Plain English with Derek Thompson
The Ringer
Longtime Atlantic tech, culture and political writer Derek Thompson cuts through all the noise surrounding the big questions and headlines that matter to you in his new podcast Plain English. Watch Derek and guests engage the news with clear viewpoints and memorable takeaways. New episodes drop every Tuesday and Friday, and if you've got a topic you want discussed, shoot us an email at plainenglish@spotify.com! Subscribe to our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@PlainEnglishwithDerekThompson
Episodes
Mentioned books
281 snips
Mar 27, 2026 • 1h 3min
Anthropic Thinks AI Might Destroy the Economy. It's Building It Anyway.
Jack Clark, Anthropic co-founder and AI policy researcher, dives into the strange tension of building powerful AI while warning about its risks. He explores why job loss is not inevitable, why rich countries seem especially anxious about AI, how agents could become digital colleagues, and why future AI-native firms may do more with far fewer people.
150 snips
Mar 24, 2026 • 1h 5min
America's Tax System Is Broken
Gabriel Zucman, an economist who studies tax inequality and billionaire wealth, digs into why the ultra-rich often pay lower rates than workers. He gets into legal tax avoidance, the long decline of corporate and estate taxes, why wealth taxes have stumbled, and why AI could supercharge wealth concentration worldwide.
241 snips
Mar 20, 2026 • 1h 12min
The Casino-ification of America
McKay Coppins, an Atlantic staff writer covering politics and culture, explores how sports betting exploded from a niche pastime into a force shaping sports, media, and public life. He gets into why betting hooks people so fast. They also examine ad-fueled league turnarounds, abusive fan behavior, prediction markets on war and elections, and the growing push for guardrails.
470 snips
Mar 17, 2026 • 1h 10min
"Yes, AI Is a Bubble. There Is No Question."
Paul Kedrosky, investor and veteran tech-market commentator, makes the case that AI is unmistakably a bubble. He digs into overbuilt chips and data centers, why hyperscalers keep spending, and why markets stopped cheering AI capex. The conversation also explores AI agents, token-hungry coding tools, pressure on software moats, Nvidia’s inference challenge, and the surprising energy boom behind data centers.
112 snips
Mar 13, 2026 • 1h 12min
The Pill That Works Even When You Know It's Fake
Nir Eyal, bestselling author who writes about habits, technology, and belief, explores why fake pills can still ease pain. He gets into nocebo effects, prayer without certainty, and what secular life can borrow from religion. The conversation also follows how beliefs shape confidence, persistence, conflict, and the stories people tell themselves.
245 snips
Mar 10, 2026 • 56min
The Economic Crisis of the Iran War Goes Far Beyond Oil
Rachel Ziemba, geopolitical analyst and founder of Ziemba Insights, explains why the Strait of Hormuz is a tiny choke point with huge consequences. She breaks down how oil, LNG, fertilizers, and critical inputs for chips and plastics can be disrupted. Shortages, insurance and shutdowns ripple into food, semiconductors, and global trade. Possible workarounds and longer-term industrial shifts are explored.
223 snips
Mar 9, 2026 • 1h 4min
"American Democracy as We Know It Might Not Survive This Technology"
Dean Ball, former White House AI policy advisor and technology author, weighs in. He discusses the Anthropic–Pentagon showdown and why labeling companies a supply-chain risk matters. He contrasts Biden and Trump approaches to AI. He warns about state power, privatized public functions, and rapid AI capabilities reshaping democracy.
142 snips
Mar 6, 2026 • 42min
Trump Is Doubling Down on Iran. How Should Democrats Respond?
Ruben Gallego, U.S. senator from Arizona and former Marine, speaks on Iran, immigration, and Democratic strategy. He questions the justification for escalation with Iran. He urges a pragmatic middle ground on immigration and argues a weak national brand lets Democrats experiment. He also discusses pairing affordability with aspiration as a political message.
248 snips
Mar 3, 2026 • 56min
The Four Ways That the Iran War Could End
Karim Sadjadpour, a Carnegie Endowment policy analyst and Iran expert, provides historical context and sharp analysis. He outlines four main future paths for Iran: regime collapse, survival, regional escalation, or gradual evolution. Short takes examine the role of security forces, limits of military strikes to create democracy, and how messy U.S. signaling and planning shape possible outcomes.
320 snips
Feb 27, 2026 • 1h 4min
How Metrics Make Us Miserable
C. Thi Nguyen, philosopher and author of The Score, explores how metrics reshape what we love and why. He recounts rock climbing, academic rankings, and social media to show how scoring systems capture value. Short, sharp takes on why useful numbers can corrupt purposes and how to reclaim activities that matter to you.
