On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… ‘tis the damn season. Break out the glitter and the ugly sweaters. If you’re on social media, you’ve probably seen a lot of minimalist holiday décor this year — from celebrities, influencers, and DIY-ers alike. It seems trendy to try “class up” the holidays and eschew the bright and gaudy for the monotone, the understated, or the expensive-looking… but does living in fear of committing a faux pas maybe miss the point?  Kristen Meinzer, culture critic and...

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… cen-suspicions. We’re a little over six years away from the next national census. It’s understandable that this might not be at the top of your mind, but for a small group of academics and activists, it absolutely is.  Race isn’t a real thing, scientifically speaking. But we still live in a heavily racialized society, and the Census sets the stage for many, many policy decisions that impact race equity. So, if race isn’t real, why does the Census act like...

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… atrocities beget atrocities. The war in Gaza is ongoing, and brutal – and on this show we’ve discussed whether you, as an observer, have a responsibility to speak out about it… or to even choose a side between Israelis and Palestinians. This week, we take a different angle: who has a responsibility, in war, to do what? And not do what? And to whom?  Michael Walzer, author and professor emeritus at the Institute for Advanced Study, joins us to argue that...

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… great, but not enough. Mental health is on a lot of minds as we enter the holiday season — a time when we know many people struggle. So this week, we talk candidly about what it means to treat mental illness… and what it should mean, if we want that treatment to be effective, long-lasting, and sensitive. Spoiler: psychiatry and psychology are not the panaceas you might think. Erin Grimm, author and mental health advocate, joins us. ** NOTE: This episode...

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… thanks, but no thanks. Americans are anxiously awaiting their Thanksgiving celebrations this week – for many, with some trepidation. Polls suggest we all know we don’t want to talk about politics around the table… but that most of us will anyway.  With keeping the peace at the front of many minds — and civility always at the front of ours — our guest this week proposes an alternative: be a little bit of a jerk, if you need to. And, if you can… it’s okay to...

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… solving the insolvent. With the threat of a government shutdown looming (again), there are a lot of key programs and initiatives proving contentious for lawmakers. But nobody seems to ever flirt with the idea of cutting – or ending altogether – social security, And maybe it’s time to do just that.  Eric Boehm of Reason Magazine joins us to argue for the end… even the beginning of the end… for social security. If you have thoughts you want to share, or an...

A Jewish writer and Muslim journalist sit down to discuss the power dynamics, tribalism, and role of empathy in a far-away conflict that hits close to home in America.  Guests: Aymann Ismail, Slate staff writer Emily Tamkin, writer and author of The Influence of Soros and Bad Jews. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be...

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… lovable underdogs? For a long time, we’ve been sold — and we’ve bought — the idea of the nerd hero; usually a man, usually brilliant, and usually a social outcast who, inevitably, gets the girl. That was the happy ending. But now, we’re surrounded by powerful, self-styled nerds who have it all and still want more. And, to some, it’s increasingly hard to root for these guys. Ian Bogost, a writer and video game designer, joins us.  If you have thoughts...

To celebrate their third wedding anniversary, Anjali and Rahul are each selecting a surprise activity to do together. This happy couple loves spontaneity, so they’re concerned about someday growing bored in their relationship. They’re also feeling pressure to mark the traditional milestones of marriage, including having kids. On this episode of How To!, authors Caryl and Jay Casbon join us to share the wisdom they gained from interviewing other married couples for their book Side by Side. The...

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… the veil is thin. It’s easy to forget, between the plastic skeletons and cheap chocolate, that Halloween was — and is, for many cultures — very much about the reality of death.  As the Northern Hemisphere goes dormant for the winter, it’s worth remembering that the circle of life includes death. And instead of a punchline or a thing to be feared, we might actually celebrate death, when we can. And who better to consult on how to do that than modern-day...

Our listener Abdullah has reached a plateau. A mid-career manager at a large electronics engineering corporation, he feels intellectually unstimulated. Even though Abdullah has a stable job with seniority, he dreams of going back to school, and pursuing his true passion: economics. But with a family to support, should Abdullah make a risky leap? On this episode of How To!, host Carvell Wallace is joined by Freakonomics co-author and University of Chicago economist Steven Levitt. Well-known...

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… when silence is violence.  The war in Israel and Palestine is a rapidly-evolving situation – and one that’s bringing up a lot of emotions for a lot of people. Couple that with the flood of mis-and-disinformation on social media, and “to post or not to post” becomes an extremely loaded question.  Are you ever required to speak up on social media? Even if you don’t know the whole story? And if you elect not to say anything, is that inherently choosing a side...

