Exploring the connection between people and their environment: Kim Stanley Robinson's writing is deeply rooted in his personal relationship with nature. His new book, 'The High Sierra, a Love Story', explores this connection and how it has influenced his creativity and writing process.
Learning from this conversation with Kim Stanley Robinson is the importance of connection between people and their environment. Robinson's writing, particularly his science fiction, is known for its deep exploration of the land and geology as characters and contexts. This connection in his fiction is rooted in his personal relationship with the natural world, as seen in his new nonfiction book, "The High Sierra, a Love Story." The author discusses how his writing setup outdoors, in the California Central Valley, has reinvigorated his creativity and writing process. He shares how the change in environment, and the resulting shift in perspective, led him to appreciate the adventure and joy in his writing life. This conversation also touches upon the concept of psychogeology, or the way places shape our thoughts, and how a politics that is more attuned to the land could look and feel. Robinson's unique experiences and insights offer a fresh perspective on the power of place and the importance of nurturing our relationships with the natural world.
A profound connection with nature and the world through LSD: LSD experiences can lead to deep insights and a new appreciation for the world's significance
The speaker's experience with LSD in the High Sierras imbued the world with a deep sense of meaning and significance. The effects of the drug, such as altered visuals and heightened senses, were not the most important part of the experience. Instead, it was the realization that the world was real and full of depth and importance. This experience resonated with the ideas of William James about mystical experiences, which are described as states of insight and revelation. The speaker's later experience in a Swiss village also reminded him of this feeling of eternity and the way that nature can take us outside of our ordinary minds and make us see the world in a new light. The use of psychedelics may have influenced the speaker's fiction by providing a cognitive estrangement, a new perspective on the world that made it feel different and more meaningful.
Exploring reality through psychedelics, Buddhism, and the Sierras: The author's experiences with psychedelics, Buddhism, and the Sierras significantly shaped his perspective on reality and influenced his writing, introducing him to influential thinkers and inspiring him to write about unique settings
The psychedelic experiences of his youth and the exploration of Buddhism, the Sierras, and science fiction significantly shaped the author's perspective on reality and influenced his writing. The psychedelic experiences challenged his understanding of reality and led him to question the nature of existence, leading him to delve into deep philosophical and spiritual concepts. This period in his life also introduced him to the works of influential thinkers like Ram Dass, Aldous Huxley, Gary Snyder, D. T. Suzuki, and Alan Watts, further expanding his intellectual horizons. The author's experiences in the mountains, particularly in the Sierras, also had a profound impact on him, inspiring him to write about these experiences in his novels. The author's unique connection to the geography in his writing sets him apart from other science fiction writers, who often focus more on characters, plot, and ideas rather than settings. Despite this, the author believes that a well-written novel should follow characters through a plot that is situated in a particularized landscape or situation. Overall, these experiences and influences came together to launch the author's writing career and continue to shape his perspective on the world.
The Importance of Vivid Settings and Interconnectedness in Science Fiction: Science fiction writer Kim Stanley Robinson stresses the significance of creating lifelike settings and recognizing the interconnectedness of actors, including humans, non-human entities, and ideas, to make novels engaging and understand our role in shaping the world.
Our connection to the world around us is more complex than we may realize. According to the discussion, science fiction writer Kim Stanley Robinson emphasizes the importance of creating vivid and realistic settings to make novels more engaging. He also introduces the concept of Actor Network Theory, which views the world as a network of interconnected actors, including humans, non-human entities, and even ideas. This theory highlights the importance of recognizing the agency and influence of various actors in shaping our world and our lives. Furthermore, Robinson emphasizes that real change in the world comes not just from individual ideas or actions, but from collaboration and networks of people and things working together. He encourages us to pay attention to the interconnectedness of all things and the ways in which we are influenced by and influence the world around us. Overall, the discussion highlights the importance of recognizing the complexity and interconnectedness of the world and our place within it. By embracing this perspective, we can better understand our role in shaping the world and the importance of collaboration and networks in driving change.
Exploring the impact of environments on our self-perception: Psychogeology examines how specific environments influence our emotions and sense of self-centrality. Mountains can make us feel small, while urban areas can make us feel larger. Cultural influences and the natural vs technological sublime further shape these perceptions.
