Podcast Episodes
Back to SearchEp. 388: What’s Worrying Jon Haidt Now? + Should You Buy a Landline? (Cal just did…)
Episode 388
Despite some initial skepticism, Jonathan Haidt’s crusade against kids using smartphones has been more or less completely vindicated. Which got us th…
1 month, 3 weeks ago
Ep 387: Can Substack Save Journalism? + Viral Advice for Ignoring Your Phone
Episode 387
Last year, when columnist Paul Krugman left the NYT, it seemed like yet another example of the traditional media crumbling. But Krugman, as it turns …
2 months ago
Ep 386: Was 2025 a Great or Terrible Year for AI? (w/ Ed Zitron)
Episode 386
Ep 386: Was 2025 a Great or Terrible Year for AI? (w/ Ed Zitron)
2025 was a year that was saturated in AI news, from Deep Seek, through claims of eco…
2 months, 1 week ago
Ep 385: Single-Purpose Notebooks (REPLAY)
Episode 385
In this replay of a classic episode from March 2024, Cal discusses his transformative experience using a small analog notebook to tackle a complicate…
2 months, 2 weeks ago
Ep 384: What Should I Read for a Deeper New Year?
Episode 384
In our annual holiday episode, Cal tackles one of the questions he’s asked most often: What should I read? But with a twist. He recommends six books …
2 months, 3 weeks ago
Ep 383: Why Is Everyone Talking About “Against the Machine”? (w/ Tyler Austin Harper)
Episode 383
Earlier this fall, the activist, novelist, and essayist Paul Kingsnorth published an anti-technology polemic called “Against the Machine.” To say it …
3 months ago
Ep. 382: Is the Internet Becoming Television?
Episode 382
Last month, Derek Thompson published an intriguing essay that made waves in technology criticism circles. It was titled: “Everything is Television.” …
3 months, 1 week ago
Ep. Ep 381: Life Advice from Legendary Writers
Episode 381
In today’s episode, Cal reviews some of his favorite advice from legendary writers (plus a bonus piece of advice from his own craft). Within each sug…
3 months, 2 weeks ago
Ep. 380: ChatGPT is Not Alive!
Episode 380
There has been a lot of loose talk online recently about the capabilities of existing AI tools. In this episode, Cal reacts to a specific recent clip…
3 months, 2 weeks ago
Ep. 379: The Flexibility Myth
Episode 379
When companies began instituting return-to-office plans after the pandemic, a disproportionate number of women chose instead to leave the workforce. …
3 months, 3 weeks ago