Claire Gordon

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah.

But to start with, short, simple, sweet, from Juna Elena Amia, why are you a liberal and not a democratic socialist?

But to start with, short, simple, sweet, from Juna Elena Amia, why are you a liberal and not a democratic socialist?

Last question on politics from Matthew Davidoff. I've heard you argue very convincingly against the filibuster. Now we're set to have a Trump-controlled or Trump-friendly majority in all three branches. Has your opinion changed at all?

Last question on politics from Matthew Davidoff. I've heard you argue very convincingly against the filibuster. Now we're set to have a Trump-controlled or Trump-friendly majority in all three branches. Has your opinion changed at all?

Isn't that a good table setting?

Isn't that a good table setting?

Moving on from politics. No more politics. This question from Matt Holmes. That was great. What are the things you enjoy about being a father? The context is he's 33. He's never had the desire to have kids.

Moving on from politics. No more politics. This question from Matt Holmes. That was great. What are the things you enjoy about being a father? The context is he's 33. He's never had the desire to have kids.

He says that he's listened to three of our episodes on the topic of children, and he heard the things that you said about the way children are wonderful, your son is the nicest person to you, all this touching stuff, but still can't see how the pros outweigh the cons for his life. But it seems like he really actually just wants to be persuaded. He says, I want to be wrong. Please help.

He says that he's listened to three of our episodes on the topic of children, and he heard the things that you said about the way children are wonderful, your son is the nicest person to you, all this touching stuff, but still can't see how the pros outweigh the cons for his life. But it seems like he really actually just wants to be persuaded. He says, I want to be wrong. Please help.

Well, I get the framework of just if you've never had that kind of conviction or it's always been muddled, it's more than, oh, crap, I'm at the age where I need to make a decision. Can someone just nudge me?

Well, I get the framework of just if you've never had that kind of conviction or it's always been muddled, it's more than, oh, crap, I'm at the age where I need to make a decision. Can someone just nudge me?

Yeah.

Yeah.

Final question before rapid fire round. It's been a long year. It's been a weird year. Many ups, many downs. What is something significant you've changed your mind about this year?

Final question before rapid fire round. It's been a long year. It's been a weird year. Many ups, many downs. What is something significant you've changed your mind about this year?

About Harris definitely winning?

About Harris definitely winning?

Money on winning that she was the likely victor in the 2024 election.

Money on winning that she was the likely victor in the 2024 election.

You admitted to it in our, maybe you were in a vulnerable and tired moment in our post-election.

You admitted to it in our, maybe you were in a vulnerable and tired moment in our post-election.

And someone texted me how admirable it was.

And someone texted me how admirable it was.

Is Derek Thompson, your co-author, is he as angry as you are about all of this? Or is he like, geez, Ezra, calm down?

Is Derek Thompson, your co-author, is he as angry as you are about all of this? Or is he like, geez, Ezra, calm down?

I'm just curious because I've heard you say that before. Is there like a particular moment or something you read or a life experience where you felt this like click for you as a sort of a philosophical worldview?

I'm just curious because I've heard you say that before. Is there like a particular moment or something you read or a life experience where you felt this like click for you as a sort of a philosophical worldview?

If this is built, how long would the trip be between San Francisco and L.A.?

If this is built, how long would the trip be between San Francisco and L.A.?

So much more legroom than a plane.

So much more legroom than a plane.

I mean, does any part of you... or hopeful that there could be a bulldozing of regulations in a Trump second term that could have positive effects?

I mean, does any part of you... or hopeful that there could be a bulldozing of regulations in a Trump second term that could have positive effects?

I think that's a good place to end because that I think really captures where your mind has been most of the year. Rapid-fire round. Should we say 30 seconds? From Clark Hill, who are your top three favorite X-Men? Ooh, I don't know.

I think that's a good place to end because that I think really captures where your mind has been most of the year. Rapid-fire round. Should we say 30 seconds? From Clark Hill, who are your top three favorite X-Men? Ooh, I don't know.

I wish I knew enough to comment.

I wish I knew enough to comment.

When you ask people for three books they'd recommend to the audience, you never let them go over like this.

When you ask people for three books they'd recommend to the audience, you never let them go over like this.

From Dylan Smith, who noticed that we have a new intro song that we dropped with no public acknowledgement. And that is by the wonderfully talented Pat McCusker, the New York Times' very own audio engineer and composer. The question is, why did you want to change the theme song? And what kind of moods and emotions, what did you want people to feel?

From Dylan Smith, who noticed that we have a new intro song that we dropped with no public acknowledgement. And that is by the wonderfully talented Pat McCusker, the New York Times' very own audio engineer and composer. The question is, why did you want to change the theme song? And what kind of moods and emotions, what did you want people to feel?

So you're being very hard on the old theme song. I have great affection for the old theme song. If I ever hear it, one bar of it for the rest of my life, it'll flood me with feelings.

So you're being very hard on the old theme song. I have great affection for the old theme song. If I ever hear it, one bar of it for the rest of my life, it'll flood me with feelings.

thematically connected. A question from Jamie Racanelli. What was your favorite band when you were younger?

thematically connected. A question from Jamie Racanelli. What was your favorite band when you were younger?

A what?

A what?

Paraphrasing a question from Nick O'Brien, will there be a free and fair election in four years?

Paraphrasing a question from Nick O'Brien, will there be a free and fair election in four years?

