Podcast appearances and mentions of gray area

Andrew Humberman BioSnap a weekly updated Biography.Andrew Huberman, the Stanford neuroscientist behind the worlds top health podcast, has kept his momentum rolling this holiday week with a blockbuster episode drop that underscores his empire building. On December 22, Huberman Lab released Transform Pain and Trauma Into Creative Expression featuring artist David Choe, a deep dive into turning suffering into art that racked up 89,000 YouTube views in just four days according to Huberman Labs own channel stats, positioning it as a potential evergreen hit for his audience of millions craving mental resilience tools amid seasonal stress.Just days later on December 25, he followed with Essentials How to Optimize Your Hormones for Health and Vitality alongside Dr. Kyle Gillett, tapping into evergreen biohacking buzz as confirmed on the official Huberman Lab site and iHeart listings, a strategic yuletide gift reinforcing his dominance in hormone and longevity science. This duo of releases highlights Hubermans knack for timing content around peak listener vulnerability, with the Choe episode echoing themes from a separate Gray Area podcast clip where similar dark mood philosophy surfaced, though Huberman wasnt directly involved there.No confirmed public appearances or business deals popped in the last few days, but a December 26 clip from an unnamed podcast recirculated Hubermans insights on training regimens that spike testosterone, per Idaho state app logs, sparking fresh social chatter on fitness circuits without new primary posts from him. His Protocols book remains in preorder hype on hubermanlab.com, teasing nervous system rewiring protocols that could cement his biographical legacy as the podcaster who mainstreamed neuroscience. Gossip mills stay quiet on personal drama, all verified intel points to steady podcast propulsion, no scandals or sightings to spice the feed. Word count 312.Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Hunter and Mike - Co-Founders of MTN - sit down for the 130th episode of MTN. On the show today, we talk about both of our transitions from college to pro and back to college athletics, some of the evolution within our thought process as performance coaches, and we take a look at a specific case study that Mike has been working with. Find Mike on social media @coachmikesully and Hunter @huntereis_spFind and follow us on social media @mtn_perform and check back each Wednesday for a new episodeOur show today is powered by Lumin Sports, 1080 Motion, Samson Equipment, and Hawkin Dynamics!

