The Gray Area with Sean Illing

Is America broken?

Feb 2, 2023

Alana Newhouse, editor-in-chief of Tablet magazine and creator of the term 'brokenism,' dives into America's political landscape. She examines the divide between those wanting reform and those advocating for radical change. Newhouse discusses the emotional toll of perceived institutional failures and highlights the need for constructive discourse. Additionally, she explores how technological advancements are reshaping institutions and modern dating, while advocating for a hopeful perspective on reforming political structures amidst growing extremism.

50:31

Episode guests

Alana Newhouse

Highlights

AI Chapters

Episode notes

How Did Everything Break at the Same Time?

00:30

Dogmatism Leads to Extremism

00:37

The Most Interesting Debate

00:41

Intro

3min

Reforming vs. Breaking: The Debate on American Institutions

10min

Navigating Modern Romance: The Tech Influence on Dating

2min

The Impact of Technology on American Institutions

3min

Fractures and Futures: Understanding Brokenism

8min

The Convergence of Extremes in American Politics

4min

Redefining Political Landscapes

19min

Sean Illing speaks with Alana Newhouse, the editor-in-chief of Tablet magazine. They discuss her recent essay on "brokenism," a term she coined in an effort to redefine political divisions in America. Newhouse argues that the most salient divide right now is between those who want to fix the institutions we have and those who want to burn it all down and start fresh.

Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling), host, The Gray Area

Guest: Alana Newhouse (@alananewhouse) editor-in-chief, Tablet

References:

“Brokenism” by Alana Newhouse (Tablet, Nov. 21, 2022)
“Everything is Broken” by Alana Newhouse (Tablet, Jan. 14, 2021)
"See Workers as Workers, Not as a College Credential" by The New York Times Editorial Board (Jan. 28)

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This episode was made by:

Engineer: Patrick Boyd
Editorial Director, Vox Talk: A.M. Hall

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