Are we defined by our jobs? What happens to ex-presidents after they leave office? And how does that apply to the current political landscape as we head into the 2024 election? Today, we're joined by Jared Cohen, author of the book 'Life After Power: Seven Presidents and Their Search for Purpose Beyond the White House,' to explore how these leaders transition, redefine their identities, and sometimes find higher callings post-presidency. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network a...
Feb 14, 2024•56 min•Season 1Ep. 82
How are states like Arizona preparing for the 2024 presidential election in the United States? How do they ensure the public our votes are safe? And why can't we track our mail-in votes like Uber Eats? Today, we talk with Adrian Fontes, the Secretary of State of Arizona, to discuss the functioning and importance of the electoral process in the United States, with a particular focus on the state of Arizona. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate. For transcr...
Feb 07, 2024•59 min•Season 1Ep. 81
Will the labor class change with AI? What actually is Marxism? And what, if anything, can we learn from it? Freddie deBoer, author and "Marxist of an old-school variety," shares why he thinks Marxist thought on capitalism, labor, and societal structures is still relevant and how he applies its principles to contemporary politics. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetw...
Jan 31, 2024•54 min•Season 1Ep. 80
Is there any good left on the Internet? Could we maximize it for generosity instead of conflict? And how do you stay connected in a seemingly ever-polarizing environment? Chris Anderson, author and curator of TED, joins us to discuss the Internet's potential to create positive change, and why he hasn't given up on big-money philanthropy. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprog...
Jan 24, 2024•52 min•Season 1Ep. 79
What's really happening on college campuses? Is free expression on them dead, or have we reached peak cancel culture? And why have younger generations completely abandoned the principles behind free speech? Today, we're joined by attorney Greg Lukianoff, the President and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), who shares his perspective and his hopes for the role of free speech defenders and alternative approaches to higher education. What Could Go Right? is produced ...
Jan 17, 2024•51 min•Season 1Ep. 78
The most people in history will vote in 2024, with 78 countries going to the polls. Is democracy really on the ballot, as some say? What new state laws are coming into effect, and is a new space race heating up? Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas are back to discuss the latest news stories we might have missed. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.org Watch th...
Jan 10, 2024•42 min•Season 1Ep. 77
What is vulnerable narcissism? Is #trauma a trend? And what psychological traits define our times? Psychologist and author Scott Barry Kaufman guides us through an examination of why, what, and who we are, advocating for a holistic understanding of intelligence and creativity. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.org Watch the podcast on YouTube: https://www.yout...
Jan 03, 2024•52 min•Season 1Ep. 81
How much are cultures crucial for progress, and can we deliberately create ones that lead to particular outcomes? What is it really about humans that separates us from animals? And how does the climate crisis fit into all this? Michael Muthukrishna, author of "A Theory of Everyone," explores the distinctiveness of human beings and draws on his interdisciplinary research to argue that cultural evolution has propelled humanity to its current prominence—and will help us face our current challenges,...
Dec 20, 2023•58 min•Season 1Ep. 80
How have gender politics shaped the role of women in our society? How far are we from equality, or are we there? And how has history informed our modern conversations on women's rights? In her latest book, "Betty Friedan: Magnificent Disrupter," renowned essayist, writer, and critic Rachel Shteir presents a compelling biography of the woman behind the 1963 bestseller "The Feminine Mystique," which first popularized the idea of women's fulfillment outside the identities of wife, mother, and homem...
Dec 13, 2023•54 min•Season 1Ep. 79
Will the green transition happen, and how far do we have to go? Jigar Shah, the director of the Loan Programs Office in the US Department of Energy, shares his insights into the current landscape, future potential, and challenges for the successful commercial deployment of critical clean energy technologies. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.org Watch the podc...
Dec 06, 2023•54 min•Season 1Ep. 78
How much of a threat is AI to elections with new disclosure rules from big platforms in place? What's going on with infant mortality trends? And why can't we test for more illnesses at home? Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas are back to discuss the latest news stories we might have missed. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.org Watch the podcast on YouTube:...
Nov 29, 2023•52 min•Season 1Ep. 77
What are the dangers of not acknowledging what has gotten better? How do we understand the marks history leaves on individuals? And what does a former president of Harvard think of higher education in the US today? We hear from historian, civil rights activist, and the first woman president of Harvard, Drew Gilpin Faust, about how her story and how activism can actually make a difference. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate. For transcripts, to join the ...
Nov 15, 2023•59 min•Season 1Ep. 76
Is climate discourse doomerism based on the right facts and frameworks? Are we not giving the potential of change enough credence? And where does the climate movement go from here? Today, we hear from the authors of "Not Too Late," Rebecca Solnit and Thelma Young Lutunatabua, whose climate activism is deliberately removed from despair. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogre...
Nov 08, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 1Ep. 75
Who is going to work these days and who is staying home? How should schools handle cell phones on their grounds, and what is the UK doing about them in particular? And what did NASA scientists find in their latest asteroid sample? Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas are back to discuss the latest news stories we might have missed. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressn...
Nov 01, 2023•43 min•Season 1Ep. 74
Will there be peace in the Middle East, or will the current conflict escalate? How can we understand the situation with moral nuance? And how do we parse information in the "fog of war"? On today's episode, we talk with Ian Bremmer, foreign affairs analyst and president and founder of Eurasia Group, to examine the complicated crisis of Israel-Palestine. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information...
Oct 25, 2023•51 min•Season 1Ep. 73
Are identity politics getting in the way of real progress? How did these marginal academic ideas go mainstream? And is it possible to make progress without diminishing the progress we have already made? Yascha Mounk, contributing editor at The Atlantic, host of The Good Fight podcast, and author of "The Identity Trap," offers his ideas on the pitfalls of the "identity synthesis" and how we can create a more inclusive society without it. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network an...
