A.I., Mars and Immortality: Are We Dreaming Big Enough? | Interesting Times with Ross Douthat Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-06-26 | The billionaire Peter Thiel is unimpressed with our pace of innovation. In this episode, he critiques artificial intelligence, longevity science and space travel — and warns that our lack of progress could lead to catastrophic outcomes, including the emergence of the Antichrist.01:02 What does stagnation mean in 2025?06:44 Peter Thiel's case for more progress and innovation12:06 Does taking more scientific risk include life extension?16:05 Peter Thiel's political history19:47 Did Trump live up to Thiel's expectations?26:58 Does Elon Musk even want to go to Mars?29:32 How Thiel defines A.I.35:09 Is A.I. too modest an ambition?37:14 How will the human race evolve? Should it?44:10 Thiel's critique of Silicon Valley45:37 Who is the real Antichrist?Read the full transcript here: nytimes.com/2025/06/26/opinion/peter-thiel-antichrist-ross-douthat.htmlThis episode of “Interesting Times” was produced by Sophia Alvarez Boyd, Andrea Betanzos, Elisa Gutierrez and Katherine Sullivan. It was edited by Jordana Hochman. Mixing and engineering by Isaac Jones, Sophia Lanham and Tim Brow. Cinematography by Marina King, Brian Dawson, Daniel Hollis Diamond and Tam Lam. Video editing by Arpita Aneja and Steph Khoury. Original music by Isaac Jones, Sonia Herrero, Pat McCusker and Aman Sahota. Fact-checking by Kate Sinclair and Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta. Video directed by Jonah M. Kessel. The director of Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.
The MAGA Woman Dress Code Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-08-28 | While “Interesting Times” is on vacation, we’re sharing a conversation from “The Opinions” between Meher Ahmad, an editor for Times Opinion, and the Opinion writer Jessica Grose. They talk about the aesthetics of MAGA women — think Kristi Noem and Nancy Mace — and what they signal about femininity and power within the Republican Party. Thoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.com. Please subscribe to our YouTube Channel, Interesting Times with Ross Douthat (http://www.youtube.com/@InterestingTimesNYT) .A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.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.
Ross and Ezra Klein Discuss Trump, Mysticism and Psychedelics | Interesting Times with Ross Douthat Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-08-21 | This week, we’re sharing a great conversation Ross had on “The Ezra Klein Show” this past spring. Ezra asks Ross about his most recent book, “Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious.” But along the way, they debate not just how religion influences the Trump administration but also their own lives. Come for their seeking and stay for their thoughts on ayahuasca and mystical encounters. • 02:39 - Trump: man of destiny? • 19:55 - Political power, cruelty and Godliness • 36:13 - Religion and spirituality in the modern world • 42:53 - The mysteries of the universe… • 48:38 - Aliens! Fairies! (and some Catholic history) • 56:51 - Contending with uncertainty and evil • 1:05:24 - Psychedelic experiences • 1:20:56 - Official knowledge • 1:38:58 - Book recommendationsThoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.com. Please subscribe to our YouTube Channel, Interesting Times with Ross Douthat (http://www.youtube.com/@InterestingTimesNYT) .A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.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.
Will Zohran Mamdani Save the Left? Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-08-14 | Zohran Mamdani is giving the left a new lease on life, says Osita Nwanevu, the author of “The Right of the People." On a recent episode of Interesting Times, he talks to @nytopinion columnist Ross Douthat about where the real political talent can be found in the Democratic Party. #zohranmamdani #interestingtimeswithrossdouthat #nytopinion
Is This Really What Democracy Looks lLike? Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-08-14 | The U.S. government is not democratic by any reasonable definition, says Osita Nwanevu, the author of “The Right of the People." He explains why to @nytopinion columnist Ross Douthat on a recent episode of Interesting Times. #interestingtimeswithrossdouthat #nytopinion
Abolish the Senate. End the Electoral College. Pack the Court. | Interesting Times with Ross Douthat Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-08-14 | Subscribe to the podcast @InterestingTimesNYT for more episodes like this. For Democrats, President Trump’s victories have revealed the antidemocratic flaws at the core of our government. But could it be an opening for a constitutional revolution as the party searches for its next leader?This week, Ross explores what that revolution would entail with Osita Nwanevu, the author of the book, “The Right of the People: Democracy and the Case for a New American Founding.”3:41 - What's wrong with our democracy? 9:06 - Our undemocratic founding17:04 - The case for more U.S. states and a new constitution24:14 - Where economic reform fits into this problem 29:59 - Does Trump represent the will of the people? 38:02 - What Trump’s presidency says about democracy 40:54 - The elusive Bernie Sanders moment 47:13 The mystical element of our politics Thoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.comRead the full transcript here: nytimes.com/2025/08/14/opinion/trump-democracy-test-left.htmlThis episode of “Interesting Times” was produced by Sophia Alvarez Boyd, Andrea Betanzos and Victoria Chamberlin. Research by Raina Raskin. It was edited by Jordana Hochman. Mixing and engineering by Pat McCusker, Sophia Lanman, Efim Shapiro, Morgan Hamilton and Paul Perret. Cinematography by Marina King, Alex Levin and Nathan Shinholt. Video editing by Steph Khoury. Original music by Isaac Jones, Sonia Herrero, Pat McCusker and Aman Sahota. Fact-checking by Kate Sinclair, Michelle Harris and Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta. Video directed by Jonah M. Kessel. The director of Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.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.
