Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchThe AI Revolution Could Be Bigger and Weirder Than We Can Imagine
Season 2 Episode 23
Derek unpacks his thoughts about GPT-4 and what it means to be, possibly, at the dawn of a sea change in technology. Then, he talks to Charlie Warzel…
3 years, 4 months ago
MAILBAG: Why Does the Internet Make Us Depressed? Where Does Good Writing Come From? Is College Worth It Anymore?
Season 2 Episode 22
Derek answers your burning questions in a special mailbag episode!
If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at Plai…
3 years, 4 months ago
The SVB Debacle: The Biggest Myths, the Out-of-Control Blame Game, and the Worst Takes
Season 2 Episode 21
Derek welcomes back the economic roundtable of Michael Batnick and Ben Carlson, cohosts of the 'Animal Spirits' podcast, to debate who killed Silicon…
3 years, 4 months ago
Silicon Valley Bank Collapse FAQ: Whose Fault Is It? How Can We Stop a Bank Panic? What Comes Next?
Season 2 Episode 20
RIP, SVB. America's 16th-largest bank was just destroyed by the largest bank run in U.S. history. To talk about what happened and what happens next, …
3 years, 4 months ago
"Industrial Policy" Is the Hottest Idea in Economics. What Could Go Wrong?
Season 2 Episode 19
Under President Biden, the U.S. is pivoting toward what some people call “industrial policy”—that is, using the government to support key industries,…
3 years, 4 months ago
How the Media Failed Its COVID Test: The Truth Behind the Lab Leak and Masking Debates
Season 2 Episode 18
Today’s episode is a long one: It’s about the debate over media coverage of COVID. Three years after the fateful March of 2020, when it feels like th…
3 years, 4 months ago
Why Are American Teens So Unhappy? How Do We Solve This Crisis?
Season 2 Episode 17
This is our second installment of happiness week on the Plain English podcast. On Tuesday, I spoke with the directors of the Harvard Study of Adult D…
3 years, 4 months ago
Happiness in America, Part 1: The Secret to a 'Good Life,' According to an 80-Year Study
Season 2 Episode 16
Americans have never had more access to social technology. It’s easier to talk to friends and family members hundreds of miles away; easier to see th…
3 years, 4 months ago
The Science of How Music Hits Have Changed in the Last 60 Years
Season 2 Episode 15
How does technology shape art? Why has songwriting become more of a visual skill in the 21st century? Why are today's hit songs shorter than songs fr…
3 years, 5 months ago
Bing Chatbot Gone Wild and Why AI Could Be the Story of the Decade
Season 2 Episode 14
Large language models like ChatGPT and Bing’s chatbot can tell stories. They can analyze the effects of agricultural AI on American and Chinese farms…
3 years, 5 months ago