Frames of Space

Katherine Dee is an internet culture reporter who writes the Substack "default.blog," which observes the quirks and tendencies of various subcultures on social media. In this episode, I got a chance to talk with her about her history covering different facets of the internet, how she approaches AI, and the different incentives of online interaction compared to in-person interaction. Show Notes "The Billionaire, the Influencer and their Baby" by Katherine Dee, Wisdom of Crowds "Internet Overexposure Syndrome" by Katherine Dee, Comment

Jessica Grose is an opinion writer for The New York Times. What I admire about Jessica's writing is that she doesn’t just cover politics as a horse race or culture as a meme war; she zooms into the kitchen tables, classrooms, and waiting rooms where policy choices land on real bodies. Her beat is ​parenthood and education, faith and loneliness, COVID aftershocks and TikTok doom-scrolls — basically, all the places where our ideals crash into our everyday lives. In this episode, I got a chance to speak with her about how our social media has been affecting kids, how student performance has changed in recent years, and the ways that modern medicine has become a victim of its own success. Show Notes "Parents Don’t Know It but K-12 Students Are Falling Into ‘the Honesty Gap’" by Jessica Grose, The New York Times "Measles, MAHA Moms and Robert F. Kennedy Jr." from The Opinions

Micah Sifry is a writer and organizer behind the Substack "The Connector." He has decades of experience in covering how technology is changing politics, and how to participate productively in the political process. In this episode, I got a chance to talk with him about the history of mass protests in the US, the recent authoritarian cuts to government spending, and public perceptions of government service. Show Notes "A Different Kind of Anti-Trump Resistance Is Brewing" by Micah Sifry, The New York Times

Announcement: this podcast will be publishing episodes twice as often as before (so every single week on Thursdays) for the next several weeks at least, and hopefully for longer. Count yourself lucky in that regard :) Noah Smith is an economist who writes the Substack "Noahpinion" and co-hosts the podcast "Econ 102." He is known for his commentary on economic issues like inflation, trade policy, deficit spending, and more. In this episode, I got a chance to speak with him about Trump's latest tariffs, how harmful they will be for all of us, and how the economic world order is changing.

Cathy Reisenwitz writes the Substack "Sex and the State," which covers the intersection between feminism, sex advocacy, and how our society shapes our perception of gender roles. In this episode, I got a chance to talk with her about her upbringing as an Evangelical, how her views on gender and sex have changed over time, and the tension between our desire for rigid structure and our desire for autonomy. Show Notes "How to fight fascism" by Cathy Reisenwitz, Sex and the State "Politics, Sex, and Sexuality: The Growing Gender Divide in American Life" from Survey Center on American Life "Our intelligentsia has abandoned our illiterati" by Cathy Reisenwitz, Sex and the State

Shauna Daly is the co-founder of the Substack "Young Men Research Initiative," which covers how people can reach out to young men who are increasingly drifting rightward. In this episode, I got a chance to talk with her about the ways that young men are lacking a script for what type of person they should be, the recent decline in romantic relationships between young men and women, and which masculine-coded traits might be worth promoting in the future. Show Notes "What’s Love (And Sex and Porn) Got to Do With Elections?" by Young Men Research Project Timestamps 00:00 Graceful Dialogue on Gender Issues 10:37 Gen Z's Growing Political Divide 16:09 How Digital Media Consumption Affects the Gender Divide 22:55 Changing Gender Roles and Economic Disparities 27:31 Rethinking Gender Performance Differences 33:13 Diversity Enhances Health and Connection 37:32 Marriage and Population Policy Debate 42:41 The Right-Wing Ideological Divide 49:38 Balancing Gender Equality and Modern Masculinity 53:18 Reimagining Modern Masculinity 59:30 Negativity in the Left's Sex Discourse 01:07:25 Election Trends and Gender Attitudes 01:11:21 Condemning Blatant Misogyny Check out my Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/c/FramesofSpace

In this discussion, Erik Engheim, a writer for 'Erik Explores' who examines politics and culture from a Nordic viewpoint, reveals his surprising misjudgment of Trump supporters. He apologizes for previously viewing them as morally lacking, shedding light on their emotional motivations like joy and loyalty. The conversation delves into the psychology behind political loyalties, the impact of social media, and the need for open dialogue in a polarized climate. Engheim also reflects on the complexities of political identity and the importance of understanding diverse perspectives.

Lauren Harper Pope, co-founder of WelcomePAC and a political commentator, shares her insights on the importance of centrist Democratic candidates in swing districts. She discusses political polarization and advocates for engaging politically disengaged voters as a means to restore democracy. The conversation also touches on the need for bipartisanship and empathy in bridging divides, as well as the role of community-focused strategies in supporting candidates. Pope emphasizes the urgency of adapting to a changing political landscape while maintaining inclusivity.

Robin Hanson, an associate professor of economics at George Mason University, shares insightful perspectives on the troubling decline in fertility rates. He connects this issue to cultural drift, discussing how evolving norms impact population stability. The conversation touches on significant factors like education and urbanization influencing birth rates. Hanson provocatively suggests that reforms in education could play a role in addressing these trends, while examining the delicate balance of evolving cultural values and their implications for society.

Greg Sargent, a staff writer at The New Republic and host of "The Daily Blast," delves into the shifting political landscape surrounding immigration and electoral strategies. He discusses how the Democratic Party's miscalculations have affected Latino voter support and the challenges they face ahead of the 2024 elections. The conversation includes speculative immigration policies under a second Trump administration, the need for a fresh approach to voter turnout, and the impact of Trump's campaign promises on various demographics.