How Is This Better?

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We're constantly bombarded by grifters who claim to have all the solutions. From Donald Trump promising to "make America great" to tech bros who say they're making the world a "better place." Akilah Hughes has had enough. She's finally asking...How Is This Better?

FA 4 DIES

How the Met Gala Lost the Plot

What happens when fashion’s biggest night starts to look like a billionaire branding exercise? This week, we examine the growing influence of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos on the Met Gala—and what it says about power, philanthropy, and who gets to shape culture in America. With Rebecca Sananes and Meredith Lynch, Akilah unpacks the contradictions at the center of the event: a fundraiser dependent on extreme wealth, a cultural institution tied to political influence, and a public that’s increasingly skeptical of both. Then designer Jonathan Hayden breaks down what’s happening behind the scenes—from labor realities to the economic pressures reshaping fashion from the ground up. Mint Mobile: Shop plans at https://mintmobile.com/courier for three months of coverage at $45. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

36 min
17 D’ABR.

RFK, Beef Tallow, and the Collapse of American Healthcare

The American healthcare system is sick. This week, Akilah talks with Abdul El-Sayed—physician, public health expert, and U.S. Senate candidate—about the structural problems at the heart of American healthcare, from medical debt to for-profit insurance. They also unpack the growing gap between real public health expertise and the rise of political figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Mehmet Oz, and what it says about trust, media, and power. It’s a conversation about systems, incentives—and what it would actually take to build something better. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

28 min
10 D’ABR.

Class Solidarity Could Change Everything

Why have Democrats recently struggled to connect with working-class and rural voters – and what would it take to change that? Akilah Hughes talks with journalist John Russell about class politics in America, the rise of Trump, and the missed opportunities that reshaped the political landscape. Drawing on his reporting in Appalachia and across the country, Russell explains how economic frustration gets redirected into culture war battles, and why a focus on material issues could still unite voters across deep divides. They discuss: The Democratic Party's shift away from working class messaging. How Trump capitalized on that gap The real story behind “redneck” and labor history in Appalachia Why economic issues still resonate across political lines And whether change will come from within the system—or outside it Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

37 min
3 D’ABR.

How Mormons Captured Pop Culture

Mormonism is having a pop culture glow-up. But did it happen by accident? In this episode, Akilah Hughes digs into the rise of Mormon influencers, the explosion of “MomTok,” and the broader cultural moment putting LDS aesthetics front and center. With reporting from New York Magazine’s Bridget Read, we explore how Mormon women helped shape modern influencer culture, and why that’s now paying off in a massive way. Ex-Mormon podcaster Shelise Ann Sola joins to unpack what life inside a high-control religion can actually look like, and what gets lost when that experience is repackaged as aspirational content. From the church’s controversial history to its quiet influence on tech and media, this episode asks a bigger question: What happens when a belief system becomes a brand and we all start buying in? If you like your money, Mint Mobile is for you. Shop plans at https://www.mintmobile.com/courier Follow How Is This Better? wherever you get your podcasts. Check out Bridget's work including her story about this second "Mormon moment" Check Shelise's Cults to Consciousness show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

33 min
20 DE MARÇ

The Oscars, Brain Rot, and The Death Of Prestige

As younger generations continue to turn towards the internet for their content, what fate awaits for Hollywood? Last Sunday, celebrities and renowned members of the Academy gathered together to celebrate the Oscars. The awards show is considered one of the touchstones of modern-day media culture, but how much impact does it really have? And what messages are the films we’re praising really sending? In this episode of How Is This Better?, Akilah Hughes is joined by journalist and podcaster Ryan Broderick, who has dug deep into the myriad of ways in which the internet has been shaping the awards landscape, rather than the other way around. Together, they discuss: How viral marketing, “brain rot” trends, and inexperienced influencers disguised as journalists are leaking out of online spaces and into Oscar campaigns. The increased struggle for actors and filmmakers trying to take traditional paths, and how the web is turning into a more viable career launchpad. How many of the favored nominees, even at their most political, reflected warped versions of cultural fears, while those left snubbed were too close to our current moment to be properly celebrated. Hollywood’s notable shift away from outspoken, political statements during red carpets and acceptance speeches, and whether they were driven by bowing to fascism, career instability, or apathy? The media landscape is shifting before our very eyes, into a version of itself that’s more chronically online, more desperate, and more disconnected from the people who are supposed to be watching it. And if Hollywood continues this transformation…is it time to roll the credits? You can get more from Ryan at his podcast @panicworldpod here on YouTube, or anywhere you listen to pods. You can also find him at @ryanhatesthis on Instagram. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

