday afternoon Zoom Cafe as a guest and meet our community just email janet@tribesober.com Episode Sponsor This episode is sponsored by the Tribe Sober Membership Program.  If you want to change your relationship with alcohol then sign up today.   Help us to spread the word! We made this podcast so that we can reach more people who need our help.  Please subscribe and share. We release a podcast episode every Saturday morning. You can follow Tribe Sober on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.  You can join our private Facebook group HERE Thank you for listening! 

CLICK HERE to take the No More Wasted Days Path to Power Quiz today.  It will tell you exactly what you need on your alcohol free journey, and then I'll send you a personalized playlist to fit your needs.  ✌️❤️ What if your drinking isn't “that bad”—but it's still not working for you? In this episode of No More Wasted Days, Sara and Heather dive into the concept of gray area drinking, a space so many people quietly occupy without even realizing it. They break down what gray area drinking actually is, why you don't have to hit rock bottom to make a change, and how to know if it's time to explore an alcohol-free life—before the crisis. Whether you're drinking to cope, reward, or escape—or you've just started wondering, “Is this becoming a problem?”—this episode will give you clarity, compassion, and tools to help you decide what's next.   What You'll Learn in This Episode:

American higher education is under attack. Project 2025 laid out the battle plan pretty clearly: Get rid of the Department of Education, shut off federal funding, take control of the accreditation system, and take down diversity, equity, and inclusion programs. And in the end, change what students are encouraged to study and what professors are allowed to teach. The questions we're left with is why? And is it working? Today's guest is Michael Roth, president of Wesleyan University. He's a vocal defender of higher education. But he's also honest about where things have gone wrong and what needs to change. Michael and Sean discuss the Trump administration's efforts to change universities and colleges, the potential societal effects of that effort, political biases on campus, the dangers of ideological conformity, and the value of a college education (what is even the point of going to college any more?). Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling)Guest: Michael Roth, president of Wesleyan University and author of numerous books including Beyond the University: Why Liberal Education Matters and The Student: A Short History. Mentioned in this episode: Host Sean Illing's interview with reporter James Walsh about AI on campuses. We would love to hear from you. To tell us what we thought of this episode, email us at tga@voxmail.com or leave us a voicemail at 1-800-214-5749. Your comments and questions help us make a better show. Listen to The Gray Area ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members And you can watch new episodes of The Gray Area on YouTube. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We live in a culture obsessed with hope. We are trained to believe that being hopeful is the key to success. Stay positive. The sun will come out tomorrow. Keep the faith. But maintaining that kind of blind hope is hard. When our hopes are dashed, we often feel defeated. In a world that's filled with lots of dark clouds and very few silver linings, perhaps we need a better way to balance our hope and our pessimism. In today's episode, Sean interviews philosopher Mara van der Lugt about her new book Hopeful Pessimism. The two talk about how to sustain hope when you're feeling pessimistic, the pitfalls of blind hope, and what the climate movement can teach us about staying motivated when success is unlikely. Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling)Guest: Mara van der Lugt, lecturer in philosophy at the University of St Andrews and author of Hopeful Pessimism. Listen to The Gray Area ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's the point of college if no one's actually doing the work? It's not a rhetorical question. In the age of AI, it's incredibly easy for students to offload their assignments. AI tools can write essays, make study guides, and even complete whole assignments. So what is the point of higher education? In today's episode, Sean speaks with journalist James Walsh about his recent article, "Everyone is Cheating Their Way Through College." The two discuss how students are using AI to finish their assignments, how colleges are (and aren't) responding to these challenges, and whether you can learn to think when something else does the thinking for you. Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling) Guest: James Walsh, features writer for New York magazine's Intelligencer. Read James's article: "Everyone is Cheating Their Way Through College." Listen to The Gray Area ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gray Area comes to visit our house—of the Undying! She's here to ~help us show~ us the pattern behind the prophecies around chosen ones and the visions Daenerys sees. Definitely check out: Gray's video deciphering the House of the Undying—https://youtu.be/7xjhlbyu01k?feature=shared Where to find Gray Area Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GrayArea Twitter: https://x.com/ThisGrayArea TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thisgrayarea Obsidian Nights Reread Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/obsidian-nights-podcast/id1511829391 Direwolf City YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@direwolfcity Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ThisGrayArea Background music: Odyssey Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Silver Flame Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ ------ Eliana's twitter: https://twitter.com/arhythmetric Eliana's reddit account: https://www.reddit.com/user/glass_table_girl Eliana's blog: https://themanyfacedblog.wordpress.com/ Chloe's twitter: https://twitter.com/liesandarbor Chloe's blog: liesandarborgold.com Intro by Anton Langhage

