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Happy Independence Day! We’ll be back next week with a new episode, but today we’re sharing the episode that started us on the path to “Interesting Times.” Ross Douthat talks to Reihan Salam, the president of the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research. Together they wrote the book “ Grand New Party: How Republicans Can Win the Working Class and Save the American Dream .” They review their George W. Bush-era prescriptions for the Republican Party to reclaim the working-class vote and the ways th...
In this mind-bending conversation, tech billionaire Peter Thiel critiques the current pace of innovation, arguing that society is experiencing technological stagnation despite advances in AI. He discusses the consequences of this lack of progress, his controversial political involvement with figures like Donald Trump and Elon Musk as attempts to disrupt the status quo, and explores the potential and limitations of AI. Thiel also delves into the concept of the Antichrist, framing it not as a figure of technological evil but as a symbol of oppressive, anti-progress regulation driven by fear.
Is the key to freedom a life without Amazon? 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. 02:41 - What’s wrong with big business? 09:27 - The political costs of corporate consolidation 11:39 - How the 2008 financial crisis shaped Lina Khan's philosophy 17:49 - The antitrust consensus from Reagan to Obama 21:54 - How the left...
Has immigration become the new litmus test for the Republican Party? In this episode, Ross 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. 01:50 - What the Elon experiment (and fallout) tells us about the Republican Party 06:55 - Is there a tech right beyond DOGE? 10:09 - Is the “new right” really all that new? 18:16 - Where Trump’s...
Does Hollywood have anything interesting left to say? In a world where franchises dominate and grown-up movies have fallen by the wayside, Ross talks to the showrunner Tony Gilroy, whose “Star Wars” spinoff “Andor” has, according to Ross, succeeded in being both original and smartly political in a Hollywood that is often neither. 03:04 - The political world of ”Andor” 08:36 - Tony Gilroy's syllabus for “Andor” 10:40 - Is “Andor” a left-wing show? 17:07 - What makes Hollywood progressive or liber...
Ross Douthat and Dr. Alice Evans discuss the global fertility crisis, exploring why birth rates are collapsing everywhere simultaneously. They analyze the decline through various lenses, including the economic consequences, the failure of traditional policy explanations, and the surprising role of technology in driving a "coupling crisis" and digital solitude. The conversation delves into how technology affects male-female interaction, economic shifts impacting men, the limited efficacy of government incentives and reproductive technologies, and the complex interplay of culture, religion, and politics in a rapidly aging world.
In this episode, Ross Douthat interviews JD Vance in Rome following Pope Leo XIV's inauguration. They discuss how Vance's Catholic faith informs his political views on economics, family, and immigration, particularly navigating tensions with the Vatican. The conversation delves into Trump administration policies on border security, deportation challenges, trade policy goals, industrial policy, and the potential societal impacts of AI. Vance also addresses concerns from some supporters regarding changes in areas like addiction treatment and foreign aid, emphasizing the administration's focus on efficiency and democratic control.
Ross Douthat interviews Daniel Kokotajlo, co-author of the "AI 2027" forecast, discussing predictions for the coming years. They explore rapid AI advancements, massive job automation, societal wealth creation despite job loss, the geopolitical arms race driven by AI, and the critical risks of AI misalignment and deception. The conversation delves into potential futures, from human extinction to a superabundant world grappling with AI governance and the meaning of human purpose.
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. 02:07 - The First 100 Days for Trump and the Democrats 04:06 - The Threat to Democracy Wasn’t Enough Then or ...
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 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. 2:09 - Jonathan Keeperman’s Lomez days 5:25 - 2014: An inflection point in American culture? 7:40 - The emergence of a “conservative counter elite” 9:41 - The creation of a righ...
On this episode of “Interesting Times,” Ross Douthat is joined by the Rev. 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. 02:20 The First Jesuit Pope 05:23 Google Translate and Exchanging Emails 06:05 The Visual Element of Francis’s Legacy 07:48 The Concrete Changes Made 16:19 Christian Sexual Ethics 25:22 The Church in the Modern World 27:14 What Kind of Leader Will the Next Pope Be? 31:57 The ...
President Trump may forever reshape the boundaries of executive power. This week on “Interesting Times,” Ross 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. 00:02:03 Donald Trump’s “moonshot on executive power” 00:04:16 What has surprised Goldsmith the most 00:06:57 Are we in a constitutional crisis? 00:08:5...
Is the short-term economic pain of President Trump’s unpredictable approach to tariffs a reasonable price to pay for a more resilient America? Mr. Trump appears to think so, and so does Oren Cass — sort of. On the first episode of “Interesting Times,” the founder and chief economist of the think tank American Compass joins Ross Douthat to discuss and debate the Trump administration’s drastic trade war. (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.) Thoughts? Email us at i...
There’s a saying that comes to mind these days: May you live in interesting times. It’s understood to be a curse, even though it sounds like a blessing. “Interesting Times With Ross Douthat” is a new weekly podcast from New York Times Opinion. Every Thursday, he will map the new world order through interviews and conversations. Answering questions like: What does our new political era really look like? What is the future of democracy around the world, with American empire in retreat? What happen...
The tech investor Marc Andreessen and his fellow Silicon Valley giant Elon Musk weren’t always the Donald Trump supporters they are today. In this episode, Ross asks Andreessen, a founder of the venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, about what led to Silicon Valley’s rightward shift and the new agenda of the tech-right faction. Editors’ note: This episode originally aired on the “Matter of Opinion” podcast on Jan. 17, 2025. (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website...
In this conversation, Ross talks to Steve Bannon, the chief strategist from Donald Trump’s first term and part of the original MAGA movement. Despite his clashes with new factions emerging in the Republican Party, Bannon argues that Trump is still central to advancing a populist agenda. Editors’ note: This episode originally aired on the “Matter of Opinion” podcast on Jan. 31, 2025. (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.) Thoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nyti...
Christopher Rufo brought the term "critical race theory" into mainstream conversation. Now, the anti-DEI activist is bringing his critiques of education to the White House. In this episode, Ross explores Rufo's mission to make universities feel "existential terror." Editors’ note: This episode originally aired on the “Matter of Opinion” podcast on Mar. 7, 2025. (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.) Thoughts? Email us at [email protected] . Unlock full ...
Apr 06, 2025•1 hr 5 min
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