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11 April 2026

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May 7, 2013 — Glenn Loury & John McWhorter
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The Glenn Show

On The Glenn Show, the topic is affirmative action. Glenn fears the Supreme Court will issue a broad anti-affirmative action ruling. Does the kind of indirect affirmative action practiced by Texas’s top 10% system do more harm than good? John and Glenn debate whether affirmative action’s time has simply passed. Glenn challenges John on whether hiring preferences for women should be done away with as well. John cites his biracial daughter as someone who should not receive affirmative action. They close by discussing class-based affirmative action and the mismatch hypothesis.

May 5, 2013 — John Horgan & George Johnson
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Science Faction
May 4, 2013 — Joshua Knobe & Molly Crockett
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The Mind Report
May 2, 2013 — Alyssa Rosenberg & Marc Tracy
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Critic Proof
On Critic Proof, Alyssa talks to Marc about his article on the possible end of blogging. They compare their respective experiences with the medium, focusing on the unique relationship blogging creates with readers. Is blogging a sustainable profession, or does it inevitably produce burnout? And is it especially hazardous for women? Turning to the NBA, they discuss Jason Collins’s decision to come out of the closet. Why has it taken so long for professional sports to catch up to the rest of the culture?
May 1, 2013 — Bill Scher & Matt K. Lewis
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The DMZ
On The DMZ: Matt says he could never be a liberal, but Bill refuses to take no for an answer! Can humanity be held to moral standards without religion? Matt explains how having children has changed his politics. Bill thinks that Rand Paul could be the next, and last, Republican nominee. Could Hillary Clinton and Bill Kristol join forces in 2016? And can Paul soften his hard edges?
Apr 30, 2013 — Matthew Duss & Robert Farley
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Foreign Entanglements
On Foreign Entanglements, Matt and Rob discuss the possible use of chemical weapons in Syria. Rob says Assad is probing the “pink line.” Has the Syrian civil war really hurt US interests? What happens if Assad wins? Matt argues that maintaining the taboo against using chemical weapons is worthwhile. They discuss the George W. Bush Rehabilitation Project, and close with the neoconservative reaction to Ron Paul’s new institute.
Apr 29, 2013 — Robert Wright & Paul Sonne
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Worldwise
Apr 28, 2013 — Conor Friedersdorf & Freddie deBoer
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Friedersdorf
On Friedersdorf, Conor and Freddie begin by discussing the Boston marathon bombing, and critiques of how the media covered it. Freddie recommends that the US stop its drone program in the name of national security. Conor sketches the evolution of journalism in digital media. After discussing Matthew Yglesias’s controversial piece on the economics of the deadly Bangladeshi factory collapse, they conclude with a spirited debate about the proper way to be angry on the Internet.
Apr 27, 2013 — Paul Bloom & Barry Schwartz
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The Mind Report
Apr 26, 2013 — Adam Serwer & Daveed Gartenstein-Ross
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Adamize
On Adamize, Adam and Daveed explore whether it’s too early to decisively determine motive in the Boston bombings. They debate whether “religion” can be the motive for violent acts, or whether it’s really “religious identity politics.” Daveed acknowledges that discourse on religion and terrorism is often ugly, but argues that trying too hard to be politically correct stifles real conversation on the subject. They examine the roles of theology vs. structural factors in the behavior of believers. With reference to Malcolm X, Scientology, and Ayaan Hirsi Ali, they discuss whether there’s a double standard towards certain religions. Daveed and Adam agree that, for all its mistakes, the media has done a relatively responsible job covering the bombings—whereas much of the commentariat has gone off the rails.

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