Our surroundings significantly impact our perception and feeling of self-centrality. Psychogeology, as discussed, is the exploration of these effects. It's the study of how specific environments shape our emotions and sense of insignificance or centrality. Mountains, for instance, can make us feel small due to their immense size, while urban environments can make us feel larger due to the contrast. Cultural influences also play a role, shaping our perceptions of nature and our place within it. The natural sublime, characterized by feelings of beauty and terror, differs from the technological sublime, which comes from our interaction with advanced technology. Understanding these differences can provide valuable insights into the ways our environments shape our experiences and emotions.
The connection to nature and deep time: Nature's deep time perspective can inspire us to address the climate crisis and make positive changes before it's too late.
Our connection to the natural world and the experience of deep time can provide valuable perspective on the human-made world and the challenges we face, particularly in regards to the climate crisis. The feeling of deep time, which is easier to access in places like the Sierras, reminds us of the long history of the planet and the interconnectedness of all living beings. Contrastingly, urban environments like Manhattan, while impressive feats of human cooperation and creativity, lack this sense of deep time and instead embody the human-constructed notion of time. The climate crisis, playing out at planetary scales, may not be experienced as a crisis due to its slow pace, but as it begins to impact us more directly, we have an opportunity to take action and make positive changes before it overwhelms us.
Maintaining urgency in addressing climate change: Human response to crises shows potential, but more action is needed to address climate change, particularly in finance and law, using the concept of 'gear' for preparation, solidarity, and risk understanding.
We're facing multiple crises, including climate change, which could lead to catastrophic consequences if left unchecked. However, the pandemic has shown that when a crisis feels imminent and personally threatening, humans are capable of rapid and significant responses. The challenge is to maintain this sense of urgency and solidarity in addressing climate change, where the risks are equally high but less tangible. The author is encouraged by the accelerating responses to this emergency, including increased investment and dialogue, but warns that more action is needed, particularly at the levels of finance and law. The concept of "gear" from the book, representing the essential tools we need to face challenges, can be applied to our response to climate change. The younger hikers passage in the book emphasizes the importance of preparation, solidarity, and understanding the risks to effectively address crises.
Hiking with excessive gear: A chore instead of enjoyment: Question societal norms and consider minimalism for a harmonious, enjoyable hiking experience, but avoid sacrificing comfort or safety.
Many hikers, particularly the younger ones, unnecessarily burden themselves with excessive gear when backpacking, turning it into a chore rather than an enjoyable experience. This culture of overconsumption, driven by American commerce and societal norms, can lead people to have the wrong preferences for the lives they want to live. Ultralight hiking, which prioritizes minimalist gear, is a response to this trend, and it represents a shift towards harmony with nature through the use of technology. However, it's essential to strike a balance and avoid sacrificing comfort or safety in the pursuit of minimalism. Overall, this discussion highlights the importance of questioning societal norms and considering the impact of consumer culture on our preferences and way of life.
The importance of sophisticated technologies and experiences: Strive for advanced tech that enhances experiences, minimize harm to environment. Focus on intrinsic value of experiences, resist pressure to consume excessively, and seek out engaging, challenging experiences.
Being technological is a fundamental aspect of being human, and we should strive for sophisticated technologies that enhance our experiences while minimizing harm to the environment. Our wants are influenced by society and marketing, but ultimately, they can be traced back to our basic needs as animals, such as the desire for accomplishment and connection. It's essential to recognize and resist the pressure to consume excessively, and instead focus on the intrinsic value of experiences and shared accomplishments. The human brain evolved through generations, and the lifestyle of our ancestors, which was rich in experiences and challenges, played a significant role in shaping our brains. Therefore, it's crucial to seek out experiences that engage and challenge us, rather than relying on external sources for validation and entertainment.
Modern life's substitutes for ancient human desires: Consider what in modern life truly fulfills deeper human needs and what distracts from genuine happiness. Question cultural norms allowing for extreme wealth inequality.
