

Keen On America
Andrew Keen
Nobody asks sharper or more impertinent questions than Andrew Keen. In KEEN ON, Andrew cross-examines the world’s smartest people on politics, economics, history, the environment, and tech. If you want to make sense of our complex world, check out the daily questions and the answers on KEEN ON.
Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best-known technology and politics broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running show How To Fix Democracy and the author of four critically acclaimed books about the future, including the international bestselling CULT OF THE AMATEUR.
Keen On is free to listen to and will remain so. If you want to stay up-to-date on new episodes and support the show please subscribe to Andrew Keen’s Substack. Paid subscribers will soon be able to access exclusive content from our new series Keen On America. keenon.substack.com
Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best-known technology and politics broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running show How To Fix Democracy and the author of four critically acclaimed books about the future, including the international bestselling CULT OF THE AMATEUR.
Keen On is free to listen to and will remain so. If you want to stay up-to-date on new episodes and support the show please subscribe to Andrew Keen’s Substack. Paid subscribers will soon be able to access exclusive content from our new series Keen On America. keenon.substack.com
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 21, 2023 • 40min
How to resurrect the World's Greatest Detective: Sophie Hannah on her latest Agatha Christie sanctioned murder mystery HERCULE POIROT'S SILENT NIGHT
EPISODE 1808: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Sophie Hannah, author of HERCULE POIROT'S SILENT NIGHT, about how to recreate the World's Greatest Detective.Sophie Hannah is a Sunday Times and New York Times bestselling writer of crime fiction, published in forty-nine languages and fifty-one territories. Her books have sold millions of copies worldwide. In 2014, with the blessing of Agatha Christie’s family and estate, Sophie published a new Poirot novel, The Monogram Murders, which was a bestseller in more than fifteen countries. She has since published three more Poirot novels: Closed Casket, The Mystery of Three Quarters and The Killings at Kingfisher Hill, all of which were instant Sunday Times Top Ten bestsellers. Her next Poirot novel will be published in October 2023. Sophie’s murder mystery musical, The Mystery of Mr E – co-written with her friend and composer Annette Armitage – is currently being filmed and will be released as a movie in 2023. The film is directed by Martyn Tott and produced/made by Landrigan Entertainment Ltd. In 2013, Sophie’s novel The Carrier won the Crime Thriller of the Year Award at the Specsavers National Book Awards. She has also published two short story collections and five collections of poetry – the fifth of which, Pessimism for Beginners, was shortlisted for the T S Eliot Award. Her poetry is studied at GCSE, A Level and degree level across the UK. She has published a self-help book called How to Hold a Grudge: From Resentment to Contentment – The Power of Grudges to Transform Your Life. Sophie has recently helped to create a Master’s Degree in Crime and Thriller Writing at the University of Cambridge, for which she is the main teacher and Course Director. She is also the founder of the DREAM AUTHOR coaching programme for writers. She lives with her husband, children and dog in Cambridge, where she is an Honorary Fellow of Lucy Cavendish College.Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Oct 20, 2023 • 34min
In Defense of Place: Seth Kaplan on how to repair American society, one zip code at a time
EPISODE 1807: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Seth Kaplan, author of FRAGILE NEIGHBORHOODS, on how to repair American society, one zip code at a timeSeth D. Kaplan is a leading expert on fragile states. He is a Professorial Lecturer in the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) at Johns Hopkins University, Senior Adviser for the Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT), and consultant to multilateral organizations such as the World Bank, U.S. State Department, U.S. Agency for International Development, and OECD as well as developing country governments and NGOs.Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Oct 20, 2023 • 37min
Should we celebrate or mourn technological abundance? Keith Teare weighs up the costs and benefits of abundant artificial intelligence
EPISODE 1806: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Keith Teare, publisher of the THAT WAS THE WEEK tech newsletter, about the costs and benefits of abundant artificial intelligenceKeith Teare is the founder and CEO of SignalRank Corporation. Previously, he was executive chairman at Accelerated Digital Ventures Ltd., a U.K.-based global investment company focused on startups at all stages. Teare studied at the University of Kent and is the author of “The Easy Net Book” and “Under Siege.” He writes regularly for TechCrunch and publishes the “That Was The Week” newsletter.Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Oct 20, 2023 • 21min
