Ep. 388: What’s Worrying Jon Haidt Now? + Should You Buy a Landline? (Cal just did…)
Despite some initial skepticism, Jonathan Haidt’s crusade against kids using smartphones has been more or less completely vindicated. Which got us thinking: what’s he worried about next? In the ideas ...
19 Jan 1h 25min
Ep 387: Can Substack Save Journalism? + Viral Advice for Ignoring Your Phone
Last year, when columnist Paul Krugman left the NYT, it seemed like yet another example of the traditional media crumbling. But Krugman, as it turns out, is doing great. His popular substack now reach...
12 Jan 1h 26min
Ep 386: Was 2025 a Great or Terrible Year for AI? (w/ Ed Zitron)
Ep 386: Was 2025 a Great or Terrible Year for AI? (w/ Ed Zitron) 2025 was a year that was saturated in AI news, from Deep Seek, through claims of economic “bloodbaths,” to GPT-5, Sora, and Chatbot gi...
5 Jan 2h 23min
Ep 385: Single-Purpose Notebooks (REPLAY)
In this replay of a classic episode from March 2024, Cal discusses his transformative experience using a small analog notebook to tackle a complicated problem in his life. He makes the broader argumen...
29 Dec 20251h 11min
Ep 384: What Should I Read for a Deeper New Year?
In our annual holiday episode, Cal tackles one of the questions he’s asked most often: What should I read? But with a twist. He recommends six books that are not from the self-help or advice genre tha...
22 Dec 20251h 18min
Ep 383: Why Is Everyone Talking About “Against the Machine”? (w/ Tyler Austin Harper)
Earlier this fall, the activist, novelist, and essayist Paul Kingsnorth published an anti-technology polemic called “Against the Machine.” To say it hit a nerve is an understatement. In the months tha...
15 Dec 20251h 37min
Ep. 382: Is the Internet Becoming Television?
Last month, Derek Thompson published an intriguing essay that made waves in technology criticism circles. It was titled: “Everything is Television.” In today’s episode, Cal takes a closer look at this...
8 Dec 20251h 15min
Ep. Ep 381: Life Advice from Legendary Writers
In today’s episode, Cal reviews some of his favorite advice from legendary writers (plus a bonus piece of advice from his own craft). Within each suggestion, he finds a general idea that can apply to ...
1 Dec 20251h 40min