Modern life offers many substitutes for ancient human desires, such as the desire for community and connection around a fire. While these modern alternatives, like watching TV or using social media, can provide some satisfaction, they often fall short of the deeper human needs they were meant to fulfill. The speaker also emphasized the importance of considering what in modern life is truly worth our time and effort, and what may be distracting us from genuine happiness. The technological sublime, or the awe-inspiring power of technology, can be both beautiful and disorienting, as the speaker's experience attending a conference with the Dalai Lama illustrates. Another idea discussed was the need to question the cultural norms that allow for extreme wealth inequality, and the potential for creating a more equitable world.
Reducing income inequality for a happier society: Progressive taxation could help reduce income inequality, leading to increased employment, a greater sense of meaning, and a more cohesive society. Excessive wealth accumulation through positional competition does not necessarily lead to happiness.
The widening income gap and wealth inequality, as seen since the Reagan-Thatcher era, has led to feelings of disconnection and unhappiness for many. Progressive taxation, as proposed by economist Thomas Piketty, could help reduce inequality and create a sense of shared economic status. This could lead to increased employment, a greater sense of meaning in life, and a more cohesive society. Additionally, positional competition among the wealthy can contribute to the accumulation of excessive wealth, which does not necessarily lead to happiness. Instead, a focus on creating a more equitable economic system could benefit individuals and society as a whole.
Structuring society for adequacy: Focusing on ensuring everyone's basic needs are met creates a foundation for happiness and motivation, reducing societal unrest caused by competition for wealth and status.
The endless competition for wealth and status among different income groups creates unhappiness and societal unrest. If we were to structure society with a focus on adequacy as a base for all, reducing the pressure to outdo each other, individuals might find greater contentment. This concept goes beyond the rich putting pressure on the billionaires, and filters down to every income level. The idea is to ensure that everyone's basic needs are met, creating a solid foundation for happiness and motivation. Innovation and great effort can still thrive in this structure, but the focus would shift towards creating a decent social order where people feel valued and part of a team.
The Human Drive to Innovate and Understand the World: Curiosity fuels scientific discoveries, from estimating turtle ages to developing new tech. The scientific method emphasizes evidence and replicability. Motivations include joy, recognition, and improving lives.
The drive to innovate and understand the world around us, whether it be through scientific research or other pursuits, is a fundamental aspect of human nature. This curiosity and quest for knowledge can lead to significant advancements in various fields, from estimating the age of turtles to developing new technologies. The scientific method, which emphasizes the importance of evidence and replicable demonstrations, has been instrumental in driving these discoveries. While the pursuit of prestige and recognition can be a motivator, the primary goal is often the joy and satisfaction of learning new things and contributing to the collective knowledge of humanity. The scientific project is vast and worth supporting, with both positive and negative consequences. Ultimately, it's a human endeavor that aims to make sense of the world around us and improve our lives.
Protecting 30% of Earth's land and oceans by 2030: Encouraging initiatives like 30 by 30 plans offer hope for future by preventing extinction, contributing to carbon reduction, and promoting biodiversity conservation efforts.
There are encouraging initiatives, such as the 30 by 30 plans, which aim to protect 30% of the Earth's land and oceans for wildlife by 2030. These plans, including California's, offer hope for the future by encouraging people to become stewards of the land and animals, preventing extinction, and contributing to both carbon reduction and biodiversity conservation efforts. The progress in climate policy, technological advances, and societal awareness of climate change are also reasons for optimism, despite the challenges we still face. The involvement of young people in decision-making roles and the interest of private capital in climate action are significant indicators of this shift. While we are not yet in the safety zone, the widespread sense of necessity and the progress made in various areas provide reason for hope.
Maintaining an optimistic outlook is crucial for progress: Believing in progress and focusing on solutions, rather than dwelling on challenges, is essential for making a positive impact on the world.
Maintaining an optimistic outlook, even during crises, is a necessary political stance to ensure progress and avert catastrophic outcomes. Optimism, or the belief that things can improve, is essential to fueling our efforts towards saving the world. It's not about ignoring the challenges or being naive, but rather recognizing that progress is possible and necessary. The speaker argues that we should focus on the fact that we have made progress in areas like renewable energy and climate science, and use that as motivation to work harder towards our goals. Additionally, the speaker suggests that the attitude of "it's possible" can open people up to a wider range of solutions, whereas a pessimistic attitude can close off possibilities. The speaker acknowledges that the situation is serious, but emphasizes that we cannot let apocalypticism become an aesthetic or a self-fulfilling prophecy. Instead, we must continue to work towards reducing carbon emissions and finding ways to remove carbon from the atmosphere, as these efforts will become increasingly valuable as the climate continues to change.