Would It Be Wrong to Throw Embryos in the River? Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-08-08 | When considering I.V.F., how should you regard an embryo? Does it have any moral status? Noor Siddiqui, the founder of Orchid, and @nytopinion columnist Ross Douthat debate the ethics of discarding embryos during the process, and whether, when it comes to conception, the game of chance should be left up to us. #ivf #pregnancy #interestingtimeswithrossdouthat #nytopinion
Silicon Valley Wants to Optimize Your Children’s Genes | Interesting Times with Ross Douthat Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-08-07 | Subscribe to the podcast @InterestingTimesNYT for more episodes like this. Is it ethical to use an algorithm to select your embryos? Enter Orchid, a company that promises parents the ability to protect their future children through the genetic testing of embryos before pregnancy. The founder, Noor Siddiqui, and Ross debate the scientific, moral and ethical implications of designing a “healthy” child and what we lose in separating reproduction from sex.01:25 - Orchid’s vision04:49 - Genetic testing of embryos: the process and benefits18:10 - The clientele of Orchid24:33 - Criticism and skepticism around genetic testing39:50 - How Orchid plays a role in the future of IVF47:28 - Ross's moral questions about Orchid53:00 - "I'd like to know what you think about the moral status of the embryo"59:34 - How does this technology change us?Thoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.com. Read the full transcript here: nytimes.com/2025/08/07/opinion/genetics-children-noor-siddiqui.htmlUnlock 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.
America’s New Foreign Aid Policy: “Is That Our Problem?” Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-07-31 | On the latest episode of Interesting Times, Ross pushes Jeremy Lewin, a senior State Department official and DOGE alum, to explain whether or not America has moral obligations in its new foreign policy strategy. #nytopinion #interestingtimeswithrossdouthat
“This Building Leaks Like a Sieve” Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-07-31 | How does one of the most important agencies in federal government operate? On a recent episode of Interesting Times, Jeremy Lewin, a former DOGE alum and now senior bureau official, says it's hard to keep a secret at the State Department. #nytopinion #interestingtimeswithrossdouthat
Under Trump, Is Foreign Aid Our Problem? | Interesting Times with Ross Douthat Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-07-31 | Does America have a moral obligation to the world? The former Department of Government Efficiency staffer Jeremy Lewin, now deputy administrator for the United States Agency for International Development, explains how he is implementing President Trump’s foreign aid philosophy and what it means for humanitarian assistance going forward.01:14 - From the private sector to interviewing with Elon Musk08:40 - The rapid restructuring of U.S.A.I.D.19:00 - Lewin’s critiques of U.S.A.I.D.’s focus24:00 - The most controversial cuts: humanitarian aid 29:10 - America’s interests first, values-based interests second40:14 - What is the future vision for foreign aid?Thoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.com. Subscribe to the podcast @InterestingTimesNYT for more episodes like this. Read the full transcript here: nytimes.com/2025/07/31/opinion/doge-foreign-aid-jeremy-lewin.htmlUnlock 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.
Angels, Demons or…Alien Technology? Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-07-24 | Are we alone in the universe? Diana Walsh Pasulka, a religious studies professor who writes about U.F.O. experiences, talks to @nytopinion columnist Ross Douthat about what her government contacts believe they’re experiencing outside our earthly realm. Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.
U.F.O.s: What Does the Government Really Know? | Interesting Times with Ross Douthat Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-07-24 | Subscribe to the podcast @InterestingTimesNYT for more episodes like this. U.F.O.s, fairies and abductions! This week, Ross talks to Diana Walsh Pasulka, a professor of religious studies, about how a deep dive into Catholic archives led her down a path to unravel the connections between religion, extraterrestrial encounters and government secrecy.00:49 - How Pasulka’s religious studies led to the U.F.O. debate05:10 - Modern U.F.O. encounters and telepathic communication12:46 - What are the actual beliefs of the U.F.O. community?19:30 - Whistleblowers and government contradictions30:24 - Angels, demons and “actual things in the sky”43:49 - Disclosure51:31 - “Amazing.”Read a full transcript of this episode here: nytimes.com/2025/07/24/opinion/ufo-government-religion-conspiracy.htmlThoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.com. 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.
How Do Evangelicals Feel About Stephen Miller? Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-07-21 | Allie Beth Stuckey, a Christian podcaster, explains how she sees toxic empathy luring evangelical Christians to the left, or what she calls, “the mushy middle.” Watch the full conversation here: youtu.be/wfhAtLf3XQYWatch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.