Kids generate so…much…stuff. A lot of it is memorable. Videos of their first words? So cute. Colorful drawings that progressively get better? Masterpieces. Trophies, stuffies, books? All valuable. The problem: There’s no way to keep everything. So how do you figure out what to cherish and what to toss? On this episode of How To!, co-hosts Carvell Wallace and Courtney Martin bring in Nonnahs Driskill, professional organizer and founder of Get Organized Already. She has lots of insight into why...

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… I’m just a bill. A lot of Americans will agree, even across party lines, that our democracy feels broken. A commonly proposed solution is beefing up, or formalizing, the way we teach young people civics.  Entities from the Center for American Progress to Vivek Ramaswamy have suggested that it’s time that we get students to know more about their government — in the hopes that knowing more leads to caring more, and engaging more. But by prioritizing civics,...

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… sailing the ocean blue. Most of us just had Monday off for the holiday formerly known as Columbus Day — and technically, still known as Columbus Day, on the federal level. Indigenous People’s Day, or Native Americans’ Day, was christened as a rebuttal to what Columbus actually meant for many: colonialism, violence, death, and destruction. But there are those who believe that Columbus, the man, is a different beast than Columbus, the event. Spanish ships...

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… stretching our legs. We know we like to bring you deep conversations about the biggest topics in the news. But today? Let’s go for a walk. Lots of us picked up this new healthy habit over the course of the pandemic. But walking is still one of those things you either love or really, really hate. So we took our host — an enthusiastic walker — and sat her down with someone who hates it.  Our guest is Lucy Lopez, media personality and host of the Mamacita...

Why is everyone—on the left and the right—suddenly touting the benefits of a married two-parent family? And what is it about this institution that appeals to a certain class of politicians and pundits as means to address American poverty, even as it loses popularity? We consider the public meltdown over lower marriage rates and the renewed interest in ending no-fault divorce.  Guest: Rebecca Traister, author of All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation and...

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… what? Oh my god, who told you? Adoption is a complicated thing. Raising a child who’s not related to you is challenging — and being that child, in many ways, is even harder.  And it’s all too easy for adoption, particularly a white family adopting a black or brown child, to be framed as a heroic act. The truth, as adoptees will tell you, is a lot messier. Angela Tucker, a writer and transracial adoptee, joins us to argue that adoption is traumatic… and...

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… the conscription question. The U.S. military is having trouble meeting recruitment goals — and for the first time in recent history, the Army has actually failed to meet its minimum.  Joe Plenzler, a writer, consultant and Marine Corps veteran, joins us to argue that it’s time to bring back the draft; more specifically, a partial one. It’d help address recruiting shortfalls, but more importantly, it might also change how Americans feel about public...

Following “The Call,” our series on the opioid epidemic continues in Harlem. Inside a safe-consumption site, addiction is destigmatized—outside, however, the neighbors feel differently. Guest: Syderia Asberry-Chresfield, co-founder of the Greater Harlem Coalition and a former Vice President for JP Morgan Chase. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear...

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… popping the question. By The Knot’s estimates, we’re officially entering peak wedding season. And we know there are many, many controversial opinions we could tackle about weddings, but let’s start with that thing that precedes most weddings: the engagement ring.  The ring – especially a diamond one – is an institution that feels like a foregone conclusion for couples taking the next step in their relationship. But does it need to be?  Belinda Luscombe,...

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… supreme hubris. The Supreme Court is currently unpopular to a historic degree. That popularity is, of course, contingent on political opinion – and whether the court has bucked it recently. But most people agree that something’s wrong with the Supreme Court as an institution. And, according to Aaron Tang, it’s not partisanship… even though that’s a popular scapegoat. It’s overconfidence and egos running wild. Professor and author Aaron Tang joins us to...

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… preventing the preventable. At best, the rate of epidemic of drug overdose deaths in this country is slowing — but by many metrics and in many jurisdictions, the situation remains as dire as ever.  Which begs the question: what tactics will work to prevent these deaths, if nothing has yet?  Laura Guzman, Executive Director of the National Harm Reduction Coalition, joins us to say that harm reduction strategies like clean needles, clean pipes, and Narcan...

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… main character syndrome.  As concerts and movie theaters have roared back to life this summer, so has a disturbing trend: bad behavior. You’ve seen the videos, probably — picking fights with neighbors, throwing things onstage, and taking videos during Barbie. Some of these behaviors have higher stakes than others, obviously. But it’s clear that we’re in a new frontier of public behavior… and that it might be more difficult, and more dangerous, to chide our...

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… choosin’ cruisin’.  There seem to be two types of people in this world: those who love going on cruise ships, and those who wouldn’t be caught dead on one. Whichever you are, you probably feel pretty strongly about this. The cruise industry has come roaring back from the brink since the lifting of pandemic restrictions, and there’s never been more to do while you’re at sea. So for the slight majority of you who, statistically, aren’t cruise fans, today’s...