Oct 18, 2023•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 72
What does it take to create great compromise? Can Abraham Lincoln's method of talking to people with opposing views work today? And is it possible to find hope through looking at history? Steve Inskeep, host of Morning Edition and Up Next on NPR, and author of Differ We Must: How Lincoln Succeeded in a Divided America, joins the show to break down Lincoln's political battles, and the historical moment we find ourselves in today. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Po...
Oct 11, 2023•1 hr•Season 1Ep. 71
Is mental health worsening across generations? Has criminal justice reform actually worked? And are we ready for the first mass produced humanoid robots? "What Could Go Right?" hosts Zachary Karabell, founder of The Progress Network, and Emma Varvaloucas, executive director of The Progress Network, take a look at the progress that has been made since last season. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/ad...
Oct 04, 2023•50 min•Season 1Ep. 70
A new season of What Could Go Right is just around the corner, and in the meantime, we wanted to share an episode of a podcast that we think you’ll really like – What’s Your Problem. What’s Your Problem is a show from our friends at Pushkin Industries all about technology and business. Entrepreneurs and engineers talk about the future they’re trying to build – and the problems they have to solve to get there. It’s hosted by Jacob Goldstein, the former host of NPR’s Planet Money, and helps listen...
Aug 23, 2023•29 min•Season 1Ep. 69
While we prepare for the launch of What Could Go Right’s fifth season this fall, we wanted to share another show we think listeners will enjoy – Smart People Podcast. Smart People Podcast is a biweekly interview show from our friend’s at Glassbox Media. It features today’s most well respected thought leaders and the host, Chris Stemp, and his co-host/producer Jon Rojas, utilize their insatiable curiosity and relatable charm to provoke their guests into giving the interview of a lifetime. In this...
Aug 09, 2023•58 min•Season 1Ep. 68
What Could Go Right returns for season 5 this fall, but in the meantime we’re excited to share an episode of Ones and Tooze this week. Ones and Tooze is a weekly economics podcast from Foreign Policy hosted by FP deputy editor Cameron Abadi and FP columnist, economic historian and author Adam Tooze. In this episode, Cameron and Adam take a look at the emergence of green hydrogen and how this green energy source, which generates a tremendous amount of heat, will help reduce emissions for creating...
Jul 26, 2023•36 min•Season 1Ep. 66
Is the US economy okay or even positive? Are we making any progress on climate change? What's going on with global inequality? As we close out this season of "What Could Go Right?" hosts Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas look back at the predictions that started the year and check in with the current news of the day. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 21, 2023•50 min•Season 1Ep. 65
Is change possible? Can democracy be renovated to serve the constituency better? And what does this mean for the 2024 election? Political theorist at Harvard University and founder and president of Partners in Democracy, Danielle Allen, joins us to talk about how democracy is (or isn't) addressing our most urgent concerns. Plus, LGBTQ support skyrockets worldwide and a Supreme Court ruling on gerrymandering. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate. Learn mor...
Jun 14, 2023•57 min•Season 1Ep. 64
Did anyone "win" the debt ceiling debate? Where is the economy headed, long-term? And what breakthroughs can be used to build a better world? James Pethokoukis, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where he specializes in US economic policy, joins us to share his perspective on a brighter future. Plus, bacteria-fighting AI and tracking social progress. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone...
Jun 07, 2023•59 min•Season 1Ep. 63
What's the nature of the universe? What is life? And what do we talk about when we talk about science? We're joined by Professor Sara Walker, an astrobiologist and theoretical physicist with research interests in the origins of life, artificial life, and detection of life on other worlds, to see how the way we think about the world informs the rest of our being. Plus, Indonesia's growing economy, US job satisfaction, and an update on mapping the human genome. What Could Go Right? is produced by ...
May 31, 2023•51 min•Season 1Ep. 62
What road is hyperpartisanship taking us down? Can we learn from our history? And is the current state of American politics worse than ever before? Today, we talk with CNN's senior political analyst and author of "Lincoln and the Fight for Peace," John Avlon, to discuss how the past can inform our understanding of and response to current political conditions. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoi...
May 24, 2023•58 min•Season 1Ep. 61
What is the human side of war? Investigative journalist Tim Mak joins us from Kyiv to share an update on Ukraine's spring counteroffensive, what life is like in a war-torn country, and what he has learned about resilience and mental health covering his first war. Plus, electric vehicles' growth is explosive, and a battery breakthrough that could make electric passenger aircraft possible. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate. Learn more about your ad choic...
May 17, 2023•54 min•Season 1Ep. 60
Is drug use always harmful? How does empathy play a role in addiction? Could it be more beneficial to approach drug use as a public health issue rather than a criminal one? In this episode, we speak with Maia Szalavitz, an award-winning journalist and author, about the potential benefits of harm reduction for addiction treatment and addressing larger societal issues. Plus, we take a look at smart guns and serial killers. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomera...
May 10, 2023•53 min•Season 1Ep. 59
Is technology moving us forward or backward? What is the human cost of progress? And is artificial intelligence making people more divided, or can it help us find common ground? Comedian, commentator, and author Baratunde Thurston joins us to talk about how technology and humanity are sometimes at odds and sometimes companions. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 03, 2023•56 min•Season 1Ep. 58
Is China the US's perennial enemy? How do the complexities of China's political landscape affect global affairs? And is conflict over Taiwan inevitable? In today's episode, we explore these questions with Jessica Chen Weiss, a Cornell professor and author specializing in Chinese foreign policy and nationalism. Plus, we learn about Uzbekistan's change in domestic violence criminality and have an update on malaria vaccinations. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podgl...
Apr 26, 2023•51 min•Season 1Ep. 57