The Web That Enabled Epstein Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-07-19 | According to the Miami Herald investigative reporter Julie K. Brown, the story is less about Jeffrey Epstein and more about the shortcomings of our government. In this clip from Interesting Times, she shares why it’s a problem that this story is being treated like a political issue, instead of the serious crime it is.Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.
She Exposed Epstein, and Shares MAGA’s Anger | Interesting Times with Ross Douthat Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-07-19 | Subscribe to the podcast @InterestingTimesNYT for more episodes like this. Julie K. Brown thinks Jeffrey Epstein didn’t act alone. On this episode of “Interesting Times,” Ross talks to Brown, the investigative reporter whose work ultimately led to Epstein’s re-arrest, about what the government could release that it hasn’t and how the story is bigger than Epstein. • 2:32 - Brown's initial interest in the Epstein case • 5:26 - Discovering Epstein's crimes and the plea deal • 13:13 - Epstein's victims and the impact of Brown's reporting • 18:20 - Epstein's wealth and connections • 25:20 - Epstein's social circles • 35:01 - Certainty and unsolved mysteries • 45:25 - The role of government in the case • 51:04 - Trump and the political falloutRead a full transcript of this episode here: nytimes.com/2025/07/19/opinion/interesting-times-julie-k-brown-epstein.html Thoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.com. Please subscribe to our YouTube Channel, Interesting Times with Ross Douthat. (www.youtube.com/@InterestingTimesNYT Joined Mar 10, 2025 36.6K subscribers 48 videos 2,752,422 views) 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.
Is Toxic Empathy Poisoning the Left? | Interesting Times with Ross Douthat Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-07-17 | Allie Beth Stuckey , conservative Christian podcaster, joins Ross on “Interesting Times” this week to explain why “toxic empathy” has a stranglehold on politics, whether evangelical Christians have a red line President Trump could cross and why her commentary has echoes of Phyllis Schlafly.Read the full transcript here: nytimes.com/2025/07/17/opinion/interesting-times-allie-beth-stuckey.htmlThis episode of “Interesting Times” was produced by Katherine Sullivan, Elisa Gutierrez, Andrea Betanzos and Sophia Alvarez Boyd. It was edited by Jordana Hochman. Mixing and engineering by Pat McCusker. Cinematography by Marina King and Stephen Smith. Camera Operated by Nathan Davis. Video editing by Arpita Aneja and Jan Kobal. Original music by Isaac Jones, Pat McCusker and Aman Sahota. Fact-checking by Kate Sinclair, Michelle Harris and Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski. Video directed by Jonah M. Kessel. The director of Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.If you like Interesting Times, subscribe to this channel for episodes and updates.
Is the Gaza War Fueling Antisemitism? Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-07-10 | Has the Gaza war contributed to American antisemitism or did the hatred exist long before the Oct. 7 attack? Opinion columnists Bret Stephens and Ross Douthat debate on a recent episode of Interesting Times with Ross Douthat. Watch the full conversation here: youtu.be/Wdur-J-4B3kWatch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.
Israel, Gaza and a Worrying Shift in American Culture | Interesting Times with Ross Douthat Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-07-10 | How has the war in Gaza reverberated throughout American politics? Opinion columnist Bret Stephens and Ross Douthat debate the implications of the Israel-Gaza conflict on antisemitism, the morality of war, and why “Monday morning quarterbacking” is not productive when taking stock of military actions in the Middle East.Read the full transcript here: nytimes.com/2025/07/10/opinion/israel-american-jews.htmlThis episode of “Interesting Times” was produced by Katherine Sullivan, Andrea Betanzos, Sophia Alvarez Boyd and Elisa Gutierrez. It was edited by Jordana Hochman. Mixing and engineering by Sophia Lanman. Cinematography by Marina King. Video editing by Arpita Aneja and Steph Khoury. Original music by Isaac Jones, Sonia Herrero, Pat McCusker and Aman Sahota. Fact-checking by Kate Sinclair and Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta. Video directed by Jonah M. Kessel. The director of Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.
Trumps Dark Mirror Coalition | Interesting Times with Ross Douthat Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-07-03 | How did Donald Trump go from making toxic appeals to white voters to winning a multiracial coalition? Ross Douthat and his friend and co-author Reihan Salam explore how Trump fulfilled the political transformation they called for 20 years ago, albeit with a dash of demagoguery.Read the full transcript here: nytimes.com/2024/11/22/opinion/republican-party-trump-future.htmlThis episode was produced by Phoebe Lett, Andrea Betanzos and Sophia Alvarez Boyd. It is edited by Jordana Hochman. Audio engineering by Carole Sabouraud. Mixing by Pat McCusker and Carole Sabouraud. Cinematography by Emily Holzknecht. Video editing by Jan Kobal and Arpita Aneja. Original music by Isaac Jones, Sonia Herrero, Pat McCusker and Aman Sahota. Our fact-checking team is Kate Sinclair, Mary Marge Locker and Michelle Harris. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta and Kristina Samulewski. Our executive producer is Annie-Rose Strasser.Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.
