Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
American leaders are staying in office past their prime. Boomers are reluctant to relinquish control — from political offices to corner offices — to the detriment of their juniors. In a society where the elderly hold so much power, should younger generations revolt?
My guest today is Samuel Moyn, a professor at Yale Law School, and he argues that American democracy is distorted by the power of the old. We discuss how seniors have hoarded wealth and influence and how Americans can renew an intergenerational compact.
0:00 The Tyranny of the Elderly
2:01 Why Aging Politicians Refuse to Retire
4:19 Europe's Anti-Gerontocracy
5:15 Is "Gerontocracy" Pervasive Beyond Politics?
7:07 How Longevity Creates Structural Problems
9:40 How Age Impacts Policy
15:10 The Age Wealth Gap and Asset Hoarding
20:21 How About Millennials?
23:28 An Agenda to End Gerontocracy & Rebalance Power
35:11 How To Build Intergenerational Solidarity
38:14 The Economic & Social Realities of End-of-Life Care
44:54 Assisted Suicide, Euthanasia, and the Pressure to Exit
50:14 How to Talk To Your Parents
Thoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.com.
Read the full transcript here: nytimes.com/2026/07/30/opinion/american-gerontocracy-samuel-moyn.html
Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
American leaders are staying in office past their prime. Boomers are reluctant to relinquish control — from political offices to corner offices — to the detriment of their juniors. In a society where the elderly hold so much power, should younger generations revolt?
My guest today is Samuel Moyn, a professor at Yale Law School, and he argues that American democracy is distorted by the power of the old. We discuss how seniors have hoarded wealth and influence and how Americans can renew an intergenerational compact.
0:00 The Tyranny of the Elderly
2:01 Why Aging Politicians Refuse to Retire
4:19 Europe's Anti-Gerontocracy
5:15 Is "Gerontocracy" Pervasive Beyond Politics?
7:07 How Longevity Creates Structural Problems
9:40 How Age Impacts Policy
15:10 The Age Wealth Gap and Asset Hoarding
20:21 How About Millennials?
23:28 An Agenda to End Gerontocracy & Rebalance Power
35:11 How To Build Intergenerational Solidarity
38:14 The Economic & Social Realities of End-of-Life Care
44:54 Assisted Suicide, Euthanasia, and the Pressure to Exit
50:14 How to Talk To Your Parents
Thoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.com.
Read the full transcript here: nytimes.com/2026/07/30/opinion/american-gerontocracy-samuel-moyn.html
Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