Why Oliver Wendell Holmes' book "Common Law" is most uncommon: Peter Slen on the 1881 legal classic that has profoundly shaped America
EPISODE 1805: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Peter Slen, Executive Producer of the CSPAN series BOOKS THAT SHAPED AMERICA, about Oliver Wendell Holmes' classic text "Common Law", the 1881 book about the law that has most shaped AmericaPeter Slen is the senior executive producer and a host at C-SPAN, a television and radio network known for its unbiased coverage of government proceedings.Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Oct 20, 2023 • 31min
What is it about scientists that makes many of them so consensual and collaborative? Lorraine Daston explains how scientists have learned to cooperate with each other
EPISODE 1804: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Lorraine Daston, author of RIVALS, about how scientists have learned to cooperate with each other over the last 300 yearsProfessor Lorraine Jenifer Daston is the Executive Director of the Max Planck Institute of the History of Science and an Honorary Professor at Humboldt Universitaet. She has done countless research on the history of the natural and human sciences from 16th-19th centuries. She has published on the history of probability and statistics (17th-19th cs.), natural history and natural philosophy (16th-18th cs.), the scientific persona (18th-19th cs.), changing standards of evidence and proof (16th-18thcs.), and the ideals and practices of scientific objectivity (18th-19th cs.). Current research interests include the moral authority of nature, the cognitive passions of wonder and curiosity, scientific drawing, and early modern ways of knowing. After graduating from Harvard University with her Ph.D., she taught at Brandeis University, University of Chicago, and Georg-August Universitat, she settled at the Max Planck Institute of the History of Science. Some of her most notable books, Objectivity, The Empire of Chance, and Wonders and the Order of Nature, which have in culmination earned her Pfizer Prizes and the Bainton Prize. Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Oct 19, 2023 • 23min
Why the American Dream has turned into a nightmare for many Americans: Andrea Dobynes Wagner on life in the United States as a black woman with an invisible disability
EPISODE 1803: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Andrea Dobynes Wagner, a contributor to GOING FOR BROKE, on life in America as a black woman with an invisible disabilityTwenty-six years ago, Andrea Dobynes Wagner didn’t pass her preschool vision test. She was later diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, a group of genetic eye disorders that lead to peripheral vision loss and difficulty seeing at night. Growing up legally blind, doctors warned Andrea that she’d never lead a normal life. They recommended she work a clerical job after high school and live with her parents. Andrea rejected that destiny. She learned to navigate the world with her limited vision and enjoyed a childhood full of academic achievement, sports, dating and friends. In college, she lived independently and by age 24 she bought a house. Today, at 31, Andrea holds multiple advanced degrees and lives with her husband in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.Despite everything Andrea has overcome, one challenge persists: navigating the job market with an invisible disability. Even with laws prohibiting discrimination, people with disabilities face many obstacles to employment. In this piece, Andrea shines a light on the cracks in the system and why she’s devoting her career to advocating for those pushed to the margins.Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Oct 19, 2023 • 37min
Listening Once Again to Prozac: Peter D. Kramer offers a thirty year history of antidepressants and the remaking of the American self
EPISODE 1803: In this KEEN ON show, Peter D. Kramer, author of LISTENING TO PROZAC, offers a thirty year perspective on the history of antidepressants and the remaking of the American selfPeter D. Kramer is the author of eight books, including Against Depression, Should You Leave?, Ordinarily Well, the novels Spectacular Happiness and Death of the Great Man, and the international bestseller Listening to Prozac. His essays, op-eds, and book reviews have appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and elsewhere. Dr. Kramer hosted the public radio program The Infinite Mind and has appeared on the major broadcast news and talk shows, including Today, Good Morning America, the Oprah Winfrey Show, and Fresh Air. For forty years, Dr. Kramer practiced psychiatry in Providence, Rhode Island, where he is Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University. He now writes full time.Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Oct 19, 2023 • 42min