Peter Thiel Isn’t Convinced Elon Musk Still Believes In Mars Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-06-26 | What if going to Mars is no longer the "libertarian paradise” Elon Musk was hoping for? In this clip from “Interesting Times”, billionaire Peter Thiel explains why he believes even Elon Musk isn’t aiming as high as he used to. #peterthiel #mars #spacetravel # elonmusk #interestingtimes #nytopinionWatch the full conversation here: youtu.be/vV7YgnPUxcUWatch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.
The Radicalizing Experience of The Financial Crisis Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-06-20 | Lina Khan, former chair of the FTC, shared how her experience during the financial crisis shaped her thinking about big corporations. #financialcrisis #toobigtofail #linakhan Watch the full conversation here: youtu.be/Yhh70t-bWII?si=nXqdUIlwPBF7X_y1 Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.
When Did Politicians Become Afraid of ‘Naming the Abuser’? Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-06-20 | Corporate greed can make life worse for average people. Former FTC Chair Lina Khan thinks politicians should talk about that more. #linakhan #meta #google #amazon Watch the full conversation here: youtu.be/Yhh70t-bWII?si=nXqdUIlwPBF7X_y1 Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.
The Progressive Regulator With Trumpist Fans | Interesting Times with Ross Douthat Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-06-19 | Is a life without Amazon the key to freedom? This week, Ross talks to Lina Khan, former Chair of the Federal Trade Commission, about how unchecked corporate power has limited choice in our day-to-day lives, and how her fight against Big Tech unites left and right.01:30 What’s wrong with big business?08:28 The political costs of corporate consolidation10:45 How the 2008 financial crisis shaped Lina Khan's philosophy16:50 The antitrust consensus from Reagan to Obama21:11 How the left and right align against big business 25:38 Khan's wins and losses at the FTC 36:57 Is the Trump administration embracing or rejecting Khan's vision?42:22 Is anti-monopoly policy the solution to our economic problems?48:38 Can Big Tech be broken up?Read the full transcript here: nytimes.com/2025/06/19/opinion/lina-khan-monopolies-trump.html This episode of “Interesting Times” was produced by Katherine Sullivan, Elisa Gutierrez, Andrea Betanzos and Sophia Alvarez Boyd. It was edited by Jordana Hochman. Mixing and engineering by Pat McCusker. Cinematography by Marina King. Video editing by Dani Dillon. Original music by Isaac Jones, Sonia Herrero, Pat McCusker and Aman Sahota. Fact-checking by Kate Sinclair and Will Peischel. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta. Video directed by Jonah M. Kessel. The director of Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.
How Immigration Transformed The Right | Interesting Times with Ross Douthat Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-06-13 | Why does Trump’s immigration crackdown unite the modern right? Ross Douthat and the conservative writer Matthew Continetti debate.Watch the full conversation here: youtu.be/nrjCPovgi2AWatch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.
Trump’s Future Depends on His Immigration Crackdown | Interesting Times with Ross Douthat Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-06-13 | What is Trumpism after Elon Musk? Has immigration become the new litmus test for the Republican Party? In this episode, Ross Douthat talks to Matthew Continetti, the author of “The Right: The Hundred-Year War for American Conservatism,” about the party’s shifting coalition, the defining role of immigration and how today’s right echoes its past.00:57 What the Elon experiment (and fallout) tells us about the Republican Party06:21 Is there a tech right beyond DOGE?09:44 Is the “new right” really all that new?17:50 Where Trump’s agenda fits within the larger conservative story24:52 “Immigration is the biggest issue of our time”28:15 How border control will define conservatism around the world34:00 Is Silicon Valley out of step with Trump's immigration crackdown?39:56 Will Trump's ideas outlast Trump?Read the full transcript here: nytimes.com/2025/06/12/opinion/trump-immigration-conservative.html This episode of “Interesting Times” was produced by Elisa Gutierrez, Sophia Alvarez Boyd, Andrea Betanzos and Katherine Sullivan. It was edited by Jordana Hochman. Mixing and engineering by Pat McCusker. Cinematography by Marina King, Nathan Shinholdt and Nick Midwig. Video editing by Jan Kobal and Dani Dillon. Original music by Isaac Jones, Sonia Herrero, Pat McCusker and Aman Sahota. Fact-checking by Kate Sinclair, Michelle Harris and Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski. Video directed by Jonah M. Kessel. The director of Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.
What Tony Gilroy Thinks Is “Liberating” TV and Movie | Interesting Times with Ross Douthat Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-06-05 | On Interesting Times, Tony Gilroy, creator of ‘Andor,’ says there's still reason to be optimistic about Hollywood. Plus, is Ross Douthat the new Tony Soprano? Watch the full conversation here: youtu.be/9kUFBXrw0DUWatch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.
