
The Gray Area with Sean Illing takes a philosophy-minded look at culture, technology, politics, and the world of ideas. Each week, we invite a guest to explore a question or topic that matters. From the the state of democracy, to the struggle with depression and anxiety, to the nature of identity in the digital age, each episode looks for nuance and honesty in the most important conversations of o... more
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 734 | Founded | 10 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | NewsSociety & CulturePoliticsPhilosophy | |||

We all know what awkwardness feels like. It's that jolt of discomfort when the social script breaks down, and no one knows what to do next. But what if awkwardness isn’t a flaw to fix but a window into how we live together?
Sean’s guest today is Ale... more
We use “Orwellian” to describe everything from campus dust-ups to authoritarian crackdowns. But what did George Orwell actually stand for, what did he get wrong, and what can we learn from him about our age of surveillance capitalism and distraction?... more
We all think of ourselves as authors of our lives. The difference between our happy ending and someone else’s tragic one are the choices we each make. But what if none of that’s true?
Sean’s guest today is Robert Sapolsky, a biologist and neuroscien... more
The story we tell about climate change is mostly a story about loss. But look to the data, and that story starts to fall apart. Emissions are peaking in key sectors. Clean energy is scaling faster than anyone predicted. Real progress is happening. It... more
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Fantastic podcast- insightful, thoughtful, curious, and balanced. Covers a wide variety of interesting topics that are contemporary as well as timeless. Sean is a great interviewer who consistently gets smart and enjoyable guests.
The Gray Area with Sean Illing is a tremendous podcast. It’s of particular interest to people who enjoy discussions about philosophy, ethics, literature, psychology and just how to live in this world. Sean Illing is down to earth, an excellent interviewer, and a nice guy. I highly recommend the Gray Area.
I love how high-brow-intellectual yet accessible Sean is. Every episode is a banger.
Love this Podcast. Sean’s conversations/interviews are intelligent, educational, thought provoking, and always on point.
Sean is the best. The Bill McKibben interview is absolutely amazing. Thank you, thank you thank you.
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
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Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
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A thoughtful exploration of complex societal questions is at the heart of this podcast, where topics span from the nuances of democracy and personal identity to pressing cultural challenges and technological advancements. Each episode features a guest expert who shares unique insights, contributing to rich, in-depth discussions that are designed to provoke thought and encourage listeners to reconsider common narratives. The format fosters a philosophical approach to contemporary issues, making it appealing to those looking for a deeper understanding of the world around them. Expect engaging dialogues that not only inform but also inspire critical thinking about current affairs, ethics, and the human experience.
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These podcasts share a similar audience with The Gray Area with Sean Illing:
1. The Ezra Klein Show
2. Explain It to Me
3. Interesting Times with Ross Douthat
4. Today, Explained
5. Unexplainable
The Gray Area with Sean Illing launched 10 years ago and published 734 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 The Gray Area with Sean Illing include:
1. Laura Beers
2. Robert Sapolsky
3. Barbara Walter
4. Charan Ranganath
5. Emily Baker-White
6. Bill McKibben
7. Fara Dabhoiwala
8. Ingrid Robeyns
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