Interesting Times with Ross Douthat

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The first draft of our future. Mapping the new world order through interviews and conversations. Every Thursday, from New York Times Opinion. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

  1. The Grand Strategy Behind Trump’s Crackdown on Academia

    4 DAYS AGO

    The Grand Strategy Behind Trump’s Crackdown on Academia

    What is wrong with higher education in America? According to many on the right, a lot. This week, Ross Douthat talks to May Mailman, the lawyer behind President Trump’s battles with Harvard and Columbia, about the administration’s assault on the Ivy League and why “a glorification of victimhood” is changing the relationship between universities and the federal government. 02:51 - What is a “culture of victimhood”?07:38 - Mailman’s political awakening11:44 - Social media and protest culture in the 2010s19:39 - The Trump administration’s strategy against universities26:33 - The financial levers that could ensure compliance36:09 - Ideological diversity and free speech47:56 - How legal is all this?52:25 - Higher education in 2030Thoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.com. Please subscribe to our YouTube Channel, Interesting Times with Ross Douthat. A full transcript of this episode is also 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.

    59 min
  2. Ezra Klein Is Worried — but Not About a Radicalized Left

    18 SEPT

    Ezra Klein Is Worried — but Not About a Radicalized Left

    Ezra Klein argues that the left desperately needs a unifying project — for its own survival and for the sake of the country. In this episode of Ross Douthat’s “Interesting Times,” Ross and Ezra assess the aftermath of Charlie Kirk’s assassination and debate whether the left has taken a dark turn. 00:25 How liberalism became “uncertain and exhausted”08:37 The void in the Democratic Party12:21 Does progressive despair lead to radicalism?15:04 “Violence is contagious"19:24 Can the left be more malleable?28:20 The hippies, Peter Thiel and technology32:11 Does the American left need cosmic hope?41:59 A vision of the “good life”Thoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.com. Please subscribe to our YouTube Channel, Interesting Times with Ross Douthat. A full transcript of this episode is also 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.

    48 min
  3. I was set to interview Charlie Kirk. Then he was assassinated.

    11 SEPT

    I was set to interview Charlie Kirk. Then he was assassinated.

    In moments of political shock and horror, where can we turn? Ross was supposed to interview Charlie Kirk next month for the show and now offers his reflections on Kirk, his political movement and his assassination. (A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.) Thoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.com. Please subscribe to our YouTube Channel, Interesting Times with Ross Douthat. 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.

    8 min
  4. Does the Future Belong to China?

    4 SEPT • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    Does the Future Belong to China?

    Is the United States still a worthy opponent for China? In this episode, Ross Douthat talks to Dan Wang, the author of “Breakneck: China’s Quest to Engineer the Future,” about the alarming speed at which China is able to build and could blow America out of the water. 01:44 - “A life full of ease and beauty”05:30 - Rule by engineers11:00 - China’s Technological Mastery16:04 - Is autocracy driving innovation?25:00 - What are the real stakes of the competition?35:47 - How could China fail? 53:00 - Advice for America(A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.) Thoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.com. Please subscribe to our YouTube Channel, Interesting Times with Ross Douthat. 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.

    1h 5m
  5. The MAGA Woman Dress Code

    28 AUG • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    The MAGA Woman Dress Code

    While “Interesting Times” is on vacation, we’re sharing a conversation from “The Opinions” between Meher Ahmad, an editor for Times Opinion, and the Opinion writer Jessica Grose. They talk about the aesthetics of MAGA women — think Kristi Noem and Nancy Mace — and what they signal about femininity and power within the Republican Party.  Thoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.com. Please subscribe to our YouTube Channel, Interesting Times with Ross Douthat. 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.

    20 min
  6. Ross and Ezra Klein Discuss Trump, Mysticism and Psychedelics

    21 AUG • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    Ross and Ezra Klein Discuss Trump, Mysticism and Psychedelics

    This week, we’re sharing a great conversation Ross had on “The Ezra Klein Show” this past spring. Ezra asks Ross about his most recent book, “Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious.” But along the way, they debate not just how religion influences the Trump administration but also their own lives. Come for their seeking and stay for their thoughts on ayahuasca and mystical encounters. 02:39 - Trump: man of destiny?19:55 - Political power, cruelty and Godliness36:13 - Religion and spirituality in the modern world42:53 - The mysteries of the universe…48:38 - Aliens! Fairies! (and some Catholic history)56:51 - Contending with uncertainty and evil1:05:24 - Psychedelic experiences1:20:56 - Official knowledge1:38:58 - Book recommendationsThoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.com. Please subscribe to our YouTube Channel, Interesting Times with Ross Douthat. 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.

    1h 36m
  7. Abolish the Senate. End the Electoral College. Pack the Court.

    14 AUG • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    Abolish the Senate. End the Electoral College. Pack the Court.

    For Democrats, President Trump’s victories have revealed the antidemocratic flaws at the core of our government. But could it be an opening for a constitutional revolution as the party searches for its next leader? This week, Ross explores what that revolution would entail with Osita Nwanevu, the author of the book, “The Right of the People: Democracy and the Case for a New American Founding.” 3:46 - What's wrong with our democracy?  9:07 - Our undemocratic founding  17:00 - The case for more U.S. states and a new constitution 23:52 - Where economic reform fits into this problem  29:26 - Does Trump represent the will of the people? 37:17 - What Trump’s presidency says about democracy 40:30 - The elusive Bernie Sanders moment  46:29 - The mystical element of our politics Thoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.com. Please subscribe to our YouTube Channel, Interesting Times with Ross Douthat. 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.

    56 min
  8. The Next Parenting Trend Starts Before Conception

    7 AUG • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    The Next Parenting Trend Starts Before Conception

    Would you use an algorithm to select your embryos? Enter Orchid, a company that promises parents the ability to protect their future children through genetic testing for embryos before pregnancy. The founder, Noor Siddiqui, and Ross debate the scientific, moral and ethical implications of designing a “healthy” child and what we lose in separating reproduction from sex. 01:27 - Orchid’s vision04:59- The process and benefits17:20 - Noor explains why Orchid was developed22:00- Criticism and skepticism around genetic screening36:21 - Does IVF need to change?44:00 - “The moral status of the embryo”53:36 - How does this technology change us?(A full transcript of this episode is available on the Times website.) Thoughts? Email us at interestingtimes@nytimes.com. Please subscribe to our YouTube Channel, Interesting Times with Ross Douthat. 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.

    1h 3m
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About

The first draft of our future. Mapping the new world order through interviews and conversations. Every Thursday, from New York Times Opinion. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Information

  • Channel
    The New York Times
  • Creator
    New York Times Opinion
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2025
  • Episodes
    30
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2018-2025 THE NEW YORK TIMES COMPANY; The New York Times encourages the use of RSS feeds for personal use in a news reader or as part of a non-commercial blog, subject to your agreement to our Terms of Service.
  • Show Website
    Interesting Times with Ross Douthat
  • Provider
    The New York Times Company

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