The Politics of ‘Michael Clayton’ | Interesting Times Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-06-05 | “It's impossible for me to see Clayton as an ideological thing,” Tony Gilroy tells opinion columnist Ross Douthat on the latest episode of Interesting Times, where the two debate what makes art political.Watch the full conversation here: youtu.be/9kUFBXrw0DUWatch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.
What Makes Andor Left-Wing? | Interesting Times with Ross Douthat Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-06-05 | The “Star Wars” spinoff “Andor” has succeeded in being both original and smartly political in a Hollywood that is often neither, Ross Douthat, the host of "Interesting Times" argues in this conversation with the show's showrunner Tony Gilroy.Read the full transcript here: nytimes.com/2025/06/05/opinion/film-hollywood-andor-politics.html02:10 The political world of ”Andor”07:39 Tony Gilroy's syllabus for “Andor”09:59 Is “Andor” a left-wing show?16:43 What makes Hollywood progressive or liberal?24:34 Debating the politics of “Michael Clayton”30:04 Why aren't there more movies for grown-ups?32:44 “There are no movie stars anymore.”37:03 How is A.I. changing the movie business40:57 Tony Gilroy's advice for future filmmakersThis episode of “Interesting Times” was produced by Sophia Alvarez Boyd, Andrea Betanzos, Elisa Gutierrez and Katherine Sullivan. It was edited by Jordana Hochman. Mixing and engineering by Pat McCusker. Cinematography by Elliot deBruyn, Marina King and Derek Knowles. Video editing by Arpita Aneja, Dani Dillon and Steph Khoury. Original music by Isaac Jones, Sonia Herrero, Pat McCusker and Aman Sahota. Fact-checking by Kate Sinclair and Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski. Video directed by Jonah M. Kessel. The director of Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.
Romance Can’t Compete with Call of Duty | Interesting Times Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-05-29 | If you're a guy in a pretty crappy labor market, romantic commitment probably seems like the last thing you’d buy into, Dr. Alice Evans tells @nytopinion columnist Ross Douthat on the latest episode of Interesting Times, where the two discuss an underseen part of the fertility crisis. Watch the full conversation here: youtu.be/3BBapHuklN8Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.
How the iPhone Drove Men and Women Apart | Interesting Times Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-05-29 | Retreating into our phones is easier and safer than suffering through the awkwardness of small talk – and that’s what’s behind falling fertility rates, social scientist Dr. Alice Evans tells Ross Douthat on “Interesting Times.”Watch the full conversation here: youtu.be/3BBapHuklN8Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.
How The iPhone Drove Men and Women Apart | Interesting Times with Ross Douthat Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-05-29 | Did the smartphone kill sex? This week on “Interesting Times,” Ross Douthat speaks with Dr. Alice Evans, a social scientist who is as concerned about the global decline in fertility as Ross is. The two discuss why this isn’t just a gender issue — it’s “a solitude issue” — and whether there’s a way to bring relationships back.Read the full transcript here: nytimes.com/2025/05/29/opinion/dating-marriage-children-fertility.html01:03 What are the stakes of declining fertility??05:51 Alice's master theory for why birth rates are falling08:19 There are too many single people09:44 We can thank technology for the coupling crisis12:20 The digital segregation of men and women16:08 Men have less to offer these days19:24 What can bring the sexes back together23:59 Could Hollywood help fix the problem?25:20 Can the government incentivize people to have babies?27:08 What role does religion play in all this?28:44 The role of IVF40:37 Does the fantasy of youth impact the numbers?43:44 The world in 2080…This episode of “Interesting Times” was produced by Elisa Gutierrez, Sophia Alvarez Boyd, Andrea Betanzos and Katherine Sullivan. It was edited by Jordana Hochman. Mixing by Pat McCusker. Engineering by Jeet Vasani. Cinematography by Eliot deBruyn, Jonah M. Kessel and Marina King. Video editing by Arpita Aneja. Original music by Isaac Jones, Sonia Herrero, Pat McCusker and Aman Sahota. Fact-checking by Kate Sinclair, Michelle Harris and Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta. Video directed by Jonah M. Kessel. The director of Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.
