The Gray Area with Sean Illing Podcast Por Vox arte de portada

The Gray Area with Sean Illing

The Gray Area with Sean Illing

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 The Gray Area with Sean Illing takes a philosophy-minded look at culture, technology, politics, and the world of ideas. Each week, we invite a guest to explore a question or topic that matters. From the the state of democracy, to the struggle with depression and anxiety, to the nature of identity in the digital age, each episode looks for nuance and honesty in the most important conversations of our time. New episodes drop every Monday. From the Vox Media Podcast Network.© 2019 Vox Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved Ciencia Política Ciencias Sociales Filosofía Política y Gobierno
Episodios
  • Hopeful pessimism

    Hopeful pessimism
    Jul 14 2025
    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
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    56 m
  • If AI can do your classwork, why go to college?

    If AI can do your classwork, why go to college?
    Jun 30 2025
    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
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    59 m
  • Is Trump winning?

    Is Trump winning?
    Jun 16 2025
    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
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    53 m

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great questions and dialogue! What a treasure to find this podcast, and I look forward to listening to more.

great conversation

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I’ve never heard of this author and really enjoyed the episode. Having spent a life walking the line of science and “alternative” healing, he’s given me a fresh perspective and a lot to research and think about.

Good Food for Thought

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Every conversation features intricate knowledge and stimulates so much thought. I always feel like I understand the world a little more after every episode

Intellectually Stimulating

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