The Argument 54u6h

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 liberal? 24:22 - Debating the politics of “Michael Clayton” 29:42 - Why aren't there more movies for grown-ups? 32:56 - “There are no movie stars anymore.” 35:55 - How A.I. changing the movie business 39:28 - Tony Gilroy's advice for future filmmakers (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.)  Thoughts? Email us at [email protected]. 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.

What would make you want to have more children? 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 he 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. 02:03 - What are the stakes of declining fertility?? 06:41 - Alice's master theory for why birth rates are falling 09:04 - There are too many single people 10:27 - We can thank technology for the coupling crisis 12:58 - The digital segregation of men and women 16:31 - Men have less to offer these days 20:11 - What can bring the sexes back together 24:31 - Could Hollywood help fix the problem? 25:46 - Can the government incentivize people to have babies? 27:30 - What role does religion play in all this? 28:59 - The role of IVF 40:50 - Does the fantasy of youth impact the numbers? 43:43 - The world in 2080... (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.)  Thoughts? Email us at [email protected]. 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.

On this episode of “Interesting Times,” Ross Douthat interviews Vice President JD Vance about the Trump istration’s deportations, the tariff backlash and how Vance’s faith influences his politics. 01:49 - How faith shapes JD Vance’s politics 04:26 - ‘Papal interventions in politics’ 14:44 - How will the Trump istration measure success on immigration? 21:22 - ‘The courts are trying to overturn the will of the American people’ 23:55 - Are migrants really at war against the US? 28:48 - The parallels between the War on Terror and Trump's deportation policies 40:29 - What does a successful trade policy look like? 48:10 - The "big, beautiful bill" 58:57 - Does the Trump istration expect the AI revolution will take jobs? 54:05 - What worries Vance about AI 58:33 - JD Vance's message to shocked Trump voters (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.)  Thoughts? Email us at [email protected]. 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 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 s Ross 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. 03:59 - What effect could AI have on jobs? 06:45 - But wait, how does this make society richer? 10:08 - Robot plumbers and electricians 14:53 - The geopolitical stakes 18:58 - AI’s honesty problem 22:43 - The fork in the road 27:55 - The best case scenario 29:38 - The power structure in an AI-dominated world 32:32 - What AI leaders think about this power structure 38:30 - AI's hallucinations and limitations 43:45 - Theories of AI consciousness 47:05 - Is AI consciousness inevitable? 50:59 - Humanity in an AI-dominated world (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.)  Thoughts? Email us at [email protected]. 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.

Democrats are stumbling — badly. While the Trump istration 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 Now. 06:49 - How Dems Fight Trump 13:41 - Where Chris Murphy Can Agree With the Populist Right 16:38 - Is Connecticut a Model of What is Wrong with Democrats? 25:54 - The Spiritual Crisis in American Life 27:56 - The Problem with Big Tech 33:45 - How Do Democrats (And Murphy) Talk About Religion? Should They? 45:35 - Is Trump Really Running An Oligarchy? 50:34 - Does the Democratic Party Need a Bigger Tent? 53:54 - A Need for a National Consensus on Immigration 57:09 - “A Democracy Dies Without a High Stakes Confrontation” (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.)  Thoughts? Email us at [email protected]. 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.

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 age 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 right wing counterweight to the dominant left 12:32 - : What makes something “conservative art”? 15:18 - Are David Lynch films right wing art? Is Girls? 18:11 Is there such a thing as good left wing art? 19:32 - Right wing counterculture’s obsession with “vitalism” 22:56 - Longhouse culture: Is the “over feminization” of society making America weaker? 27:55 - Is the longhouse argument just a “long male whine”? 30:41-  Is right wing counterculture anti-Christian? 35:48 - Trump as mythic hero 43:31 - What is the function of racism in right wing counterculture? 53:50 - Are racist means transgressive or just racist? 1:05:43 - Will the rightward vibe shift show up in pop culture?  1:07:37 Why every high school senior should read “Moby Dick” and watch “No Country for Old Men”  (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.)  Thoughts? Email us at [email protected]. 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.