JD Vance: The Courts Are Trying to ‘Overturn the Will of the American People’ Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-05-21 | “I think you are seeing an effort by the courts to quite literally overturn the will of the American people,” Vice President JD Vance tells @nytopinion columnist Ross Douthat on the latest episode of “Interesting Times,” where the two discuss some of President Trump’s most controversial policies. Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.Watch the full conversation here: youtube.com/watch?v=Z63oBGtmnWI
JD Vance on A.I., Dating and Loneliness Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-05-21 | A.I. will change the way we work, the way we wage war and the way we live. But on Ross Douthat's Interesting Times podcast, Vice President JD Vance tells the @nytopinion columnist that he is most concerned about something else: how the technology will change the way we love and connect with each other.Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.Watch the full conversation here: youtube.com/watch?v=Z63oBGtmnWI
JD Vance on Faith, Deportations, Trump’s Clash With the Courts | Interesting Times with Ross Douthat Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-05-21 | Vice President JD Vance discusses the Trump administration’s deportations, the tariff backlash, and how his faith influences his politics on this episode of Interesting Times with Ross Douthat.Read the full transcript here nytimes.com/2025/05/21/opinion/jd-vance-pope-trump-immigration.html01:55 How faith shapes JD Vance’s politics04:35 ‘Papal interventions in politics’15:17 How will the Trump administration measure success on immigration?22:11 ‘The courts are trying to overturn the will of the American people’24:58 Are migrants really at war against the US?29:30 The parallels between the War on Terror and Trump's deportation policies41:38 What does a successful trade policy look like?49:40 The "big, beautiful bill"53:14 Does the Trump administration expect the AI revolution will take jobs?55:11 What worries Vance about AI59:49 JD Vance's message to shocked Trump votersThis episode of “Interesting Times” was produced by Katherine Sullivan, Andrea Betanzos, Sophia Alvarez Boyd and Elisa Gutierrez. It was edited by Jordana Hochman. Mixing and engineering by Pat McCusker. Cinematography by Jonah M. Kessel and Marina King. Video editing by Jonah M. Kessel. Original music by Isaac Jones, Sonia Herrero, Aman Sahota and Pat McCusker. Fact-checking by Kate Sinclair and Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta. Video directed by Jonah M. Kessel. The director of Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.
What Happens to Us When A.I. Takes Over? Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-05-15 | A.I. might not kill us, sure, but how will it change our lives? On a recent episode of Interesting Times, Ross Douthat and Daniel Kokotajlo, the executive director of the AI Futures Project, discuss.Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYTWatch the full conversation here: youtu.be/wNJJ9QUabkA
Robot Plumbers, Robot Armies, and Our Imminent A.I. Future | Interesting Times with Ross Douthat Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-05-15 | Is artificial intelligence about to take your job? According to Daniel Kokotajlo, the executive director of the A.I. Futures Project, that should be the least of your worries. Kokotajlo was once a researcher for OpenAI, but left after losing confidence in the company’s commitment to A.I. safety. This week, he joins Ross Douthat to talk about “AI 2027,” a series of predictions and warnings about the risks A.I. poses to humanity in the coming years, from radically transforming the economy to developing armies of robots. Read the full transcript at nytimes.com/2025/05/15/opinion/artifical-intelligence-2027.html03:20 What effect could AI have on jobs? 06:22 But wait, how does this make society richer?10:13 Robot plumbers and electricians15:26 The geopolitical stakes20:02 AI’s honesty problem24:01 The fork in the road 28:47 The best case scenario 30:36 The power structure in an AI-dominated world33:34 What AI leaders think about this power structure39:16 AI's hallucinations and limitations44:47 Theories of AI consciousness48:11 Is AI consciousness inevitable?52:23 Humanity in an AI-dominated worldThis episode of “Interesting Times” was produced by Sophia Alvarez Boyd, Katherine Sullivan, Andrea Betanzos and Elisa Gutierrez. It was edited by Jordana Hochman. Mixing and engineering by Sonia Herrero, Isaac Jones and Efim Shapiro. Cinematography by Marina King, Nick Midwig and Derek Knowles. Video editing by Arpita Aneja and Steph Khoury. Original music by Isaac Jones, Sonia Herrero, Aman Sahota and Pat McCusker. Fact-checking by Kate Sinclair and Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta. Video directed by Jonah M. Kessel. The director of Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYT
The Democratic Senator Taking Cues From Trumpism | Interesting Times with Ross Douthat Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-05-08 | In the face of Donald Trump and MAGA, Democrats are stumbling — badly. While the Trump administration redefines the limits of executive overreach, the Democratic Party remains at odds over how to — even whether to — respond. But Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut has a plan for beating Republicans in 2026, and it involves taking a cue from President Trump. He shares it with Ross Douthat on this episode of “Interesting Times.”Read the full transcript at nytimes.com/2025/05/08/opinion/democrats-working-class-chris-murphy.html 00:59 The First 100 Days for Trump and the Democrats03:02 The Threat to Democracy Wasn’t Enough Then or Now.05:50 How Dems Fight Trump13:01 Where Chris Murphy Can Agree With the Populist Right16:06 Is Connecticut a Model of What is Wrong with Democrats?25:08 The Spiritual Crisis in American Life27:10 The Problem with Big Tech33:20 How Do Democrats (And Murphy) Talk About Religion? Should They?45:03 Is Trump Really Running An Oligarchy?50:18 Does the Democratic Party Need a Bigger Tent?53:50 A Need for a National Consensus on Immigration57:13 “A Democracy Dies Without a High Stakes Confrontation”This episode of “Interesting Times” was produced by Elisa Gutierrez, Sophia Alvarez Boyd, Andrea Betanzos and Katherine Sullivan. It was edited by Jordana Hochman. Mixing and engineering by Sonia Herrero, Isaac Jones and Efim Shapiro. Cinematography by Marina King and William DeJessa. Video editing by Arpita Aneja and Steph Khoury. Original music by Isaac Jones, Sonia Herrero, Pat McCusker and Aman Sahota. Fact-checking by Kate Sinclair, Michelle Harris and Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta. Video directed by Jonah M. Kessel. The director of Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.