We're nearly six months into Donald Trump's second term as president, and a lot of us are still trying to figure out what that actually means. Not just politically. But culturally. What kind of country are we living in? And what kind of future are we heading toward? In today's episode, Sean and Vox senior correspondent Zack Beauchamp try to answer these difficult questions. They discuss Trump's successes and failures, how he appeals to his supporters, and how the left can respond to the Trump administration. Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling) Guest: Zack Beauchamp, Vox senior correspondent and the author of the On the Right newsletter. Sign up for the newsletter here. Listen to Sean's previous interview with Zack about the state of right-wing politics here. Listen to The Gray Area ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever found yourself googling “Do I have a drinking problem?” at 2AM after another night of “just a couple glasses of wine” turned into a bottle (again)? Or wondering if you really need to quit drinking—or if you're just being too hard on yourself? If so, you are not alone. I've been there. And in this episode of The Hello Someday Podcast, I'm talking with Amanda E. White, a licensed therapist and the author of Not Drinking Tonight: A Guide to Creating a Sober Life You Love. I asked Amanda to share how you can practically explore your relationship with alcohol—without labels or shame—and build tools to handle stress, emotions, and overwhelm without reaching for a drink. Her book is one of my absolute favorites because it combines the wisdom of a therapist with the honesty of someone who's been through it herself. For the full shownotes, kindly go to this podcast episode link: https://hellosomedaycoaching.com/not-drinking-tonight/ 4 Ways I Can Support You In Drinking Less + Living More Join The Sobriety Starter Kit, the only sober coaching course designed specifically for busy women. My proven, step-by-step sober coaching program will teach you exactly how to stop drinking  — and how to make it the best decision of your life. Save your seat in my FREE MASTERCLASS, 5 Secrets To Successfully Take a Break From Drinking  Grab the Free 30-Day Guide To Quitting Drinking, 30 Tips For Your First Month Alcohol-Free.Connect with me for free sober coaching tips, updates + videos on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and TikTok @hellosomedaysober. Connect with Casey McGuire Davidson To find out more about Casey and her coaching programs, head over to www.hellosomedaycoaching.com

For decades, the American right has stayed on brand: the economy. Low taxes. Free markets. Deregulation. Those have been the buzzwords for more than half a century. But that doctrine is now being challenged by other conservatives who envision a future in which America's trade deficit is lower, manufacturing returns to the US, and Americans buy more American-made products. Is this future even possible? Economist Oren Cass thinks it is. In today's episode, the founder of the think tank America Compass speaks to Sean about right-wing economic populism. The two discuss a conservative, pro-worker approach to economic policy, Cass's plan to bring manufacturing back to the US, and what types of behavior economic policy should incentivize. Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling)Guest: Oren Cass, chief economist and founder of American Compass. Editor of The New Conservatives: Restoring America's Commitment to Family, Community, and Industry. Listen to The Gray Area ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members Help us plan for the future of The Gray Area by filling out a brief survey: ⁠voxmedia.com/survey⁠. Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If matter is a result of vibration, what causes the vibration? Our friends at The Gray Area ask, “Is the universe behaving like an instrument?” Guest: Stephon Alexander, theoretical physicist at Brown University For show transcripts, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vox.com/unxtranscripts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ For more, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vox.com/unexplainable⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ And please email us! ⁠⁠unexplainable@vox.com⁠⁠ We read every email. Support Unexplainable (and get ad-free episodes) by becoming a Vox Member today: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠vox.com/members⁠⁠ Help us plan for the future of Unexplainable by filling out a brief survey: ⁠⁠⁠⁠voxmedia.com/survey⁠⁠⁠⁠. Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sebastian Junger came as close as you possibly can to dying. While his doctors struggled to revive him, the veteran reporter and avowed rationalist experienced things that shocked and shook him, leaving him with profound questions and unexpected revelations. In his book, In My Time of Dying, he explores the mysteries and commonalities of people's near-death experiences. In this episode, which originally aired in May 2024, he joins Sean to talk about what it's like to almost die and what quantum physics can tell us about the afterlife. Host: Sean Illing (⁠⁠@SeanIlling⁠⁠) Guest: Sebastian Junger, journalist and author of ⁠⁠In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face to Face With the Idea of an Afterlife⁠ Listen to The Gray Area ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members Help us plan for the future of The Gray Area by filling out a brief survey: ⁠voxmedia.com/survey⁠. Thank you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Preet's out this week, so we're excited to share an episode of The Gray Area with Sean Illing, which we think listeners of Stay Tuned will enjoy. We'll be back next week! What do you do when you're faced with evidence that challenges your ideology? Do you engage with that new information? Are you willing to change your mind about your most deeply held beliefs? Are you pre-disposed to be more rigid or more flexible in your thinking? That's what political psychologist and neuroscientist Leor Zmigrod wants to know. In her new book, The Ideological Brain, she examines the connection between our biology, our psychology, and our political beliefs. In this episode, Leor speaks with Sean about rigid vs. flexible thinking, how our biology and ideology influence each other, and the conditions under which our ideology is more likely to become extreme. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Almost nothing stands the test of time. Machiavelli's writings are a rare exception. Why are we still talking about Machiavelli, nearly 500 years after his death? What is it about his political philosophy that feels so important, prescient, or maybe chilling today? In this episode, Sean speaks with political philosopher and writer Erica Benner about Niccolo Machiavelli's legacy. The two discuss The Prince, Machiavelli's views on democracy, and what he might say about the Trump administration were he alive today. Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling)Guest: Erica Benner, political philosopher, historian, and author of Be Like the Fox Listen to The Gray Area ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

