This week, we welcome another friend of the show, Ilya, for a wide-ranging conversation on the evergreen subject of AI. We explore the origins of thought and language, and how early, habitual engagement with AI may atrophy those human capacities. Along the way, we examine a recent case involving a young man in Pennsylvania who used ChatGPT as both therapist and pickup-artist coach—with predictably chaotic results.

This week, friend of the show Evan Barker joins us to discuss the recent ICE-involved shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis, and the subsequent fallout. Evan also fills us in on the details of her new book.

Preorder Evan’s book here: “Nothing Left, Confessions of a Democratic Operative”

While America invades Venezuela, Johnny and Jess discuss looksmaxxing and one of its biggest proponents, an influencer named Clavicular. What’s the nature of beauty? Is Clavicular some modern result of our image-obsessed algorithm culture? Will the world still love us when we’re no longer young and beautiful?

This week we discuss the series of tragedies that shocked the world, all in one weekend: the mysterious shooting at Brown University, the antisemitic terrorist attack on Bondi Beach in Australia, and the horrific murder of Rob Reiner and his wife Michele. We touch on FBI incompetence, father-son dynamics, and our favorite Reiner films.

This week we have a wide-ranging conversation on the malaise of modern relationships, the nature of commitment, happiness vs immediate satisfaction, and how luck plays a role in all of this.

This week we discuss the decline of deviance and what it means for cultural stagnation. Are the kids even cool anymore?

Inspired by Adam Mastroianni’s piece here.

This week we pardon some turkeys and delve deeper into the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein drama and its ever-growing facets: More emails! Establishing back channels between foreign leaders and arms dealers! Honeypots! How much more can our trust in institutions be eroded? Is nothing surprising anymore?

Plus, how to navigate politics at the Thanksgiving table. And our favorite holiday dishes.

This week we discuss the newest Ken Burns documentary, “The American Revolution”, loyalists vs patriots, and the perception of “history” in 2025