Is David Lynch Right-Wing Coded? Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-05-03 | In this week’s episode of “Interesting Times with Ross Douthat,” Jonathan Keeperman, founder of Passage Press, dissects what ‘conservative art’ means, and if we’ve been reading shows like Girls and movies by the Coen Brothers all wrong.Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.Watch the full conversation here: youtu.be/tj1hSTDXmrI
Is the Feminization of Society Degrading Masculinity? Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-05-02 | According to Jonathan Keeperman, founder of Passage Press, women in leadership roles have changed institutions for the worse. In this clip from “Interesting Times,” host Ross Douthat and Keeperman debate the success of gender equality and how changes in norms have played out. Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.Watch the full conversation here: youtu.be/tj1hSTDXmrI
The New Culture of the Right: Vital, Masculine and Offensive | Interesting Times with Ross Douthat Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-05-01 | The Trump era is ushering in a new age of right wing counterculture, one defined by masculinity and transgression. In this episode of Interesting Times, Ross Douthat speaks with Jonathan Keeperman, the founder of Passage Press, about the influence of an edgy, reactionary, right-wing “vibe shift” on American politics and culture.Read the full transcript at: nytimes.com/2025/05/01/opinion/right-wing-masculinity-culture.html1:59 Jonathan Keeperman’s Lomez days5:20: 2014: An inflection point in American culture?7:40: The emergency of a “conservative counter elite”9:47: The creation of a right wing counterweight to the dominant left12:27: What makes something “conservative art”?15:36: Are David Lynch films right wing art? Is Girls?18:38: Is there such a thing as good left wing art?20:05: Right wing counterculture’s obsession with “vitalism”23:45: Longhouse culture: Is the “over feminization” of society making America weaker?28:58: Is the longhouse argument just a “long male whine”?31:50: Is right wing counterculture anti-Christian?36:36 Trump as mythic hero44:45 What is the function of racism in right wing counterculture?55:38 Are racist means transgressive or just racist?1:05:44 Will the rightward vibe shift show up in pop culture?1:09:20 Why every high school senior should read “Moby Dick” and watch “No Country for Old Men”This episode of “Interesting Times” was produced by Elisa Gutierrez, Andrea Betanzos, Sophia Alvarez Boyd and Katherine Sullivan. It was edited by Jordana Hochman and Alison Bruzek. Engineering by Pat McCusker. Cinematography by Elliot deBruyn and Wes Overvold. Video editing by Arpita Aneja. Archival images by Amanda Su and Andrea Betanzos. Original music by Isaac Jones, Sonia Herrero, Pat McCusker and Aman Sahota. Fact-checking by Kate Sinclair, Michelle Harris and Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta. Directed by Jonah M. Kessel. The director of Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.
What’s Next for the Catholic Church? Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-04-29 | Under Pope Francis, liberal Catholics felt emboldened while conservative Catholics felt less freedom to express themselves. In this week’s episode of “Interesting Times with Ross Douthat,” the Rev. James Martin, editor-at-large of America Magazine, talks about following a pope you don’t always agree with. Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYTWatch the full conversation here: youtu.be/9_i66tcCbHw
Can the Catholic Church Quit the Culture Wars? | Interesting Times with Ross Douthat Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-04-26 | On this episode of "Interesting Times," Ross Douthat is joined by Father James Martin, a Jesuit priest and an editor of America Magazine, to reflect on the legacy of Pope Francis and the challenges facing the next papacy.Read the full transcript at nytimes.com/2025/04/26/opinion/pope-death-legacy-interesting-times.html01:43 The First Jesuit Pope04:53 Google Translate and Exchanging Emails 05:40 The Visual Element of Francis’s Legacy07:32 The Concrete Changes Made16:31 Christian Sexual Ethics 25:03 The Church in the Modern World 27:07 What Kind of Leader Will the Next Pope Be?32:02 The Latin Mass Controversy35:03 What Draws People to Christianity?39:01 What Holds Such a Diverse Church Together?43:01 The Influence of the Pope and the Hierarchy46:35 A Renewed Interest in Religion48:26 The Church as a Field Hospital49:09 What Father Martin Hopes to See in the Next Pope49:53 Where Should the New Pope Go?52:18 Who Will Be the Next Pope?This episode of “Interesting Times” was produced by Elisa Gutierrez, Sophia Alvarez Boyd, Andrea Betanzos and Katherine Sullivan. It was edited by Jordana Hochman. Engineering by Pat McCusker and Isaac Jones. Cinematography by Marina King. Video editing by Arpita Aneja and Dani Dillon. Original music by Isaac Jones, Sonia Herrero, Pat McCusker and Aman Sahota. Fact-checking by Kate Sinclair, Michelle Harris and Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta. Directed by Jonah M. Kessel. The director of Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.