Sam Maxwell, you've got a stressful job. How do you unwind? And no saying reading a book or working out. No high achiever answers.

Sam Maxwell, you've got a stressful job. How do you unwind? And no saying reading a book or working out. No high achiever answers.

Yeah, extended periods of lack of balance really take a minute to unwind.

Yeah, extended periods of lack of balance really take a minute to unwind.

Wait, so it's just like reading them makes you feel good or a reminder to do those things?

Wait, so it's just like reading them makes you feel good or a reminder to do those things?

It's not like Gretchen Whitmer when she had on that piece of paper before she gives a speech to remind her to be a boss bitch. Something about Aunt Flo.

It's not like Gretchen Whitmer when she had on that piece of paper before she gives a speech to remind her to be a boss bitch. Something about Aunt Flo.

It's an empowering period thing. It's not that.

It's an empowering period thing. It's not that.

I remember you saying a very similar thing to me around the end of last year.

I remember you saying a very similar thing to me around the end of last year.

Do I?

Do I?

Well, I wrote a play that my husband staged without telling me.

Well, I wrote a play that my husband staged without telling me.

I'm glad I'm giving off that impression. That's important for my self-esteem. Last question of the year from Elizabeth Taylor.

I'm glad I'm giving off that impression. That's important for my self-esteem. Last question of the year from Elizabeth Taylor.

Came back from the dead. The ghost of Elizabeth Taylor. All right, she died. The ghost of the most beautiful person who's ever lived. Came back to say the 2020s have been whack so far.

Came back from the dead. The ghost of Elizabeth Taylor. All right, she died. The ghost of the most beautiful person who's ever lived. Came back to say the 2020s have been whack so far.

Vibe check for 2025. What do you think the vibes are going to be? What's your feeling?

Vibe check for 2025. What do you think the vibes are going to be? What's your feeling?

Probably cool things are going to happen with AI.

Probably cool things are going to happen with AI.

I don't think a lot of our listeners will love ending on that answer. So a final question. Went from my burnout to... Final question of 2024 from Holly Hamilton, who noticed in the new album art that we also dropped this year with no public acknowledgement, a tattoo popping out from your sleeve. What does your tattoo mean?

I don't think a lot of our listeners will love ending on that answer. So a final question. Went from my burnout to... Final question of 2024 from Holly Hamilton, who noticed in the new album art that we also dropped this year with no public acknowledgement, a tattoo popping out from your sleeve. What does your tattoo mean?

So much better. Trees, so much better.

So much better. Trees, so much better.

Way better vibe for 2025. Trees. Tree vibe.

Way better vibe for 2025. Trees. Tree vibe.

Your voice, so much.

Your voice, so much.

Wind rustling leaves. Roots growing in the ground.

Wind rustling leaves. Roots growing in the ground.

And a techno-utopian.

And a techno-utopian.

Well, speaking of technology that is ambivalent, Travis Roberts wrote in with a question about blue sky and curious to hear your thoughts on blue skies burgeoning post-election popularity. But I wanted to add on to that. You've recently rejoined Twitter. You asked Anne Applebaum how she felt being on Twitter now that Elon Musk is using it in a more obvious political way.

Well, speaking of technology that is ambivalent, Travis Roberts wrote in with a question about blue sky and curious to hear your thoughts on blue skies burgeoning post-election popularity. But I wanted to add on to that. You've recently rejoined Twitter. You asked Anne Applebaum how she felt being on Twitter now that Elon Musk is using it in a more obvious political way.

Yeah, how do you feel about Twitter now, being on Twitter now?

Yeah, how do you feel about Twitter now, being on Twitter now?

Did he kill the woke mind virus?

Did he kill the woke mind virus?

Is there a sign that any of us outside who care about your mental well-being should know to stage an intervention?

Is there a sign that any of us outside who care about your mental well-being should know to stage an intervention?

Well, on podcasts making you like people you dislike, I wanted to ask this question from David Lieberman, because I know that you have thoughts about this. He writes, I find your hosting of insiders in the MAGA Trump world extremely enlightening. I would be much less informed without it.

Well, on podcasts making you like people you dislike, I wanted to ask this question from David Lieberman, because I know that you have thoughts about this. He writes, I find your hosting of insiders in the MAGA Trump world extremely enlightening. I would be much less informed without it.

At the same time, your treatment of these insiders as representatives of just one more segment of opinion, while no doubt an admirable model of open-mindedness, Cast the current political scene as normal in a way that it isn't. Normalizing MAGA, normalizing Trump by having certain people on the show. Do you have any thoughts on that and that charge?

At the same time, your treatment of these insiders as representatives of just one more segment of opinion, while no doubt an admirable model of open-mindedness, Cast the current political scene as normal in a way that it isn't. Normalizing MAGA, normalizing Trump by having certain people on the show. Do you have any thoughts on that and that charge?

Oh, thank you, Ezra. It has been a year. I am not yet quite ready to process it all. And these aren't all fun questions. People are here for your political analysis.

Oh, thank you, Ezra. It has been a year. I am not yet quite ready to process it all. And these aren't all fun questions. People are here for your political analysis.

You don't wear glasses on YouTube.

You don't wear glasses on YouTube.

I think that's the definition of open-minded.

I think that's the definition of open-minded.

Well, there will be some fun at the end when I'm going to continue the tradition from last year of a rapid-fire round.

Well, there will be some fun at the end when I'm going to continue the tradition from last year of a rapid-fire round.