It's not always the most wonderful time of the year. Every December, we're told to be merry and stay positive. But a lot of us don't feel that way. And when we don't, the pressure to be happy makes everything worse. Sadness feels like failure. Grief feels like a personal mistake. Depression becomes something to hide. But what if dark moods aren't problems to fix? What if they're part of being human? Today's guest is philosopher Mariana Alessandri, author of Night Vision, a book about how to honor the emotions we usually try to outrun. It's not a celebration of sadness, but Alessandri calls bullshit on the culture of toxic positivity and the idea that happiness is something we're supposed to choose on command. Sean and Mariana talk about why Americans are addicted to the light, why “cheering people up” often backfires, how Stoicism shaped our emotional habits, and what it looks like to sit with grief instead of shaming ourselves for feeling it. Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling) Guest: Mariana Alessandri (@mariana.alessandri), associate professor of philosophy at the University of Texas-Rio Grande Valley and author of Night Vision: Seeing Ourselves Through Dark Moods. We would love to hear from you. To tell us what you thought of this episode, email us at thegrayarea@vox.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. This holiday season, your membership goes further: when you join Vox as an annual Member, we'll gift a free membership to a reader who can't afford it. By joining today, you'll get 30% off for an annual membership, and we'll match your membership. And if you can't afford it, visit that same link to apply for a free membership through our gift program. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You have to forgive people who wrong you…right? The world is filled with injustice and wrongdoing, and to live in the world — to not be consumed by anger — forgiveness is necessary. At least that's what we're told over and over again: By forgiving, we can set ourselves free.But is there a cost to forgiveness? Are we forgiving too quickly and too often? Today's guest is philosopher Myisha Cherry, whose book Failures of Forgiveness critiques our cultural obsession with forgiving those who have done us wrong. She's not against forgiveness — that would be weird — but she says we ought to be more intentional about why we do it, more aware that the expectation to practice forgiveness often lands on the most vulnerable people, and more concerned about what gets lost when we treat forgiveness as the only path to healing.  Sean and Myisha discuss the 2015 Charleston church shooting, the legacy of slavery, and the real difference between accountability, reconciliation, and simply moving on. Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling) Guest: Myisha Cherry (@myishacherry), associate professor of philosophy at the University of California Riverside, and author of Failures of Forgiveness: What We Get Wrong and How to Do Better. This episode was made in partnership with Vox's Future Perfect team. Vox had full discretion over the content of this reporting. We would love to hear from you. To tell us what you thought of this episode, email us at thegrayarea@vox.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. This holiday season, your membership goes further: when you join Vox as an annual Member, we'll gift a free membership to a reader who can't afford it. By joining today, you'll get 30% off for an annual membership, and we'll match your membership. And if you can't afford it, visit that same link to apply for a free membership through our gift program. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Air Date 12/14/2025 Albert Einstein said, "Life is just like a game, first you have to learn rules of the game, and then play it better then any one else." (Or just get some insider knowledge about which team is paid off to lose and bet on the game rather than playing it, am I right?) Now, while it's well known that sports gambling has great potential to corrupt the game, I'm sure being able to bet on literally anything in life all the time right from your phone with billionaires funding persuasion campaigns to convince you to do it will probably work out fine. 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! KEY POINTS KP 1: America Is Losing Big on Sports Betting Part 1 - The Gray Area with Sean Illing - Air Date 8-11-25 KP 2: The Nuzzi-Lizza Show & CNN's Prediction Play - The Powers That Be: Daily - Air Date 12-5-25 KP 3: Welcome to the Casino Economy - On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti - Air Date 11-13-25 KP 4: Is the Sports Betting Industry a Huge Mistake? - Good Work - Air Date 2-9-24 KP 5: Why The New Gambling Epidemic Should Terrify You - GEN - Air Date 11-8-25 (00:46:01) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On Best of the Left turning 20! DEEPER DIVES (00:49:22) SECTION A: GAMBLING ON EVERYTHING (01:30:27) SECTION B: THE UBIQUITY OF SPORTS BETTING (01:56:28) SECTION C: SPORTS BETTING IS BAD FOR SPORTS 02:34:14) SECTION D: GAMIFYING LIFE SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Photo of a man staring up at multiple screens showing sports betting updates, along with a live football and hockey game, above the betting counter in a Las Vegas casino. Credit: "Sports Betting at a Las Vegas Casino" by Baishampayan Ghose, Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

In this episode, HeHe welcomes Kassi to discuss the vital role doulas can play in lactation support. The conversation touches on the misconceptions about doulas' scope in providing lactation advice, Kassi's journey from a community clinic to becoming an IBCLC, and the importance of prenatal lactation education. They explore how doulas, with proper training, can address new parents' needs, identify red flags, and refer to IBCLCs when necessary. The episode delves into practical advice on breastfeeding, pumping, and supporting new mothers, highlighting the collaborative benefits when doulas and lactation consultants work together. Kassi also introduces her 'Bridge' program, designed to empower doulas with advanced lactation support skills. This comprehensive discussion aims to enhance breastfeeding success and maternal well-being by fostering a cohesive care approach. 00:00 Welcome and Introduction 00:09 The Role of Doulas in Lactation Support 01:36 Personal Journey into Doula and Lactation Work 03:48 Challenges in Prenatal Lactation Education 06:05 Lactation Support in Hospitals 07:51 Insurance Coverage for Lactation Support 09:32 Educating Families Prenatally 16:19 Recognizing Red Flags in Lactation 19:01 Nipple Pain and Damage 23:53 Pumping Guidance for New Mothers 26:14 Understanding the Roles in Breastfeeding Support 26:55 Navigating the Scope of Doula Support 28:21 The Gray Area of Clinical Support 31:58 Diverse Advice in Lactation Support 35:17 The Importance of Standardized Lactation Education 39:14 The Role of Pediatricians in Lactation Support 46:29 Introducing the Bridge Program for Doulas 50:32 How to Join the Bridge Program   Guest Bio: Kassi Reyes: IBCLC, RN, Doula, Clinical Educator, and Mamá + your go-to person for real-world lactation tools. She is bilingual in English and Spanish and passionate about helping birthworkers gain real-world lactation skills, because I believe they're the missing puzzle piece in helping families feel confident and supported on their feeding journeys. When Kassi's not working, you'll probably find her with a cup of coffee, chasing my toddler, practicing yoga, or exploring the outdoors. Connect with Kassi: https://www.kassireyes.com/apply https://www.kassireyes.com/training Free Lactation Guide for Perinatal Professionals - Answers to the Top 10 Feeding Questions your Clients will ask: https://www.kassireyes.com/guide SOCIAL MEDIA: Connect with HeHe on Instagram  Connect with Kassi on IG  Connect with Kassi on YouTube   BIRTH EDUCATION: Join The Birth Lounge for judgment-free, evidence-based childbirth education that shows you exactly how to navigate hospital policies, avoid unnecessary interventions, and have a trauma-free labor experience, all while feeling wildly supported every step of the way Want prep delivered straight to your phone? Download The Birth Lounge App for bite-sized birth and postpartum tools you can use anytime, anywhere. And if you haven't grabbed it yet… Snag my free Pitocin Guide to understand the risks, benefits, and red flags your provider may not be telling you about, so you can make informed, powerful decisions in labor. LINKS MENTIONED: Get 10% off Silverettes to support your breastfeeding journey with code HEHE   Check out Kassi on HeHe's DoulaTok here!   

