
What Could Go Right?
What if instead of being on the brink of disaster, we’re on the cusp of a better world? No one can deny the challenges the world faces, from pandemics to climate change to authoritarianism. But pessimism and despair are too easy a response. Each week, Progress Network Founder Zachary Karabell and Executive Director Emma Varvaloucas convene a diverse panel of experts to discuss the central issues of our era, including sustainability, polarization, work, and the economy, and make the case for a brighter future. They emerge from their conversations with a counterintuitive but informed take: progress is on its way.
Latest episodes

Jun 21, 2024 • 16min
The Progress Report: Repairs to the Ozone & A Global News Roundup
In this week's Progress Report, Zachary and Emma look at a recent study that people are choosing to avoid the news due to its focus on negative stories. Efforts to repair the ozone hole have been successful, demonstrating the potential for positive change in environmental issues. The use of drones in agriculture can reduce pesticide use and have positive environmental and social impacts. Thailand's legalization of same-sex marriage is a positive development for LGBTQ rights in Southeast Asia.What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.orgWatch the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theprogressnetworkAnd follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

9 snips
Jun 19, 2024 • 53min
How to Be a Supercommunicator with Journalist & Author Charles Duhigg
Charles Duhigg, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, discusses supercommunication methods, active listening, and tools for measured responses. The podcast explores bridging communication gaps through storytelling, looping for understanding, and creating psychological safety in group settings. It emphasizes the value of emotional resonance, genuine engagement, and balancing personal experiences in conversations.

Jun 14, 2024 • 17min
The Progress Report: Elections in the EU and A Global News Roundup
In the first episode of our new weekly news podcast, Emma and Zachary look into the recent EU elections, school lunches in America, and how a YouTuber in Cyprus possibly won a seat in European Parliament by accident.What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.orgWatch the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theprogressnetworkAnd follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 12, 2024 • 53min
Progress, Polarization, and Backlash with CNN host Fareed Zakaria
When we hear the word ‘revolution,’ we often think of the bloody conflicts of the past. But what constitutes a modern-day revolution within our current economic system and forms of government? Both parties within American politics have seen cultural revolutions and shifting value sets with each decade. Zachary and Emma discuss these changes with CNN host, journalist, and author Fareed Zakaria. His latest book, ‘Age of Revolutions,’ explores past and present conflicts that define the polarized and unstable age in which we live.What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.orgWatch the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theprogressnetworkAnd follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jun 5, 2024 • 1h 3min
The Social Media Generation with Psychologist Jonathan Haidt
Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist and author, discusses the impact of social media on children's mental health, brain development, and influences of video games on young men. Topics include TV parental guidelines, lack of internet regulations, and the rise of technology-dependent parenting.

May 29, 2024 • 52min
Red, White, and Due: The Polarizing Topic of Taxes with Scholar Vanessa Williamson
Why do people hate taxes but seem proud to pay them? When did taxation in the US become such a lightning rod issue? And are American feelings about taxes unique? Today Zachary and Emma talk to Vanessa Williamson, senior fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution and a senior fellow at the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center. The discussion weaves through taxation, redistribution, and political participation.What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.orgWatch the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theprogressnetworkAnd follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 22, 2024 • 1h 4min
The Poll Miner: Elections and Polling with CEO John Gerzema
How do we properly mine for public opinion? Can we trust polls again? And is there a "secret Biden voter" out there? Zachary and Emma speak with John Gerzema, CEO of The Harris Poll and columnist. The 2024 US presidential election, the mood of America, and major flaws of polling are discussed here today.What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.orgWatch the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theprogressnetworkAnd follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 15, 2024 • 1h 5min
Being Jewish Today with Author & Professor Noah Feldman
What does it mean to be a modern Jew? How do Jews in America handle their relationship to Israel, especially after the atrocities of October 7 and the subsequent war with Hamas? Zachary and Emma speak with Noah Feldman, Harvard professor and author of the new book 'To Be a Jew Today: A New Guide to God, Israel, and the Jewish People.' The Israel-Hamas war, levels of Jewishness, and how Gen Z sees things are talked about in today's conversation.What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.orgWatch the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theprogressnetworkAnd follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 8, 2024 • 57min
America's Next Economy with Natalie Foster
What is the cost of not investing in families in America? How can economic security be guaranteed? Zachary and Emma speak with Natalie Foster, President of the Economic Security Project and author of the new book ‘The Guarantee: Inside the Fight for America’s Next Economy.’ Baby bonds, student loans, why so many Americans dislike dealing with the government, and raising the economic floor are among the topics discussed today.What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.orgWatch the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theprogressnetworkAnd follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

May 1, 2024 • 60min
Veterans and Invisible War: Lessons from Phil Klay
In the modern age of warfare, what does it mean for Americans to enter the armed forces? Zachary and Emma speak with veteran and author Phil Klay about the disconnect many people who serve in our current wars feel when they return back home, as well as the lack of understanding that American civilians have toward the complexities of these conflicts. Yet the military remains a major factor in the government’s budget and in Americans' patriotic pride. This discussion leads to questions about the morals of modern warfare and the care the nation owes to the veterans who have provided their service and the allies who have assisted in our efforts.What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and The Podglomerate.For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.orgWatch the podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/theprogressnetworkAnd follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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