Exploring unconventional climate solutions and the realities of aging: Considering CO2 removal methods despite fossil fuel industry ties and embracing life's potentiality and seizing opportunities at any age.
The world is facing an climate emergency, and we may need to consider unconventional solutions like drawing CO2 out of the atmosphere, even if it means supporting the fossil fuel industry in the process. Another surprising thread in the conversation was the topic of aging, with the author expressing appreciation for life and health at 70, but acknowledging the limitations of time. Looking back, the author identified a sense of potentiality and opportunity at 30 that can be lost as we age, but also the importance of seizing the moment. As for book recommendations, Thomas Piketty's "A Brief History of Equality," David Graeber and David Wengrow's "The Dawn of Everything," and Richard Powers' "The Echo Maker" were mentioned for their thought-provoking and speculative perspectives on economics, history, and literature, respectively.
Collaborative Effort from Professionals: High-quality content creation requires a team of experts in fact-checking, music composition, mixing, audience strategy, and more.
The creation of high-quality content involves a collaborative effort from various professionals. This was evident in the discussion where it was mentioned that the video was fact-checked by Michelle Harris, Mary Marge Locker, and Kate Sinclair. The original music was composed by Isaac Jones, and the mixing was done by both Isaac Jones and Sonia Herrero. The audience strategy was handled by Shannon Busta. Special thanks were given to Kristen Lynn, Christina Samilewski, and Jerry Canavan. This demonstrates that each team member brings unique skills and expertise to the table, ensuring the final product is polished, accurate, and engaging for the audience.
A Weird, Wonderful Conversation With Kim Stanley Robinson
Recent Episodes from The Ezra Klein Show
Israel vs. Hamas, Hezbollah, Iran — and Itself
It’s been almost a year since Oct. 7. More than 40,000 Palestinians in Gaza are dead. The hostages are not all home, and it doesn’t look like there will be a cease-fire deal that brings them home anytime soon. Israeli politics is deeply divided, and the country’s international reputation is in tatters. The Palestinian Authority is weak. A war may break out in Lebanon soon. There is no vision for the day after and no theory of what comes next.
So I wanted to talk to David Remnick, the editor of The New Yorker. Remnick has been reporting from Israel for decades and has a deep familiarity and history with both the region and the politics and the people who are driving it. He first profiled Benjamin Netanyahu back in 1998. In 2013, he profiled Naftali Bennett, the politician leading Netanyahu in polls of who Israelis think is best suited to be prime minister. And he recently profiled Yahya Sinwar, the head of Hamas in Gaza.
In this conversation, we talk about what Remnick learned profiling Netanyahu, Bennett and Sinwar, as well as where Israel’s overlapping conflicts with Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, Hezbollah and Iran sit after nearly a year of war. Remnick and I were both recently in Israel and the West Bank, as well as near Israel’s border with Lebanon, and we discuss our impressions from those trips.
Mentioned:
“Notes from Underground” by David Remnick
“The Party Faithful” by David Remnick
“The Outsider” by David Remnick
Book Recommendations:
Hope Against Hope by Nadezhda Mandelstam
These Truths by Jill Lepore
Cosmopolitanism by Kwame Anthony Appiah
Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com.
You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.
This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Elias Isquith. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris, with Kate Sinclair. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld, with additional mixing by Aman Sahota and Isaac Jones. Our senior editor is Claire Gordon. The show’s production team also includes Annie Galvin, Rollin Hu and Kristin Lin. Original music by Isaac Jones. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The executive producer of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.
Zadie Smith on Populists, Frauds and Flip Phones
I stumbled on a Zadie Smith line recently that stopped me in my tracks. She was writing in January 2017, and describing the political stakes of that period — Brexit in the U.K., Trump in the U.S. — and the way you could feel it changing people.
