Plain English with Derek Thompson

Latest Episodes:

Why a No-Fly Zone Over Ukraine Could Be—Literally—the Worst Idea Ever Mar 10, 2022

Show notes

Three in four Americans say the U.S. and its allies should ban Russian aircraft over Ukraine by establishing a “no-fly zone.” Dozens of foreign policy experts agree. So do many Ukrainians. Is this the policy that could end the war, or is it an idea that could end human civilization as we know it? (Maybe it's both.) The author and foreign policy critic Robert Wright joins the podcast to debate the pros and cons of a no-fly zone.

Host: Derek Thompson

Producer: Troy Farkas

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“Every Person Is Ready to Die for Our Country”: Five Ukrainians on Life Inside Putin’s War Zone Mar 08, 2022

Show notes

Imagine running from your home, from a foreign army, knowing that every decision you make could be the difference between life and death—stay or flee? Turn left or right? Leave at 5 a.m. or 6 a.m.? That is the world in which today’s guests live. Five Ukrainians who live in—or have recently fled from—Kyiv tell Derek what it’s like living in the Ukrainian capital, escaping to Poland, and returning to Kyiv to fight the Russian army.

Host: Derek Thompson

Producer: Troy Farkas

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SPECIAL DOUBLE EPISODE: What Putin Will Do Next and the West’s Unprecedented "Financial War" on Russia Mar 02, 2022

Show notes

There are two wars happening right now. There is a military conflict led by Vladimir Putin in Eastern Europe that we should all hope ends as soon as possible. And there is an economic and cultural war—the world vs. Russia—that we should also hope ends as soon as possible. In today’s episode, two guests discuss each theater of war. Paul Poast, a University of Chicago professor and expert on the economics of war, joins to discuss the latest from the war on the ground. And Robin Wigglesworth, a global finance correspondent with the Financial Times, joins to discuss the global “financial war” against Russia.

Host: Derek Thompson

Guests: Paul Poast and Robin Wigglesworth

Producer: Devon Manze

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Russia’s Economic Meltdown, Putin’s Big Mistake, and the West’s Financial War Against Vlad and the Oligarchs Mar 01, 2022

Show notes

Things are moving very, very fast in Vladimir Putin’s war against Ukraine—and in the global response to punish Russia. The U.S. and Europe are not engaged in a literal war against Putin, and hopefully nothing like that will come to pass. But this weekend, they announced a series of unprecedented sanctions and economic penalties that could destroy the Russian economy. These policies are designed to get Putin to end the war before he conquers Ukraine. But they could crash the Russian economy and trigger more global crises. To explain the sanctions, discuss their pluses and minuses, and predict their ripple effects, Derek is joined by Noah Smith, author of the newsletter Noahpinion, and Nicolas Véron, a French economist and senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and the European think tank Bruegel.

Host: Derek Thompson

Guest: Noah Smith and Nicolas Véron

Producer: Devon Manze

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How Putin's War Will End Feb 25, 2022

Show notes

Quagmire. Regime change. Conquest. Empire. World War III. Derek considers five ways that the war in Ukraine could end with Paul Poast, a professor of foreign policy and war at the University of Chicago. This is Part 2 of our two-part Ukraine coverage today. For more on why Putin attacked and how war could change the world, check out the previous episode in this feed.

Host: Derek Thompson

Guest: Paul Poast

Producer: Devon Manze

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What Vladimir Putin Wants—and How Russia’s War in Ukraine Could Reshape the World Feb 25, 2022

Show notes

Derek explains why three years—1989, 2008, and 2014—are the key to understanding why Putin is willing to take a massive risk in invading Ukraine. Then, Derek asks five expert guests to walk him through the most important second-order implications of a long major conflict. What are the most important ricochet effects that nobody is talking about? How could the war transform Europe? How could it destabilize Africa and the Middle East? How will it change U.S. politics, or kick off a 21st Century Cold War?

Host: Derek Thompson

Guests: Charles Kupchan, Liana Fix, Matthew Klein, Alex Smith, Bonny Lin

Producer: Devon Manze

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Four Brilliant Frames for Finding the Next Big Thing, With Venture Capitalist Josh Wolfe. Plus, What's Eating Tech Stocks in 2022? Feb 22, 2022

Show notes

All-star VC Josh Wolfe of Lux Capital joins the show to talk about picking winners and losers, tech's rough start to the year, and his four favorite mottos for detecting BS and seeing reality clearly. Finally, Derek and Josh play a game of "Overrated or Underrated?" for the metaverse, NFTs, and space travel.

Host: Derek Thompson

Guest: Josh Wolfe

Producer: Devon Manze

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The Great Debate: What's the Single Most Amazing Sports Statistic in U.S. History? Feb 18, 2022

Show notes

Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point game. Joe DiMaggio’s 56-game hit streak. Jerry Rice's gazillion receiving records. Which of these athletic achievements is the most impressive in American sports history? And are any of them the most impressive ever? The Ringer's Ryen Russillo joins the pod to debate the most impressive achievements in football, basketball, baseball, and individual sports. Then, after making selections that will almost certainly infuriate at least half of all listeners, the guys compare the GOATs across sports to name the single most impressive accomplishment ever. (Hint: Ironically, the award goes to a non-American.)

Host: Derek Thompson

Guest: Ryen Russillo

Producer: Devon Manze

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What American Media Is Getting Wrong About Canada’s Big Protests Feb 15, 2022

Show notes

What if I told you that the anti-vaccination trucker protests in Canada weren’t principally about vaccines or truckers (or even Canada)? The Atlantic’s David Frum joins to set us straight about what’s going on in Ottawa and the meme-ification of protest politics.

Host: Derek Thompson

Guest: David Frum

Producer: Devon Manze

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The Meaning of Life and the Power of Regret Feb 11, 2022

Show notes

Derek goes deep with bestselling author Dan Pink on his new book, 'The Power of Regret.' This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at the Sixth & I historic synagogue in Washington, D.C.

Host: Derek Thompson

Guest: Dan Pink

Producer: Devon Manze

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