The Impact of Small Things: Best-selling writer and Hollywood actress Annabelle Gurwitch on her experience of taking in a homeless couple in Los Angeles
EPISODE 1802: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to best-selling writer and Hollywood actress Annabelle Gurwitch on her experience of taking in a homeless couple in Los AngelesANNABELLE GURWITCH is a New York Times Bestselling author, actress and activist whose most recent collection of essays "You're Leaving When? Adventures in Downward Mobility" is a 2021 New York Times Favorite Book for Healthy Living, a Good Morning America Must Read and a finalist for The Thurber Prize for American Humor Writing 2022. Annabelle uses personal stories and humor to illuminate issues in the social zeitgeist including "harnessing resilience and learning how life’s disappointments can teach you about the things that matter most” (Tara Parker Pope, New York Times). She's written for The New Yorker, New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Magazine, and Hadassah amongst other publications. Her five books include the New York Times bestseller and Thurber Prize finalist "I See You Made an Effort." She was the longtime cohost of the fan favorite "Dinner & a Movie" on TBS and a regular commentator on NPR. She's performed on the Moth Mainstage, at Carolines on Broadway, and at arts centers around the country. Her acting credits include: "Seinfeld,""Murphy Brown,""Boston Legal," and "Dexter." Once in while she returns to acting playing a rabbi on "Better Things" on FX or a therapist for an FBI agent in Michael Bay’s "Ambulance." Time Magazine featured Annabelle in their “Ten Ideas that are Changing the World” annual series. Her media appearances include: GMA, The Today Show, Real Time with Bill Maher, CBS Early Morning, Oprah, and PBS Newshour. Annabelle is honored to be featured as a notable Southern Jewish author alongside Tony Kushner and Lillian Hellman in the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience in New Orleans. Annabelle has been chronicling living with stage iv lung cancer and inequities in healthcare in the New York Times and Washington Post since her out-of-the-blue diagnosis during covid. She's given patient advocate talks at scientific conferences around the globe including: Vienna, Rome, Singapore, and Brisbane. She co-hosts the podcast, "Tiny Victories," dedicated to appreciating small mercies and minor triumphs on the Maximum Fun Podcast Network. She's guest lectured,taught essay writing and storytelling at The School of the New York Times, University of CA Redlands graduate writing program, Miami Dade Community College, Thurber House, George Washington U, Maine Media College, and University of Dayton, Ohio. Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Oct 18, 2023 • 28min
Are handheld video games a valuable kind of art or are they a worthless technological curse? Jon Doyle celebrates the glory years of video gaming when handheld devices provided their users with a simultaneously social and intimate experience
EPISODE 1801: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Jon Doyle, CEO of LOST IN CULT, about the glory years of video gaming when handheld devices provided their users with a simultaneously social and intimate experience.Jon Doyle is an award-winning creative director and designer specializing in product concept and development. Creator of the smash hit gaming journal [lock-on], Jon Doyle has coordinated projects with clients such as PlayStation, SEGA, Walt Disney, HarperCollins, Netflix, and more. Since founding Lost In Cult in 2020, his creative studio has become an industry leader in delivering high-quality and artistically-minded celebrations of the video game medium. Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Oct 18, 2023 • 38min
Didn't we learn anything from COVID? Joe Nocera on why American capitalism needs to be radically reformed if it is to successfully confront the next pandemic
EPISODE 1800: In this KEEN ON show, Andrew talks to Joe Nocera, the co-author of THE BIG FAIL, about why he believes American capitalism needs to be radically reformed if it is to successfully confront the next pandemicJoe Nocera is an op-ed columnist for The New York Times. His previous books include All the Devils Are Here (with Bethany McLean), Good Guys and Bad Guys, and A Piece of the Action. He has won three Gerald Loeb Awards for excellence in business journalism and was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize in 2006. Nocera lives in New York CityNamed as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting KEEN ON, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy show. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe