Plain English with Derek Thompson

Release Date

All Episodes

What Kind of a Superpower Is India Becoming?

Today’s episode is all about India.You don’t have to believe that demography is pure destiny to appreciate the fact that the future of India is the future of the world. In 2024, today, India is the largest country by population on the planet, having surpassed China two years ago. ... Show more

. 1h 0min

Health Fads and Fictions: VO2 Max, Supplement Mania, Sunlight, and Immortality

Today's show is a critical look at some of the most popular health fads of the moment, with return guests Steve Magness and Brad Stulberg, from the Growth Equation and the ‘FAREWELL’ podcast. We’re talking VO2 max, the benefits of sunlight, so-called morning and nighttime “stacks ... Show more

. 1h 0min

U.S. Economy FAQ: Skyrocketing Insurance Prices, Stuck Inflation, Higher Rates, and Wrong Experts

Jason Furman, a professor of economics at Harvard, returns to the show to discuss the biggest economic questions of the moment, including:- Why have home and auto insurance prices skyrocketed?- Why did inflation stop falling in 2024?- How did economic experts get their disinflati ... Show more

. 47min 27sec

If the 2024 Election Is So Important, Why Does It Feel So Boring?

"This presidential election is not very interesting, but it is important," the political commentator Josh Barro wrote in his newsletter, 'Very Serious.' Americans certainly seem to agree with the first part. Engagement with political news has been in the dumps, and many Americans ... Show more

. 50min 45sec

A Psychologist Explains Four Reasons the Internet Feels So Broken

Jay Van Bavel is a professor of psychology and neural science at New York University. His lab has published papers on how the internet became a fun-house mirror of extreme political opinions, why the news media has a strong negativity bias, why certain emotions go viral online, w ... Show more

. 53min 31sec