“Millions of more or less amorphous selves will now necessarily find themselves solidifying into protesters, activists, marchers, voters, firebrands, impeachers, lobbyists, soldiers, champions, defenders, historians, experts, critics. You can’t fight fire with air. But equally you can’t fight for a freedom you’ve forgotten how to identify.”
What Smith is describing felt so familiar — how politics can sometimes feel like it demands we put aside our internal conflict, our uncertainty, so we can take a strong position. I see it so often in myself and people around me, and yet I rarely hear it talked about. And Smith’s ability to give language to these kinds of quiet battles inside of ourselves is one reason she’s been one of my favorite writers for years.
Smith is the author of novels, including “White Teeth,” “On Beauty” and “NW,” as well as many essays and short stories. Her latest novel, “The Fraud,” also deals with politics and identity. It’s about a case in 19th-century London, but it has eerie resonances with our current political moment. I wasn’t surprised to learn that Trump and populism were front of mind for her when she wrote it. In this conversation, we discuss what populism is really channeling, why Smith refuses the “bait” of wokeness, how people have been “modified” by smartphones and social media, and more.
This episode contains strong language.
Mentioned:
Feel Free by Zadie Smith
“Fascinated to Presume: In Defense of Fiction” by Zadie Smith
Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman
“Generation Why?” by Zadie Smith
Book Recommendations:
The Director by Daniel Kehlmann
The Rebel’s Clinic by Adam Shatz
Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com.
You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.
This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Annie Galvin. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris, with Kate Sinclair. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld, with additional mixing by Aman Sahota and Efim Shapiro. Our senior editor is Claire Gordon. The show’s production team also includes Rollin Hu, Elias Isquith and Kristin Lin. Original music by Isaac Jones. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The executive producer of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.
The Real ‘Border Czar’ Defends the Biden-Harris Record
Republicans want to label Kamala Harris as the border czar. And by just looking at a chart, you can see why. Border crossings were low when Donald Trump left office. But when President Biden is in the White House, they start shooting up and up — to numbers this country had never seen before, peaking in December 2023. Those numbers have fallen significantly since Biden issued tough new border policies. But that has still left Harris with a major vulnerability. Why didn’t the administration do more sooner? And why did border crossings skyrocket in the first place?
Harris was not the border czar; she had little power over policy. But to the extent that there is a border czar, it’s the secretary of homeland security, Alejandro Mayorkas. So I wanted to have him on the show to explain what’s happened at the border the past few years — the record surge, the administration’s record and what it has revealed about our immigration system.
Book Recommendations:
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead
String Theory by David Foster Wallace
Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com.
You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.
This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Rollin Hu. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris, with Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld. Our senior editor is Claire Gordon. The show’s production team also includes Annie Galvin, Elias Isquith, Kristin Lin and Aman Sahota. Original music by Isaac Jones. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The executive producer of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser. And special thanks to Ariel G. Ruiz Soto, Dara Lind, David Frum, Jason De Léon, Michael Clemens, Natan Last and Steven Camarota.
Harris Had a Theory of Trump, and It Was Right
Tuesday night was the first — perhaps the only — debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. And it proved one of Harris’s stump speech lines right: Turns out she really does know Trump’s type. She had a theory of who Trump was and how he worked, and she used it to take control of the collision. But this was a substantive debate, too. The candidates clashed on abortion, health care, the economy, energy, immigration and more. And so we delve into the policy arguments to untangle what was really being said — and what wasn’t.
Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com.
You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.
This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Claire Gordon. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris, with Kate Sinclair and Jack McCordick. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld. Our senior editor is Claire Gordon. The show’s production team also includes Annie Galvin, Rollin Hu, Elias Isquith, Kristin Lin and Aman Sahota. Original music by Isaac Jones. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The executive producer of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.
The Opinions: A Pro-Life Case for Harris and a Writing Contest With ChatGPT
Our Times Opinion colleagues recently launched a new podcast called “The Opinions.” It’s basically the Opinion page in audio form, so you can hear your favorite Times Opinion columnists and contributing writers in one place, in their own voices.
