Keen On America
Andrew Keen
Nobody asks sharper or more impertinent questions than Andrew Keen. In KEEN ON, Andrew cross-examines the world’s smartest people on politics, economics, history, the environment, and tech. If you want to make sense of our complex world, check out the daily questions and the answers on KEEN ON.
Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best-known technology and politics broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running show How To Fix Democracy and the author of four critically acclaimed books about the future, including the international bestselling CULT OF THE AMATEUR.
Keen On is free to listen to and will remain so. If you want to stay up-to-date on new episodes and support the show, please subscribe to Andrew Keen’s Substack. Paid subscribers will soon be able to access exclusive content from our new series Keen On America – keenon.substack.com
Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best-known technology and politics broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running show How To Fix Democracy and the author of four critically acclaimed books about the future, including the international bestselling CULT OF THE AMATEUR.
Keen On is free to listen to and will remain so. If you want to stay up-to-date on new episodes and support the show, please subscribe to Andrew Keen’s Substack. Paid subscribers will soon be able to access exclusive content from our new series Keen On America – keenon.substack.com
Episodes
Mentioned books
Feb 23, 2026 • 39min
Fresh Hell at 3 AM: Peter Bale on the View of America From Down Under
Peter Bale, a New Zealand–born media executive with senior roles at CNN, Reuters and News Corp, explains why he wakes at 3 AM to check US headlines. He describes Jacinda Ardern’s pandemic leadership and the violent misogyny she faced. He maps a dark, US-amplified undercurrent in New Zealand politics and critiques media failures around Epstein and big newsroom cutbacks.
Feb 22, 2026 • 37min
Different Minds Are Great: David Oppenheimer on the Diversity Principle
David Oppenheimer, UC Berkeley law professor and author of The Diversity Principle, explores the long history and practical value of mixing different backgrounds and viewpoints. He traces ideas from Humboldt and John Stuart Mill to Pauli Murray, tackles critiques like Clarence Thomas’s, and explains how diversity boosts discovery, decision-making, and institutional strength.
Feb 21, 2026 • 38min
The Silicon Gods Must Have Their Blood: How Public Venture Capital Might Kill Venture Capitalism
Keith Teare, serial entrepreneur and newsletter publisher, breaks down Robinhood's move into public venture funds and why 0% carry could upend traditional VC economics. He explains how late-stage secondaries, tender offers, and retail access reshape incentives. They also tackle AI writing academic-level work and a heated debate over tech-driven abundance and who keeps power as automation spreads.
Feb 21, 2026 • 32min
The Dangerous Myth of Neutrality Brian Soucek on Why Universities Should Take Sides
Brian Soucek, Martin Luther King Jr. Chair at UC Davis Law and author of The Opinionated University, argues neutrality is a myth. He explains how silence, policies, names, and hiring still take sides. He warns against flattening higher education, examines external political pressures, and defends mission-driven speech, shared governance, and robust debate on divisive topics.
Feb 20, 2026 • 37min
Progressive Populism Prevails: Charles Derber on How to Fight the Oligarchy
Charles Derber, longtime Boston College sociologist who studies power and democracy, argues populism can be a positive force. He discusses widespread economic anxiety and bipartisan dislike of big corporations. He traces historical populist coalitions and urges a modern, social-democratic alternative to oligarchy. He warns against nostalgia for pre-Trump norms and stresses linking economic grievance to democratic renewal.
Feb 19, 2026 • 41min
He Was Somebody: David Masciotra Remembers Jesse Jackson
David Masciotra, cultural critic and author of I Am Somebody, reflects on Jesse Jackson as a tireless organizer and coalition-builder. He discusses Jackson’s economic justice fights, his presidential runs and push for proportional delegates, his bold debates with figures like David Duke, and the Rainbow Coalition vision that linked race and class.
Feb 18, 2026 • 38min
Books Are Dying (Again): Bethanne Patrick on the Enshittification of the Book Biz
Bethanne Patrick, LA Times book critic and memoirist, maps a shrinking literary landscape. She discusses the Washington Post book layoffs and the loss of broad book criticism. She mourns the decline of mass-market paperbacks and explains why audiobooks are thriving. She also wrestles with AI-generated narration and what platform consolidation means for readers and writers.
Feb 17, 2026 • 39min
Protesting the Protesters: Bruce Robbins on the Protests over Vietnam, Gaza and Minneapolis
Bruce Robbins, Columbia humanities professor and author of Who's Allowed to Protest?, discusses double standards in how protests are treated. He examines accusations that protesters are privileged, comparisons to Vietnam-era dissent, immigration and protest rights, the role of expertise versus anti-elitism, and why campuses like Columbia become flashpoints. Multiple short, vivid conversations explore these contested topics.
Feb 16, 2026 • 40min
Mercy Costs Money: Emily Galvin Almanza on the Price of Criminal Justice in America
Emily Galvin Almanza, a former public defender turned activist and author, exposes how criminal justice tolerates abuse, racial bias, and opaque practices. She discusses staggering misdemeanor caseloads, cash bail’s human cost, local politics as the engine of reform, and how housing and social programs cut crime. Solutions are practical but require political will.
Feb 15, 2026 • 43min
Two Years Till We're Cooked: The Death of White Collar Work and Other Human Things
Keith Teare, serial entrepreneur, investor and publisher of That Was The Week, riffs on the AI moment. He contrasts a water-vs-spiders metaphor, demos building venturebets.io in a day, and explains agentic models like Claude 4.6 and Codex 5.3. He reflects on automation trimming his newsletter work and cites predictions that white-collar roles could vanish within two years.