Sean's guest today is Daniel Kolitz, author of a remarkable Harper's story on “gooning.”  They talk about this emerging subculture and how it reflects back on the larger world, from the economics of attention to the rise of short-form everything. Kolitz explains why the Gooniverse isn't just about porn, how hyperkinetic media rewires our sense of pleasure and patience, and why this is really a story about how society is changing in ways we might not like. Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling) Guest: Daniel Kolitz, author of The Goon Squad We would love to hear from you. To tell us what you thought of this episode, email thegrayarea@vox.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. This holiday season, your membership goes further: when you join Vox as an annual Member, we'll gift a free membership to a reader who can't afford it. By joining today, you'll get 30% off for an annual membership, and we'll match your membership. And if you can't afford it, visit that same link to apply for a free membership through our gift program. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, we sit down with alcohol-free lifestyle coach and author Amanda Kuda for a deeply honest conversation about the “gray area” of drinking so many high-achieving women silently navigate. Amanda shares her journey to becoming alcohol-free, the subtle signs alcohol may be pulling you away from your clarity, confidence, and potential, and the surprising ways removing it can transform your emotional resilience, health, and self-trust. Together, they explore identity, values, social pressure, and the inner dialogue that keeps women stuck—plus the tools, practices, and mindset shifts that make real change possible. Whether you're sober-curious or simply questioning your current habits, this episode offers an empowering, judgment-free look at what life can feel like when you reclaim your energy and align your choices with who you truly want to become.--

We've never had more wealth, more data, or more ways to be entertained. So why doesn't it feel like progress?  Sean's guest today is Brad DeLong, an economic historian at UC Berkeley and author of Slouching Towards Utopia. They talk about the difference between getting richer and living well, and why the real hinge of the 21st century might be attention rather than growth. DeLong explains how AI could make life easier or simply make us more distracted, why the world's progress continues even as American politics falters, and what smart policy could do for the people left behind by technological change. Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling) Guest: J. Bradford DeLong, economic historian and author of Slouching Towards Utopia We would love to hear from you. To tell us what we thought of this episode, email us at thegrayarea@vox.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 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

I am so excited to bring back Meg Geisewite for a second time on the SobahSistahs Podcast!If you don't already know Meg, she's the author of the bestselling book Intoxicating Lies: One Woman's Journey to Freedom from Gray Area Drinking, and her work has changed so many women's lives.In this episode, Meg and I dive deep into emotional sobriety the phase of healing that begins after we put down the drink.Meg shares:✨ Why the early days of sobriety feel the hardest✨ How to rewire your brain to recognize alcohol for what it truly is✨ The connection between gray area drinking, mental health, and women's emotional load✨ Why emotional sobriety is the “next level” of freedom so many of us crave

Worried about how the new Trump Tariffs will impact your Amazon FBA margins? Get $500 Off China Magic! Use code: LUNCHWITHNORM - https://www.chinamagictrip.com/info Don't panic, optimize. In this episode of Lunch With Norm, we sit down with Lyden Smithers, the President and Co-founder of Titan Network, to reveal the "China Playbook" used by 9-figure sellers to combat rising costs. Lyden oversees over $100 million in annual sales and shares deep insights into global sourcing, supply chain optimization, and manufacturing partnerships. Instead of simply raising prices, learn how to reverse-engineer your production lines, negotiate 90-day payment terms, and master the art of "Guanxi" (face-to-face relationships) to unlock massive profitability. From navigating the Canton Fair to avoiding costly packaging mistakes, this episode is a masterclass in staying profitable during uncertain economic times.

