Throughout December and January, we’ve been re-airing some of our favorite episodes of the past year and beyond, and today's episode marks the end of our "best of" series for this year! This list includes interviews that really stuck with me and some others that you guys had tons of feedback and thoughts on … including this one!
“What’s the Matter With America’s Food?” originally aired September 26, 2025.
If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at [email protected].
Host: Derek Thompson
Guests: Julia Belluz and Kevin Hall
Producer: Devon Baroldi

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Throughout December and January, we’re going to be re-airing some of our favorite episodes of the past year and beyond. This list includes interviews that really stuck with me and some others that you guys had tons of feedback and thoughts on … including this one!

“This Is How the AI Bubble Could Burst” originally aired September 23, 2025.

If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at [email protected].

Host: Derek Thompson
Guest: Paul Kedrosky
Producer: Devon Baroldi

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Throughout December and January, we’re going to be re-airing some of our favorite episodes of the past year and beyond. This list includes interviews that really stuck with me and some others that you guys had tons of feedback and thoughts on … including this one!

“The Healthiest "Super-Agers" Have One Thing in Common, According to a 25-Year Study” originally aired August 27th, 2025.

If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at [email protected].

Host: Derek Thompson
Guest: Dr. Sandra Weintraub
Producer: Devon Baroldi

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Throughout December and January, we’re going to be re-airing some of our favorite episodes of the past year and beyond. This list includes interviews that really stuck with me and some others that you guys had tons of feedback and thoughts on … including this one!

“The Modern World Is Changing America’s Personality for the Worse” originally aired August 13, 2025.

If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at [email protected].

Host: Derek Thompson
Guest: John Burn-Murdoch
Producer: Devon Baroldi

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Throughout December and January, we’re going to be re-airing some of our favorite episodes of the past year and beyond. This list includes interviews that really stuck with me and some others that you guys had tons of feedback and thoughts on … including this one!

“If GLP-1 Drugs Are Good for Everything, Should We All Be on Them?” originally aired September 16, 2025.If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at [email protected].

Host: Derek Thompson
Guests: David D’Alessio and Randy Seeley
Producer: Devon Baroldi

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Throughout December and January, we’re going to be re-airing some of our favorite episodes of the past year and beyond. This list includes interviews that really stuck with me and some others that you guys had tons of feedback and thoughts on … including this one!

“What Experts Really Think About Smartphones and Mental Health” originally aired June 4th, 2025.

If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at [email protected].

Host: Derek Thompson
Guest: Jay Van Bavel
Producer: Devon Baroldi

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Throughout December and January, we’re going to be re-airing some of our favorite episodes of the past year and beyond. This list includes interviews that really stuck with me and some others that you guys had tons of feedback and thoughts on … including this one!

“How Gen Z Sees the World” originally aired March 12, 2025.

If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at [email protected].

Host: Derek Thompson
Guest: Kyla Scanlon
Producer: Devon Baroldi

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Throughout December and January, we’re going to be re-airing some of our favorite episodes of the past year and beyond. This list includes interviews that really stuck with me and some others that you guys had tons of feedback and thoughts on … including this one!

“A Grand, Unified Theory of Why Americans Are So Unhealthy” originally aired June 18, 2025.

If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at [email protected].

Host: Derek Thompson

Guests: David Kessler and Eric Topol

Producer: Devon Baroldi

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Throughout December and January, we’re going to be re-airing some of our favorite episodes of the past year and beyond. This list includes interviews that really stuck with me and some others that you guys had tons of feedback and thoughts on … including this one!

“The Antisocial Century” originally aired January 10, 2025.

If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at [email protected].

Host: Derek Thompson

Guest: Nick Epley

Producer: Devon Baroldi

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Throughout December and January, we’re going to be re-airing some of our favorite episodes of the past year and beyond. This list includes interviews that really stuck with me and some others that you guys had tons of feedback and thoughts on … including this one!

“How to Be Happy and the Science of Cognitive Time Travel” originally aired August 9, 2024.

If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at [email protected].

Host: Derek Thompson

Guest: Laurie Santos

Producer: Devon Baroldi

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One of my favorite theories about the modern world is the idea that culture is "stuck." Whether the decline of ornamentation in modern architecture, or the fact that every corporate logo looks the same now, or the fact that Gen Z's favorite television was all made in the 1990s and 2000s, or the sequel fetish in Hollywood, or the theory that old music is eating new music on Spotify, the evidence of cultural stagnation abounds. But is there one grand theory that explains all of it? The psychologist and writer Adam Mastroianni thinks so. He joins Derek to discuss.

If you have questions, observations, or ideas for future episodes, email us at [email protected].

Host: Derek Thompson

Guest: Adam Mastroianni

Producers: Devon Baroldi

Links:
https://www.slowboring.com/p/the-hidden-cause-of-cultural-stagnation
https://www.experimental-history.com/p/the-decline-of-deviance
https://www.astralcodexten.com/p/whither-tartaria
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/12/america-innovation-film-science-business/620858/
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/12/america-really-running-out-original-ideas/621055/
https://www.theatlantic.com/culture/2025/11/blank-space-book-excerpt-culture/685037/

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