What “Gödels Loophole” Reveals About What Next for Trump’s Presidency Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-04-17 | The Austrian mathematician Kurt Gödel claimed to have discovered a loophole in the U.S. constitution that would allow a president to become a dictator. In this clip from “Interesting Times,” host Ross Douthat and Harvard Law professor Jack Goldsmith discuss whether deportations could be that loophole.Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYTWatch the full conversation here: youtu.be/LvX9kk7l5Z4
Can Trump Deport Citizens? Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-04-17 | In any other presidency, Kilmar Abrego Garcia "would have been returned by now because this is, or should be, a political disaster,” former White House Counsel, Jack Goldsmith, says of the Trump administration’s wrongful deportation of Garcia on "Interesting Times with Ross Douthat."According to Goldsmith, the same thing that happened to Garcia could, in theory, happen to any American. “Nothing in their argument distinguishes citizens from non-citizens, as best I can tell," he says.Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYTWatch the full conversation here: youtu.be/LvX9kk7l5Z4
What Is A Constitutional Crisis and When Will We Know Were In One? Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-04-17 | On “Interesting Times with Ross Douthat,” Harvard law professor Jack Goldsmith takes stock of what he calls the “significant diminution in legal checks on the president” and the Trump administration’s overreach of the courts, and whether recent actions qualify as a constitutional crisis. Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYTWatch the full conversation here: youtu.be/LvX9kk7l5Z4
What if There’s No Way to Stop Trump’s Approach to Power? | Interesting Times with Ross Douthat Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-04-17 | President Trump may forever reshape the boundaries of executive power. This week on “Interesting Times,” Ross Douthat and Jack Goldsmith, who was the head of the White House’s Office of Legal Counsel under President George W. Bush, discuss which cases are most likely to win in the courts and permanently expand the executive branch — for better or worse.Read the full transcript nytimes.com/2025/04/17/opinion/ross-douthat-interesting-times-jack-goldsmith.html00:54 Donald Trump’s “moonshot on executive power”03:07 What has surprised Goldsmith the most05:28 Are we in a constitutional crisis?08:13 Alien Enemies Act13:05 The case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia17:00 The moral vs. legal arguments for deportations21:19 Could this affect American citizens?27:55 Trump’s firings of federal employees and restructuring of U.S.A.I.D.33:55 Trump’s power over congressionally appropriated funding35:56 Obama v. Trump’s discretion on enforcing laws passed by Congress39:36 The TikTok case44:10 Lawsuit over Trump’s tariffs48:32 How the Supreme Court (maybe) thinks about picking its battles50:35 Worst case scenarios53:16 What the Supreme Court can do if the Trump administration does not comply57:52 What a Trump executive power revolution could look like in 2028 and beyond01:01:03 If Democrats win in 2028, what happens?This episode of “Interesting Times” was produced by Sophia Alvarez Boyd, Elisa Gutierrez, Andrea Betanzos and Katherine Sullivan. It was edited by Alison Bruzek and Jordana Hochman. Engineering by Pat McCusker. Cinematography by Marina King. Video editing by Jan Kobal and Dani Dillon. Original music by Isaac Jones, Pat McCusker and Aman Sahota. Fact-checking by Kate Sinclair, Michelle Harris and Mary Marge Locker. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta. Directed by Jonah M. Kessel. The director of Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYT.
Will Trump’s Tariffs Get America’s Men Working Again? Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-04-10 | One group of Americans may stand to benefit if Donald Trump is able to bring manufacturing back to the United States: Unemployed men. On “Interesting Times with Ross Douthat,” the founder of American Compass explains why more highly advanced manufacturing plants would benefit a range of skilled and unskilled workers, potentially helping the six to seven million American men who have dropped out of the workforce.Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYTWatch the full conversation here: youtu.be/UPAOYbAQtKM
Is Trump’s Concern With Trade Deficits ‘Daft’? Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-04-10 | On “Interesting Times,” Ross Douthat pushes Oren Cass, the founder of American Compass, to defend what Ross sees as a “daft” approach to trade and trade deficits.Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYTWatch the full conversation here: youtu.be/UPAOYbAQtKM
What If America’s Economic Foundation Needs Trump’s Tariffs? Interesting Times with Ross Douthat 2025-04-10 | On “Interesting Times with Ross Douthat,” the founder of the think tank American Compass, explains why, despite conventional wisdom, our economy needed an intervention.Watch more on @InterestingTimesNYTWatch the full conversation here: youtu.be/UPAOYbAQtKM