35 min
13 DE MARÇ

The First AI War

AI-generated war footage is spreading across the internet faster than the truth. As conflict escalates in Iran, social media platforms like X, Instagram, and TikTok are being flooded with AI-generated missile strikes, fake battlefield footage, and fabricated videos of captured soldiers. Some posts rack up millions of views before anyone can confirm whether they’re real. In this episode of How Is This Better?, Akilah Hughes speaks with WIRED reporter David Gilbert, who has been tracking how generative AI is reshaping the disinformation landscape during breaking conflicts. Check out his recent piece, "Fake AI Content About the Iran War Is All Over X." Subscribe or follow How Is This Better? wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

25 min
6 DE MARÇ

What 4 Generations of Veterans Think of Trump’s War in Iran

Are we at war or not? According to Trump, he's scoring a 15 out of 10 "on the war front," and Department of War Secretary, Pete Hegseth, says the fighting in Iran has "just begun." Yet House Speaker Mike Johnson insists "we're not at war." Instead of debating the political spin, Akilah wanted to sit down with the people who've been asked to fight American battles. On this episode of How Is This Better?, Akilah sits down with five veterans across four generations – from baby boomers who fought in Vietnam to an Iraq War veteran and a Gen Z and Millennial veteran who filed for conscientious objector discharges based on their objections to the war in Gaza. Some enlisted out of patriotism. Some out of faith. Some just wanted the uniform, or way to pay for student loans. But all of them describe a moment when America’s wars stopped making sense to them. Across fifty years of military experience, they all come back to the same question: Are young Americans about to be asked to die for something no one can clearly explain? Get unlimited premium wireless from Mint Mobile for just $15 a month at https://www.mintmobile.com/courier Show Notes: Check out Veterans for Peace, Common Defense, and Friends of Fisher House, Phoenix. Thanks to Joy Metzler, Juan Betancourt, Ben Feibleman, David Lucier, and Ed Anderson for sharing their stories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

33 min
20 DE FEBR.

Is ICE More Like the Gestapo or Slave Patrols? Yes.

People keep comparing ICE to the Gestapo. But is that the right historical analogy? We we talk with public historian Ashley Baron aka @ashleytheebarroness who went viral making the argument that the comparison overlooks a home-grown analogy. We also speak with Claire Aubin who is a Nazi-era historian and host of the podcast, This Guy Sucked, to break down what the Gestapo actually was — and why the ideology behind it matters more than any one-to-one comparison people point to. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

35 min

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TRÀILER

Introducing: How Is This Better? with Akilah Hughes

Donald Trump has been campaigning to “make America great again” for a decade. Tech bro oligarchs swear they’re “making the world a better place.” But here we are – in 2025 – with planes falling from the damn sky, senseless trade wars driving higher prices and economic instability, and so-called “social” media and AI making everyone more isolated and lonelier than ever. It’s time to ask: How is this better? Akilah Hughes is here to provide that much needed reality check. Covering everything from politics to entertainment to tech and late-stage capitalism, How Is This Better? challenges the grifters who are controlling our government, our attention, and so much of our daily lives. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

T1, E1

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2 min

A weekly podcast, hosted by Ryan Broderick, about how the internet warps our minds, our culture, and eventually reality.

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TECNOLOGIA
TV, I Say w/ Ashley Ray is a podcast dedicated to all things TV, hosted by Ashley Ray, the internet’s leading TV pop culture expert! A writer for Vulture, Variety and Emmy Magazine, each week Ashley keeps listeners up to date on the shows everyone is talking about, digs deep into classic tropes, and breaks down the best moments in television with some of your favorite comedians, actors, TV writers and more! TV, I Say with Ashley Ray is the hangout sitcom of a podcast you’ve been waiting for.

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We're constantly bombarded by grifters who claim to have all the solutions. From Donald Trump promising to "make America great" to tech bros who say they're making the world a "better place." Akilah Hughes has had enough. She's finally asking...How Is This Better?