It’s an eclectic and surprising mix of perspectives, as you’ll see with these two segments we’ve selected for you to enjoy. The first is with the Times Opinion columnist (and friend of the pod) David French, a lifelong conservative who’s staunchly pro-life, on why he’s voting for Kamala Harris this November, and the second is with the novelist Curtis Sittenfeld, who enters into a writing competition of sorts against a new writer on the block — ChatGPT.
Mentioned:
“David French on the Pro-Life Case for Kamala Harris”
“Can You Tell Which Short Story ChatGPT Wrote?”
You can subscribe to “The Opinions” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube, iHeartRadio — or wherever you listen to podcasts.
On Children, Meaning, Media and Psychedelics
I feel that there’s something important missing in our debate over screen time and kids — and even screen time and adults. In the realm of kids and teenagers, there’s so much focus on what studies show or don’t show: How does screen time affect school grades and behavior? Does it carry an increased risk of anxiety or depression?
And while the debate over those questions rages on, a feeling has kept nagging me. What if the problem with screen time isn’t something we can measure?
In June, Jia Tolentino published a great piece in The New Yorker about the blockbuster children’s YouTube channel CoComelon, which seemed as if it was wrestling with the same question. So I invited her on the show, and our conversation ended up going places I never expected. Among other things, we talk about how the decision to have kids relates to doing psychedelics, what kinds of pleasure to seek if you want a good life and how much the debate over screen time and kids might just be adults projecting our own discomfort with our own screen time.
We recorded this episode a few days before the Trump-Biden debate — and before Donald Trump chose JD Vance as his running mate. We then got so swept up in politics coverage we never got a chance to air it. But I am so excited to finally get this one out into the world.
This episode contains strong language.
Mentioned:
“How CoComelon Captures Our Children’s Attention” by Jia Tolentino
“Can Motherhood Be a Mode of Rebellion?” by Jia Tolentino
How to Do Nothing by Jenny Odell
Book Recommendations:
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
In Ascension by Martin MacInnes
When We Cease to Understand the World by Benjamin Labatut
Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com.
You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.
This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Annie Galvin. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris, with Kate Sinclair and Mary Marge Locker. Mixing by Isaac Jones, with Efim Shapiro and Aman Sahota. Our senior editor is Claire Gordon. The show’s production team also includes Jeff Geld, Rollin Hu, Elias Isquith and Kristin Lin. Original music by Isaac Jones. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The executive producer of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser. Special thanks to Sonia Herrero.
Best Of: Tired? Distracted? Burned Out? Listen to This.
I’m convinced that attention is the most important human faculty. Your life, after all, is just the sum total of the things you’ve paid attention to. We lament our attention issues all the time — how distracted we are, how drained we feel, how hard it is to stay focused or present. And yet, while there’s no shortage of advice on how to improve our sleep hygiene or spending habits or physical fitness, there’s hardly any good information about how to build and replenish our capacity for paying attention.
Gloria Mark is a professor at the University of California, Irvine, and the author of the book “Attention Span.” And she’s one of the few people who have deeply studied the way our attention works, how that’s been changing and what we can do to stop frittering away our attention budgets.
This was our first release of 2024, a kind of New Year’s resolutions episode. And since it can sometimes help to be reminded of the intentions with which you began your year — especially in the midst of a high-intensity election season — we thought we’d share it again.
Book recommendations:
“The Challenger Launch Decision” by Diane Vaughan
“The Undoing Project” by Michael Lewis
“The God Equation” by Michio Kaku
Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com.
You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast, and you can find Ezra on Twitter @ezraklein. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.
This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Claire Gordon. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris, Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld. Our senior editor is Claire Gordon. The show’s production team also includes Rollin Hu and Kristin Lin. Original music by Isaac Jones. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The executive producer of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.
Best Of: The Men — and Boys — Are Not Alright
We recently did an episode on the strange new gender politics that have emerged in the 2024 election. But we only briefly touched on the social and economic changes that underlie this new politics — the very real ways boys and men have been falling behind.
In March 2023, though, we dedicated a whole episode to that subject. Our guest was Richard Reeves, the author of the 2022 book “Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do About It,” who recently founded the American Institute for Boys and Men to develop solutions for the gender gap he describes in his research. He argues that you can’t understand inequality in America today without understanding the specific challenges facing men and boys. And I would add that there’s no way to fully understand the politics of this election without understanding that, either. So we’re rerunning this episode, because Reeves’s insights on this feel more relevant than ever.