On this episode of “Interesting Times,” Ross Douthat is ed by the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit priest and the editor of America, to reflect on the legacy of Pope Francis and the challenges facing the next papacy. (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.)  Thoughts? Email us at [email protected]. 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.

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? 00:08:59 Alien Enemies Act 00:14:02 The case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia 00:25:23 Godel’s loophole and Supreme Court enforcement 30:10 Trump’s firings of federal employees and restructuring of U.S.A.I.D. 36:11 Trump’s power over congressionally appropriated funding 41:29 Obama v. Trump’s discretion on enforcing laws ed by Congress 43:03 The TikTok case 45:46 Lawsuit over Trump’s tariffs 51:57 How the Supreme Court (maybe) thinks about picking its battles 54:24 Worst case scenarios 56:59 What the Supreme Court can do if the Trump istration does not comply 01:01:32 What a Trump executive power revolution could look like in 2028 and beyond 01:04:39 If Democrats win in 2028, what happens? (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.)  Thoughts? Email us at [email protected]. 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 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 Com s Ross Douthat to discuss and debate the Trump istration’s drastic trade war. (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.)  Thoughts? Email us at [email protected]. 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.

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 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.

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 happens to movies and books — all of culture — in our digital and A.I.-dominated age? Thoughts? Email us at [email protected]. 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.

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 [email protected]. 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.

The tech investor Marc Andreessen and his fellow Silicon Valley giant Elon Musk weren’t always the Donald Trump ers 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.)  Thoughts? Email us at [email protected]. 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.

President Trump has been operating with complete impunity and disregard for American institutions. In this episode of “The Opinions,” the Times Opinion deputy editor Patrick Healy and the columnist Thomas L. Friedman discuss the repercussions of such behavior on America’s national and international policy. This episode originally aired in "The Opinions" feed on Mar. 20. For more episodes like this, follow "The Opinions" wherever you get your podcasts. 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.

In this episode of "The Opinions," Michelle Goldberg and Frank Bruni Patrick Healy to discuss what has defined Trump’s presidency thus far. This episode originally aired in "The Opinions" feed on Mar. 12. For more episodes like this, follow "The Opinions" wherever you get your podcasts. (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.

Christopher Rufo's mission to make universities to feel "existential terror." (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.

This week, your beloved hosts gather for the last time to respond to listener , reflect on the state of American politics and look ahead to a new show. If you’re curious about how Carlos prepares for an episode or how the history books will Trump or what’s next for this feed, this is the episode for you. (A full transcript of this episode will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.) Thoughts about the show? Email us at [email protected] or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440. 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 many times has your soul been saved? Probably not as many times as Michelle Cottle’s. In this episode, Michelle, Carlos and Ross discuss Ross’s new book, “Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious,” and explore the role religion should play in our lives and society. (A full transcript of this episode will be available within 24 hours of publication on the Times website.) Thoughts about the show? Email us at [email protected] or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440. 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.

ow much is President Trump testing the Constitution? And what are the other branches of government doing about it? This week, David French and Jamelle Bouie Carlos and Michelle to discuss how the courts and Congress could respond to Trump’s latest actions and whether the Constitution is strong enough to withstand the challenges. Plus, the best-dressed Opinion columnist makes the case for his latest fashion obsession. (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.)  Thoughts about the show? Email us at [email protected] or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440. 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.

Gone are the days of pussy hats and massive protests. Where is the resistance to Donald Trump’s second term? Lydia Polgreen and David French this week to talk about the muted outcry to Trump and Musk’s plans to upend the federal government and where the most effective forms of resistance may show up. Recommended in this episode: “Character Limit: How Elon Musk Destroyed Twitter” by Kate Conger and Ryan Mac Thoughts about the show? Email us at [email protected] or leave a voicemail at (212) 556-7440. A full transcript of this episode will be available within 24 hours of publication 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.