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Interesting Times

New York Times Opinion
Donald Trump
Democratic Party
2024 Presidential Election
Republican Party
Kamala Harris
Immigration
Joe Biden
Artificial Intelligence
2024 Election
Trump Administration
United States
Christianity
Trumpism
Populism
JD Vance
Abortion
Iran
Immigration Policy
Nikki Haley
American Democracy

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, Spotify and Amazon Music. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, downlo... more

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes216Founded8 years ago
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Artwork for Interesting Times

Latest Episodes

The Trump administration wants to accelerate the use of artificial intelligence for scientific discovery. But can its plan succeed without prioritizing universities?

Guest host Tyler Cowen speaks with Michael Kratsios, President Trump’s top science ... more

Dwarkesh Patel is one of the most important voices in the artificial intelligence world. Deeply embedded in San Francisco’s tech community, he has interviewed nearly every tech chief executive at length.

This week’s guest host, Tyler Cowen, a profes... more

YouTube

Literacy is declining sharply across the West. In the era of vertical video, who has the time or concentration to read a long article — let alone a whole book?

As we lose the ability to read long-form text, we might also be losing the capacity for d... more

YouTube

Nick Bostrom rose to prominence for predicting artificial intelligence doom more than a decade ago — garnering support from figures like Elon Musk, Sam Altman and Bill Gates. But now he’s retreating from those warnings, focusing his attention on a mo... more

YouTube

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Michael Kratsios
White House science and technology adviser and author of the science policy blueprint discussed
The White House
Episode: ‘A Golden Age of Science’ Brought to You by the White House
Tyler Cowen
Professor of economics at George Mason University and guest host
George Mason University
Episode: What the Frontier Labs Know That We Don’t
Dwarkesh Patel
Host of the Dwarkesh Podcast and interviewer of technology leaders
Dwarkesh Podcast
Episode: What the Frontier Labs Know That We Don’t
Nick Bostrom
Philosopher and author of Superintelligence and Deep Utopia; former director of the Future of Humanity Institute.
Future of Humanity Institute
Episode: We Are Clueless About What’s Coming
Richard Pildes
Law professor at New York University specializing in election law
New York University
Episode: How Worried Should We Be About the Midterm Elections?
Jack Goldsmith
Professor of Harvard Law School, former White House Counsel
Harvard Law School
Episode: Trump Is Getting Even Richer. Is That a Crime?
Ross Douthat
Columnist and author, The New York Times Opinion; former Atlantic blogger
The New York Times Opinion / The Atlantic
Episode: Ross Douthat and Ezra Klein on the Art of Persuasion
Bryan Johnson
Founder/CEO of Project Blueprint, longevity entrepreneur
Project Blueprint
Episode: Bryan Johnson’s Blueprint for a 150-Year Life: Is It Worth It?
Scott Galloway
Professor at NYU Stern School of Business; impresario behind Prof G Media Universe; author of Notes on Being a Man
New York University; Prof G Media Universe
Episode: Scott Galloway: America Abandoned Its ‘Unremarkable’ Young Men

Host

Ross Douthat
Host of Interesting Times with Ross Douthat

Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars from 11.2k ratings
  • Goodbye Ross

    And thanks for nothing. This show is now better without you.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Rainbow Stalin
    United States12 days ago
  • Good info, but so pompous!

    These two are highly educated. And they certainly want you to know it. The woman constantly snorts when she says something she thinks is brilliant. The man speaks extremely fast, probably to impress us with the rate at which he thinks. The info was good. I wish I could’ve just read it. Which is ironic.

