
Enough with the doom and gloom — we’re ready to talk about how America can thrive. Hosted by Washington Post Opinion columnist Megan McArdle, “Reasonably Optimistic” is your weekly conversation about how America can get unstuck and build a better future. Stop feeding your rage and start embracing our possibilities. Episodes drop Wednesdays.
| Publishes | Twice weekly | Episodes | 137 | Founded | 2 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | News CommentaryNewsPolitics | |||

From overdone plastic surgery to open-concept floor plans, we’re designing our lives to look good on camera instead of optimizing for what we need. Influencer culture — and our constant exposure to curated, edited and optimized images — has reshaped ... more
The Supreme Court is supposed to be above politics. But these days, it doesn’t feel that way. From high-stakes rulings to increasingly bitter confirmation hearings, the court has become one of the most divisive institutions in American government. So... more
Anxiety around artificial intelligence is reaching a fever pitch and sparking real-world consequences. Recent violent incidents tied to opposition against data centers highlight growing public backlash, while Anthropic’s new model, Mythos, raises ala... more
Host Megan McArdle breaks down why the corporate tax system is so complex, costly and potentially inefficient — and explores a bold idea: What if we eliminated it altogether? From hidden economic trade-offs to who really pays corporate taxes, this ep... more
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Unfollowing because of casino ads.
deserves much better production quality on the YouTube side! Did all the video people get fired too??
This show was first presented as a positive spin on news of today. However, after listening to a few episodes, it is quite clear that this show is just conservative talk points being repackaged centrist view. Most of the guests are using bad data, as well as lack of data to Boyster their point of use and really should have no place in the public form or the market of ideas. It is quite clear that this is very much part of the continuum of death spiral of the Washington Post.
It sounded like what I could use… Except one star it’s owned by Jeff Bezos… See you later
I hope this is a real actual attempt at center politics and it would help if the host didn’t use the regular dog whistles to undermine the current admin. You can just say for example trump held schools accountable for becoming racist and politicized in a post 10/7 world based on our countrys civil rights laws. Instead of “ he attacked. Or went after.” It’s just not helpful and doesn’t educate the audience on what actually happened. Kudos for this endeavor I hope the host can actually be center f... more
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This podcast focuses on contrasting narratives surrounding current events and societal progress, often challenging pessimistic views prevalent in media. With engaging discussions spanning a variety of topics from economics and American history to personal growth and the influence of technology, listeners are invited to explore how innovative ideas can lead to a more optimistic outlook on the future of America. The host, known for her perspective and insights, often interviews a range of guests including politicians, economists, and cultural commentators, making for diverse and thought-provoking episodes that aim to inspire hope rather than despair, while addressing significant issues affecting society.
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These podcasts share a similar audience with Reasonably Optimistic:
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5. Radio Atlantic
Reasonably Optimistic launched 2 years ago and published 137 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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Recent guests on Reasonably Optimistic include:
1. Sarah Isgur
2. Damir Marusic
3. Leah Libresco Sargeant
4. Dean Ball
5. Ashish Jha
6. Daniel Diermeier
7. Christian Keil
8. David Ignatius
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