JJ made a controversial dynasty trade a couple of weeks ago, and it's sparked a lot of discussion online. On Episode 990, JJ discusses the trade, but, more importantly, he digs into why the reaction is part of a larger fantasy football problem.   Order the Late-Round Prospect Guide on LateRound.com, and make sure to sign up for the free newsletter.

We're told from a young age to achieve. Get good grades. Get into a good school. Get a good job. Be ambitious about earning a high salary or a high-status position. Some of us love this endless climb. But lots of us, at least once in our lives, find ourselves asking, "What's the point of all this ambition?"Historian and author Rutger Bregman doesn't think there is a point to that kind of ambition. Instead, he wants us to be morally ambitious, to measure the value of our achievements based on how much good we do, by how much we improve the world. In this episode, Bregman speaks with guest host Sigal Samuel about how to know if you're morally ambitious, the value of surrounding yourself with like-minded people, and how to make moral ambition fashionable. Host: Sigal Samuel, Vox senior reporter Guest: Rutger Bregman, historian, author of Moral Ambition, and co-founder of The School for Moral Ambition Listen to The Gray Area ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members Show Notes Vox's Good Robot series can be found here: Episode 1 Episode 2 Episode 3 (discusses the "drowning child thought experiment" and effective altruism) Episode 4 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What do you do when you're faced with evidence that challenges your ideology? Do you engage with that new information? Are you willing to change your mind about your most deeply held beliefs? Are you pre-disposed to be more rigid or more flexible in your thinking? That's what political psychologist and neuroscientist Leor Zmigrod wants to know. In her new book, The Ideological Brain, she examines the connection between our biology, our psychology, and our political beliefs. In today's episode, Leor speaks with Sean about rigid vs. flexible thinking, how our biology and ideology influence each other, and the conditions under which our ideology is more likely to become extreme. Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling)Guest: Leor Zmigrod, political psychologist, neuroscientist, and author of The Ideological Brain Listen to The Gray Area ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

There are lots of stories to tell about the Covid pandemic. Most of them, on some level, are about politics, about decisions that affected people's lives in different — and very unequal — ways. Covid hasn't disappeared, but the crisis has subsided. So do we have enough distance from it to reflect on what we got right, what we got wrong, and what we can do differently when the next crisis strikes? Professor Frances E. Lee — co-author of In Covid's Wake: How Our Politics Failed Us — thinks we do. In this episode, she speaks with Sean about how our politics, our assumptions, and our biases affected decision-making and outcomes during the pandemic. Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling) Guest: Frances E. Lee, professor of politics and public affairs at Princeton and co-author of In Covid's Wake: How Our Politics Failed Us Listen to The Gray Area ad-free by becoming a Vox Member: vox.com/members Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices