The case for regret

Sean Illing talks with writer Daniel Pink about his book The Power of Regret. They discuss why regret can be not only useful, but potentially the most valuable emotion we have. Daniel and Sean talk about the difference between regret and “wallowing,” how to anticipate regrets and act accordingly, and Daniel shares his findings on the regrets that Americans most have in common.

Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling), Interviews Writer, Vox

Guest: Daniel Pink (@DanielPink), author

References: 

• The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward by Daniel H. Pink (Riverhead; 2022)
• Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by Kristin Neff (William Morrow; 2015)
• The Art and Science of Personality Development by Dan P. McAdams (Guilford; 2016)

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This episode was made by: 

• Producer: Erikk Geannikis
• Editor: Amy Drozdowska
• Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall

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The War in Ukraine, Explained — Part 2: Sanctions

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is one of the biggest and most confusing political events of our lifetimes. We aim to bring some clarity in this special four-part series from Vox Conversations and host Zack Beauchamp, The War in Ukraine, Explained.

In part two, Zack speaks with Dan Drezner, international relations professor and columnist for the Washington Post, about the massive slate of sanctions imposed upon Russia by the United States and other Western countries in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion. They discuss how the sanctions actually affect the Kremlin and Russian citizens, the ripple effects on the larger global economy, and whether or not these sanctions signal a new global economic order.

Host: Zack Beauchamp (@zackbeauchamp), Senior Correspondent, Vox

Guest: Daniel Drezner (@dandrezner), columnist, Washington Post; professor, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University

References: 

• “How robust is the global opposition to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?” by Daniel W. Drezner (Washington Post; March 29)
• Theories of International Politics and Zombies by Daniel W. Drezner (Princeton; 2014)
• The Sanctions Paradox: Economic Statecraft and International Relations by Daniel W. Drezner (Cambridge; 2010)
• “The World Is Splitting in Two” by Michael Schuman (Atlantic; March 28)
• The Economic Weapon: The Rise of Sanctions as a Tool of Modern War by Nicholas Mulder (Yale; 2022)

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This episode was made by: 

• Producer: Erikk Geannikis
• Editor: Amy Drozdowska
• Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall

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The spirituality of parenting

Sean Illing talks with the author and self-described mystic David Spangler about parenting as a spiritual enterprise, where the parent communes in a radical way with the spirit of another and expands the limits of the self. They discuss what it means to adopt the “beginner’s mindset” in parenting, relating to children as full individuals, and how to cope with obstacles that all parents experience — from misbegotten family dinners, to the perils of getting dressed in the morning.

Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling), Interviews Writer, Vox

Guest: David Spangler, spiritual director, Lorian Institute

References: 

• Parent as Mystic, Mystic as Parent by David Spangler (Riverhead; 2000)

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This episode was made by: 

• Producer: Erikk Geannikis
• Editor: Amy Drozdowska
• Engineer: Paul Robert Mounsey
• Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall

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The War in Ukraine, Explained — Part 1: Why did Putin go to war?

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is one of the biggest and most confusing political events of our lifetimes. We aim to bring some clarity in this special four-part series from Vox Conversations and host Zack Beauchamp, The War in Ukraine, Explained.

In part one, Zack speaks with political scientist Yoshiko Herrera about the country responsible for the war: Russia. They explore why Vladimir Putin decided to launch the invasion, what Russians think about the war, and how this conflict might change Russia’s future.

Host: Zack Beauchamp (@zackbeauchamp), Senior Correspondent, Vox

Guest: Yoshiko Herrera (@yoshikoherrera), professor of political science, University of Wisconsin-Madison

References: 

• “9 big questions about Russia’s war in Ukraine, answered” by Zack Beauchamp (Vox; Mar. 30)
• “The Bully in the Bubble: Putin and the Perils of Information Isolation” by Adam E. Casey and Seva Gunitsky (Foreign Affairs; Feb. 4)

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This episode was made by: 

• Producer: Erikk Geannikis
• Editor: Amy Drozdowska
• Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall

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What happened to American conservatism?

Vox’s Jamil Smith talks with Charlie Sykes — journalist, author, stalwart “never Trumper,” and a founder and editor-at-large of The Bulwark. They talk about the Republican response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the attraction of some self-professed conservatives to Vladimir Putin, the efforts by Republican lawmakers to ban books and topics from schools, and the devolution of conservative values within the post-Trump GOP.