We discuss how the current education system places boys at a disadvantage, why boys raised in poverty are less likely than girls to escape it, why so many young men look to figures like Jordan Peterson and Andrew Tate for inspiration, what a better social script for masculinity might look like and more.
Mentioned:
"Gender Achievement Gaps in U.S. School Districts" by Sean F. Reardon, Erin M. Fahle, Demetra Kalogrides, Anne Podolsky and Rosalia C. Zarate
"Redshirt the Boys" by Richard Reeves
Book recommendations:
"The Tenuous Attachments of Working-Class Men" by Kathryn Edin, Timothy Nelson, Andrew Cherlin and Robert Francis
Career and Family by Claudia Goldin
The Life of Dad by Anna Machin
Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com.
You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast, and you can find Ezra on Twitter @ezraklein. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.
This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Emefa Agawu, Annie Galvin, Jeff Geld, Rogé Karma and Kristin Lin. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris, Mary Marge Locker and Kate Sinclair. Mixing by Sonia Herrero. Original music by Isaac Jones. Audience strategy by Shannon Busta. The executive producer of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser. Special thanks to Carol Sabouraud and Kristina Samulewski.
Kamala Harris Wants to Win
On Thursday night, Kamala Harris reintroduced herself to America. And by the standards of Democratic convention speeches, this one was pretty unusual. In this conversation I’m joined by my editor, Aaron Retica, to discuss what Harris’s speech reveals about the candidate, the campaign she’s going to run and how she believes she can win in November.
Mentioned:
The Truths We Hold by Kamala Harris
Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com.
You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.
This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced by Claire Gordon. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris, with Jack McCordick. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld, with additional mixing by Aman Sahota. Our senior editor is Claire Gordon. The show’s production team also includes Annie Galvin, Rollin Hu, Elias Isquith and Kristin Lin. Original music by Isaac Jones. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The executive producer of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.
Can the Democratic Party Reclaim Freedom?
Democrats spent the third night of their convention pitching themselves as the party of freedom. In this conversation, my producer Annie Galvin joined me on the show to take a deep look at that messaging. Why do Democrats see an opportunity in this election to seize an idea that Republicans have monopolized for decades? What’s the meaning of “freedom” that Democrats seem to be embracing? And how does this message square with other Democratic Party values, like belief in the ability of government to do good?
Mentioned:
How Democracies Die by Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt
Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com.
You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast. Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-klein-show-book-recs.
This episode of “The Ezra Klein Show” was produced and hosted by Annie Galvin. Fact-checking by Michelle Harris, with Kate Sinclair and Mary Marge Locker. Our senior engineer is Jeff Geld, with additional mixing by Aman Sahota. Our senior editor is Claire Gordon. The show’s production team also includes Rollin Hu, Elias Isquith and Kristin Lin. Original music by Isaac Jones. Audience strategy by Kristina Samulewski and Shannon Busta. The executive producer of New York Times Opinion Audio is Annie-Rose Strasser.
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Songs played in episode:
Snake in the Grass - Black Angels
Links:
038. Author Gabriel D. Roberts, Michael Phillip
Life can be a bastard. It has a way of sucker-punching you in the nethers just when you least expect it, leaving you confused and scrambling for answers. Life gets nasty, period. Death, disease and trauma don’t wait until you’ve fortified yourself with a daily meditation routine, or had some sort of life-affirming existential breakthrough. Most of us learn this truth the hard way- in lieu of a personal, transcendent experience that no one can take away, philosophies and religious creeds often amount to squat when life gets dark.
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Gabriel’s third book, The Quest for Gnosis will be released wherever digital books are sold on March 20. For more information, check out his website and give him plenty of digital smooches via his Facebook and Twitter accounts.
Join the thousands who already support Midwest Real. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook and don’t forget to subscribe and review on Itunes!
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Join the Third Eye Drops wonder lodge and get rewards on Patreon!
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Looking for a link we mentioned? It's here: https://linktr.ee/philosophyforourtimes
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