Hey everyone, it's Nilay. It's been great being back in the Decoder chair this fall, and we've got a bunch of great episodes coming up to round out the year. But the production team is off this week for the holiday, so today, we're going to share this episode of The Gray Area with you. This time, host Sean Illing is talking to data scientist Hannah Ritchie — about climate science and how although the crisis is definitely real, it's not all bad news. There are actually a lot of great indicators out there in the data that show real progress in limiting emissions and boosting clean energy. It's a nuanced, hopeful take at a time when, admittedly, it kind of feels like all the news about everything is pretty doom and gloom. Links: We can have growth while fighting climate change | Vox The Grey Area | Apple Podcasts Clearing the Air | Hannah Ritchie Subscribe to The Verge to access the ad-free version of Decoder! 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

We all know what awkwardness feels like. It's that jolt of discomfort when the social script breaks down, and no one knows what to do next. But what if awkwardness isn't a flaw to fix but a window into how we live together?  Sean's guest today is Alexandra Plakias, associate professor of philosophy at Hamilton College and author of Awkwardness: A Theory. They talk about why awkwardness isn't a personal problem but a social one, how power and privilege shape who gets to be awkward, and why our fear of discomfort often keeps us from saying what really matters. This episode originally aired in November of 2024. Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling) Guest: Alexandra Plakias, associate professor of philosophy and author of Awkwardness: A Theory 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

((ระดับความ disturb : 6 กะโหลก))  TW: มีเหตุการณ์รุนแรงถึงแก่ชีวิต และการกระทำรุนแรงกับร่างกาย ผู้ที่จิตใจไม่พร้อมควรพิจารณาก่อนรับชม ขอต้อนรับ จอนอ-เจนนิส โอ่ประเสริฐ นักแสดงมากฝีมือ ผู้ติดตาม UC มาเนิ่นนาน สู่รายการเป็นครั้งแรก (หลังจากมาทั้ง Trace Talk, Gray Area, Cinefile และ Myth Universe) ธีมในวันนี้คือคดีที่เกิดขึ้นในภูมิภาคอาเซียน หรือเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้ เพื่อนบ้านของไทย ที่ก็มีเคสคดีโหดหลอนไม่แพ้ที่ใดเลย เคสแรก ยชนำเรื่องของฆาตกรต่อเนื่องคนแรกและคนเดียวของสิงคโปร์ ที่ก่อเหตุคร่าชีวิตอย่างอุกอาจ กระทั่งเหตุปล้นที่ถนน Andrew Road ที่มีผู้เสียชีวิตถึง 3 ราย หลังจากถูกจับกุมตัวได้ จึงพบว่าเขาน่าจะเป็นคนก่อเหตุฆาตกรรมอื่นๆ ในเกาะสิงคโปร์อีกหลายราย เคสสอง ธัญหยิบเรื่องการค้นพบร่างของ Lucila Lalu ชาวฟิลิปปินส์ที่ร่างถูกหั่นออกเป็นหลายชิ้นและแช่แข็งปกปิดไว้จนมีผู้ไปพบเข้า การเสียชีวิตปริศนานี้มีผู้ต้องสงสัยหลายราย แต่ไม่อาจระบุได้เลย ว่าใครคือผู้ลงมือสังหารเธออย่างเชี่ยวชาญและโหดเหี้ยมกันแน่ #SalmonPodcast #UntitledCase #ยชธัญ  ---- ติดต่อโฆษณาได้ที่ podcast.salmon@gmail.com Follow Untitled Case on Instagram Salmon Podcast https://www.instagram.com/salmon_podcast/ ยช https://www.instagram.com/yodddddddd/ ธัญ https://www.instagram.com/thann401/ มาร่วมจอยคอมมูนิตี้ลึกลับของชาว UC ได้ที่กลุ่ม Untitled Club by Untitled Case https://www.facebook.com/groups/289112405610043 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

