The Argument

Derek Thompson on the antisocial century

Americans are spending more time alone than ever before. Derek Thompson, author of "The Anti-Social Century" and co-author of Abundance, joins Jerusalem Demsas and Matthew Yglesias to argue that this isn't loneliness in the traditional sense. This new brand of loneliness is a choice, and Derek fears it's spreading across the world. Jerusalem presses him on whether the data actually supports the trend, and Matt talks about how social technology has helped him stay connected to friends.Plus a peer review of a new paper on joint custody after divorce in Sweden, and why both hosts are skeptical of its headline finding.(00:00) Why Derek Thompson is obsessed with loneliness(05:33) Americans are choosing to be alone(12:33) The difference between being alone and being lonely(17:48) The studies that show forced socializing works(32:29) Are guilty pleasures a modern phenomenon(34:35) Why English-speaking countries are lonelier(43:10) Is American happiness actually declining?(47:01) Matt's case that phones make him less lonely(52:30) Social fitness: socializing as exercise(59:14) Weakness of the will and winter camping videos(01:02:02) Peer review: How joint custody affects parents and kidsSupport the Show: Get a full transcript, show notes, and an ad-free version: TheArgumentMag.com New episodes every Thursday—subscribe so you never miss a debate!The Argument is produced by Justin Zuckerman, fact-checked by Eli Richman, with music by Breakmaster Cylinder and art by Ben Tousley.

Are elites just whoever you don’t like?

Who actually counts as an elite in America?The Argument ran its own poll on elite perception, and the results scramble a lot of conventional wisdom. Billionaires and celebrities are the only groups a majority of Americans call elite. College professors, journalists, and people with graduate degrees barely register. Jerusalem Demsas and Matthew Yglesias dig into what that means for the anti-elite politics of both parties, and why Matt thinks the poll is an overwhelming win for the Bernie Sanders crowd. Matt even takes the poll on elites himself to see where his views match up.Plus a peer review of a new paper on Ivy League admissions and elite networks.(00:00) The Argument's poll on who counts as elite(02:11) Celebrities, by definition, are elite(10:01) Poll results, Bernie Sanders, and Chris Rufo(21:26) Is the turn against feminism real?(34:45) Hollywood, Green Book, and cultural power(42:30) Career success vs. marriage and kids(53:17) Progressive incoherence on population and climate(01:00:23) Nobody thinks politicians are elite(01:02:23) Peer review: Ivy League admissions and elite networksSupport the Show: Get a full transcript, show notes, and an ad-free version: TheArgumentMag.com New episodes every Thursday—subscribe so you never miss a debate!The Argument is produced by Justin Zuckerman, fact-checked by Eli Richman, with music by Breakmaster Cylinder and art by Ben Tousley.

What's wrong with Bowling Alone?

Is there really a loneliness crisis?Jerusalem Demsas and Matt Yglesias read Robert Putnam's Bowling Alone, the 2000 classic that diagnosed America's collapse in community life. They argue about how bad the loneliness problem really is today, and whether Putnam's diagnosis about the loss of associational life actually holds up. They also get into Putnam's uneasiness about telling people to go to church, whether social capital really explains crime and civic health, what happened to the arguments the left already won, how much television and phones are to blame, and more.(00:00) Why we're reading Bowling Alone in 2026(05:14) Bowling alone is more concerned about church attendance(12:08) Does social capital explain anything?(17:00) Television, the internet, and the usual suspects(27:26) How American associational life reorganized(36:53) Has cooperation actually declined?(43:57) Voting, civic engagement, and what counts(55:57) The arguments the left already won(01:05:21) Why do young people who are doing fine feel so bad?(01:12:58) "Get off your phones" and other bad prescriptions Support the Show: Get a full transcript, show notes, and an ad-free version: TheArgumentMag.com New episodes every Thursday—subscribe so you never miss a debate!The Argument is produced by Justin Zuckerman, fact-checked by Eli Richman, with music by Breakmaster Cylinder and art by Ben Tousley.

#MeToo didn’t go far enough

Many people say the #MeToo movement went too far. Jerusalem Demsas disagrees: she thinks it didn't go far enough. Matt Yglesias wants to talk about what the movement actually was, and worries about the risks of a leaderless movement without clear standards. They get into the difference between social and legal standards for misbehavior, why the Aziz Ansari story split the discourse, and what vibe shift actually took place. Plus a peer review of a new paper on migration, gentrification, and the people who prefer to move to better neighborhoods rather than fixing the ones they're in.(00:00) Jerusalem's hot take: #MeToo didn't go far enough(04:36) What Matt Yglesias thinks(08:24) The "abolish police" problem for #MeToo(09:54) Feminists using culture instead of the legal system(21:11) Aziz Ansari and unfair consequences(27:49) Social accountability vs. legal accountability(35:05) The gender gap on #MeToo (47:49) The Srinivasan essay and what #MeToo really was(01:02:52) Peer review: Move or fix the neighborhoodSupport the Show: Get a full transcript, show notes, and an ad-free version: TheArgumentMag.com New episodes every Thursday—subscribe so you never miss a debate!Once a month, The Argument podcast does a book club episode. This month we are reading Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam. Read along if you are interested, and comment with any questions/ideas you'd like us to explore!The Argument is produced by Justin Zuckerman, fact-checked by Eli Richman, with music by Breakmaster Cylinder and art by Ben Tousley.

You don't actually want to buy a house

Most Americans still see buying a home as the ultimate financial goal, but Jerusalem Demsas thinks homeownership is overrated. Matt Yglesias, a proud homeowner, disagrees. They get into why the American Dream might be a bad financial deal, what's really driving people's demand for stability, and whether the Singapore model has something to teach us. Plus a peer review of a new paper using Swedish lottery data to ask what money actually does to marriages.(00:00) Homeownership is overrated(04:42) The "only path to wealth" myth(10:16) The home equity piggy bank(17:25) The illiquidity problem(22:21) Homeownership brain(27:30) What everyone actually wants: stability(32:57) Rent control is back(35:28) A Singapore-style savings idea(45:17) The YIMBY case for more homeowners(46:45) Peer review: Lottery winners and marriageSupport the Show: Get a full transcript, show notes, and an ad-free version: TheArgumentMag.com New episodes every Thursday—subscribe so you never miss a debate!Once a month, The Argument podcast does a book club episode. This month we are reading Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam. Read along if you are interested, and comment with any questions/ideas you'd like us to explore!The Argument is produced by Justin Zuckerman, fact-checked by Eli Richman, with music by Breakmaster Cylinder and art by Ben Tousley.