Host: Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith), Senior Correspondent, Vox

Guest: Charlie Sykes (@SykesCharlie), editor-at-large, The Bulwark

References: 

• “Madison Cawthorn calls Ukraine government ‘evil,’ Zelenskyy ‘a thug’” (WRAL.com; March 10)
• How The Right Lost Its Mind by Charles J. Sykes (St. Martins; 2017)
• “Florida’s Ron DeSantis’s CPAC speech champions pro-Covid policies” by Zeeshan Aleem (MSNBC Opinion; Feb. 25)
• “Trump-endorsed candidates struggling to raise money” by Josh Kraushaar (National Journal; Feb. 2)
• “Mitt Romney warns of ‘extraordinary challenge’ in preserving democracy” by Martin Pengelly (The Guardian; March 15)

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This episode was made by: 

• Producer: Erikk Geannikis
• Editor: Amy Drozdowska
• Engineer: Cristian Ayala
• Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall

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The limits of forgiveness

Sean Illing talks with philosopher Lucy Allais about the nature, power, and limits of forgiveness. They talk about the role of forgiveness in the dissolution of apartheid in Allais’s native South Africa, the distinction between forgiveness and punishment, and the prospect of using forgiveness as a political tool in order to move forward as a polarized democracy.

Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling), Interviews Writer, Vox

Guest: Lucy Allais, professor of philosophy, University of Witwatersrand and Johns Hopkins University

References: 

• “Elective Forgiveness” by Lucy Allais (International Journal of Philosophical Studies, v. 21 (5); 2013)
• “Forgiveness and Mercy” by Lucy Allais (South African Journal of Philosophy, v. 27 (1); 2008)
• “Forgiveness and Meaning in Life” by Lucy Allais, in The Oxford Handbook of Meaning in Life, ed. Iddo Landau (Oxford University Press; 2022)

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This episode was made by: 

• Producer: Erikk Geannikis
• Editor: Amy Drozdowska
• Engineer: Sofi LaLonde
• Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall

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The madness behind The Method

Vox’s Alissa Wilkinson talks with cultural critic and author Isaac Butler about his new book, The Method. They discuss the transformation that the craft of acting underwent, tracing its origins from Konstantin Stanislavski in post-revolution Russia, through Hollywood in the mid-twentieth century, up to today. They talk about some of the lesser-known influences and practices associated with The Method, evaluate some touchstone performances in the history of cinema, and speculate about what might happen at this year’s Academy Awards.

Host: Alissa Wilkinson (@alissamarie), film critic and senior culture reporter, Vox

Guests: Isaac Butler (@parabasis), cultural critic, theater director, author

References: 

• The Method: How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act by Isaac Butler (Bloomsbury; 2022)
• “Why the Oscars are so weird about real people roles” by Alissa Wilkinson (Vox; Feb. 22)
• “Remembering Hollywood’s Hays Code, 40 Years On” by Bob Mondello (NPR; Aug. 8, 2008)
• United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. (334 U.S. 131; 1948)

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This episode was made by: 

• Producer: Erikk Geannikis
• Editor: Amy Drozdowska
• Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall

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David Cross is disappointed in you guys

Sean Illing talks with comedian David Cross, well-known for his decades-long stand-up career, as well as for his role on the cult hit TV show Arrested Development. They talk about the relationship between comedy and politics, whether comedy audiences are different than they used to be, what social media has done to us, and about his new special, I’m From the Future, which is available for streaming on David’s website.

Host: Sean Illing (@seanilling), Interviews Writer, Vox

Guest: David Cross (@davidcrosss), comedian & actor

References: 

• David’s special, I’m From the Future (2022), is available for rental on officialdavidcross.com here.
• “David Cross on why his comedy tour pissed off people right and left” by Sean O’Neal (AV Club; Aug. 18, 2016)
• “Comedy’s existential crisis” by Aja Romano (Vox; Feb. 8)

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This episode was made by: 

• Producer: Erikk Geannikis
• Editor: Amy Drozdowska
• Engineer: Paul Robert Mounsey
• Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall

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Author Kiley Reid on why we read novels

Vox’s Constance Grady talks with Kiley Reid, author of the critically-acclaimed novel Such a Fun Age. In this episode, which is a recording of a live Vox Book Club event, they discuss what novels are really for, the ways that we all craft stories in our relationships and personal lives, and the nuanced ways in which Reid takes on race, class, and friendship in her engaging, fast-paced literary debut.

Host: Constance Grady (@constancegrady), staff writer, Vox

Guests: Kiley Reid (@kileyreid), author

References: 

• Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid (G.P. Putnam’s Sons; 2019)
• “The smart political argument behind the satire Such a Fun Age” by Constance Grady (Vox; Nov. 19, 2021)

Enjoyed this episode? Rate Vox Conversations ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.

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This episode was made by: 

• Producer: Erikk Geannikis
• Editor: Amy Drozdowska
• Engineer: Paul Robert Mounsey
• Deputy Editorial Director, Vox Talk: Amber Hall

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