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    Ex WWF Lover
    United States19 days ago
  • Needs a clear vision for this next chapter

    I really miss Ross for many reasons. He had a vision for what this show was and how it would advance thinking over time. He had a clear worldview, but also a genuine curiosity for the other side that kept the conversation deepening and advancing. You felt like you were moving to a point in each episode, without Ross himself making a direct argument and without any disrespectful “gotchas.” The new guest speaker format seems like an audition for a new host, and I haven’t liked any of the shows muc... more

    Apple Podcasts
    3
    All the good nicknames are taken.
    United States19 days ago
  • Almost unlistenable

    Latest on literacy is annoying because both host (and guest) start their sentences several times over. Such as …

    “I want, want, want ask you about, about the, er, book, er, the book that, er, people have, people have, have said … “

    For pity’s sake, just think, then speak.

    It’s a shame because the actual tones of voice are quite pleasing. But the continual restarting. No can do.

    Apple Podcasts
    2
    doublledd
    Australia19 days ago
  • Klavan

    Great guest host, like hear more from him.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    JMWmontana
    United States25 days ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Audience seems to value rigorous, sometimes provocative discourse.
Listeners appreciate thoughtful analysis even when they disagree with the host or guests.
Host critiques guests with discipline, which can polarize opinions.
Shows deep, nuanced conversations that push guests to think critically.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#119
United States/News
Apple Podcasts
#161
Canada/News
Apple Podcasts
#187
United Kingdom/News
Apple Podcasts
#176
Germany/News
Apple Podcasts
#218
France/News
Apple Podcasts
#233
Australia/News

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

We Are Clueless About What’s Coming
Q: Can you lay that out for us? What does it look like if this goes well?
Bostrom describes rapid technological progress toward possibilities such as advanced virtual reality, cures for aging and space colonies. In a “solved world,” machines handle productive work, prompting people to reconsider purpose, leisure and which values remain meaningful.
We Are Clueless About What’s Coming
Q: Can you walk us through the process of assigning a number to a probability like that? Is there a math behind it or how does that work?
Bostrom says these probabilities express subjective uncertainty rather than calculations from agreed assumptions. He believes the transition to machine superintelligence carries real risks, including existential risks.
How Worried Should We Be About the Midterm Elections?
Q: Can the midterms be stolen?
Pildes calls “stolen” an extreme description, but says disruptions and doubts are possible. He raises concerns about federal agents at polling locations, attempts to seize ballots or voting machines, and local officials refusing to certify results. He expects courts to intervene if such actions occur and notes that many federal attempts to change voting rules have been blocked.
How Worried Should We Be About the Midterm Elections?
Q: What exactly does an era of democratic dissatisfaction mean, and how does distrust in the electoral process play into this disillusionment?
Pildes says many Western democracies have seen voters repeatedly replace one governing party with another, only to remain dissatisfied. He links that pattern to a belief that democratic governments are less effective at addressing major public concerns, which feeds anger and suspicion toward election processes.
What the Frontier Labs Know That We Don’t
Q: Do you think AI therapists are a good idea?
Patel supports AI as an accessible source of mentorship and life coaching, but is unsure whether unlimited AI therapy focused on examining emotions would be healthy.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Interesting Times

What is Interesting Times about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful, high-signal interview show that hosts in-depth conversations with prominent figures across politics, economics, technology, culture, and philosophy. Episodes frequently explore big-picture themes such as governance, national identity, democratic ideas, defense and foreign policy, AI and future tech, and social change, all through nuanced, long-form dialogue. The host is known for probing questions and pushing guests to articulate underlying assumptions, which makes the series a clear choice for listeners who want rigorous exploration of complex issues. Noteworthy is the mix of policy wonkery, cultural critique, and boundary-pushing topics like human enhancement and longevity, often featuring guests who shape public discourse a... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Interesting Times?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Interesting Times:

1. The Ezra Klein Show
2. The Opinions
3. The Daily
4. The Interview
5. Hard Fork

How many episodes of Interesting Times are there?

Interesting Times launched 8 years ago and published 216 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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What guests have appeared on Interesting Times?

Recent guests on Interesting Times include:

1. Michael Kratsios
2. Tyler Cowen
3. Dwarkesh Patel
4. Nick Bostrom
5. Richard Pildes
6. Jack Goldsmith
7. Ross Douthat
8. Bryan Johnson

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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