((ระดับความ disturb : 6 กะโหลก))  TW: มีเหตุการณ์รุนแรงถึงแก่ชีวิต และการกระทำรุนแรงกับร่างกาย ผู้ที่จิตใจไม่พร้อมควรพิจารณาก่อนรับชม ขอต้อนรับ จอนอ-เจนนิส โอ่ประเสริฐ นักแสดงมากฝีมือ ผู้ติดตาม UC มาเนิ่นนาน สู่รายการเป็นครั้งแรก (หลังจากมาทั้ง Trace Talk, Gray Area, Cinefile และ Myth Universe) ธีมในวันนี้คือคดีที่เกิดขึ้นในภูมิภาคอาเซียน หรือเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้ เพื่อนบ้านของไทย ที่ก็มีเคสคดีโหดหลอนไม่แพ้ที่ใดเลย เคสแรก ยชนำเรื่องของฆาตกรต่อเนื่องคนแรกและคนเดียวของสิงคโปร์ ที่ก่อเหตุคร่าชีวิตอย่างอุกอาจ กระทั่งเหตุปล้นที่ถนน Andrew Road ที่มีผู้เสียชีวิตถึง 3 ราย หลังจากถูกจับกุมตัวได้ จึงพบว่าเขาน่าจะเป็นคนก่อเหตุฆาตกรรมอื่นๆ ในเกาะสิงคโปร์อีกหลายราย เคสสอง ธัญหยิบเรื่องการค้นพบร่างของ Lucila Lalu ชาวฟิลิปปินส์ที่ร่างถูกหั่นออกเป็นหลายชิ้นและแช่แข็งปกปิดไว้จนมีผู้ไปพบเข้า การเสียชีวิตปริศนานี้มีผู้ต้องสงสัยหลายราย แต่ไม่อาจระบุได้เลย ว่าใครคือผู้ลงมือสังหารเธออย่างเชี่ยวชาญและโหดเหี้ยมกันแน่ #SalmonPodcast #UntitledCase #ยชธัญ  ---- ติดต่อโฆษณาได้ที่ podcast.salmon@gmail.com Follow Untitled Case on Instagram Salmon Podcast https://www.instagram.com/salmon_podcast/ ยช https://www.instagram.com/yodddddddd/ ธัญ https://www.instagram.com/thann401/ มาร่วมจอยคอมมูนิตี้ลึกลับของชาว UC ได้ที่กลุ่ม Untitled Club by Untitled Case https://www.facebook.com/groups/289112405610043 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We use “Orwellian” to describe everything from campus dust-ups to authoritarian crackdowns. But what did George Orwell actually stand for, what did he get wrong, and what can we learn from him about our age of surveillance capitalism and distraction? Sean's guest is Laura Beers, historian at American University and author of Orwell's Ghosts: Wisdom and Warnings for the 21st Century. They dig into Orwell's defense of truth over ideology, his crusade against euphemism, his experience with propaganda and persecution in Spain, and why 1984 and Animal Farm only capture part of his project.  Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling) Guest: Laura Beers, historian and author of Orwell's Ghosts 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

Jack and David return and this week ur feature, 'The Chronicles of Wild Hollow', begins with The Boursin trilogy. In Episode One, Fandango investigates a high-rolling new nightclub in Fortuna City when Billy Bob's customers are drawn away from Dust Town's favourite saloon. Run entirely by frogs, the Lilypad Lounge continues to prosper night after night. Perhaps it's simply due to their signature martini (it's to die for...) or resident jazz band The Tadpole Trio. But upon closer inspection, Fandango suspects there's far more going on than meets the eye. Original theme music for the Sonic Society provided by Edward Champion of the Gray Area podcast! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all think of ourselves as authors of our lives. The difference between our happy ending and someone else's tragic one are the choices we each make. But what if none of that's true? Sean's guest today is Robert Sapolsky, a biologist and neuroscientist at Stanford University and author of Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will. They dig into Sapolsky's claim that free will is an illusion and discuss what the science says about genes, stress, culture, and how all this research might reframe the way we think about meritocracy, blame, punishment, and even hatred. This episode originally aired in November of 2023. Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling) Guest: Robert Sapolsky, biologist and neuroscientist at Stanford University and author of ⁠Determined: A Science of Life Without Free Will⁠. We'd love to hear from you. Tell us what you thought of this episode by emailing thegrayarea@vox.com or leaving 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

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.

Is there something communication-related in your own life that you're struggling with or would like advice on? If so, message us that concern either on Facebook (@EffectiveCommunicationwithPhil) or on Twitter (@Effective_Comm) and Phil will dedicate an episode to solving that problem!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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