Reason Podcasts

Rob Henderson: Why Elites Still Worship Socialism

Is Brooklyn-style socialism a "luxury belief"? Just asking questions.  Today's guest coined that memorable phrase, and we're eager to talk with him today about how it applies to the triumph of socialist Zohran Mamdani in the New York Democratic mayoral primary and to discuss the odd, enduring allure of socialism for America's most highly educated class despite a history of repeated bloody and catastrophic 20th century communist experiments. I also want to ask him if any of my political beliefs are a luxury for which others are bearing the cost.  Rob Henderson is the author of Troubled: A Memoir of Foster Care, Family, and Social Class, which is a must-read account of life on the bottom rungs of the social ladder in the late '90s and a frankly inspiring tale of his improbable ascent of that ladder. His Substack commenting on current events and culture through a social psych lens is Rob Henderson's Newsletter. He's also a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute, and you can also often catch his work in City Journal, where he's a contributing editor. Chapters: 0:00—Introduction 3:02—Zoran Mamdani: The luxury belief politician? 6:01—Intra-elite conflict and class dynamics 8:58—Cultural expectations vs. economic realities 12:00—The role of marriage in economic success 15:12—Education, class, and economic outcomes 18:00—Expectations vs. reality in elite aspirations 20:47—Demystifying elite institutions and talent identification 29:17—The value of education and elite institutions 35:34—Ignorance of historical lessons on communism 40:28—The rise of socialism in modern politics 44:21—Normalization of radical rhetoric 48:15—Luxury beliefs and their societal impact 52:26—Drug decriminalization: a complex debate 59:21—The intersection of personal beliefs and public policy 01:04:53—Cultural shifts in family structures 01:11:41—The consequences of discarding traditional norms 01:20:24—Birth rates and societal concerns 01:24:50—Political polarization and relationship dynamics 01:27:50—Final question: questioning our beliefs Mentioned in the podcast: "When Progressive Ideals Become a Luxury," by Rob Henderson "Zohran Mamdani's Luxury Beliefs," by Rob Henderson "In Defense of 'Luxury Beliefs,'" by Katherine Mangu-Ward The Most Detailed Map of the N.Y.C. Mayoral Primary

The Libertarian Case for Postmodernism

What if one of the sharpest critics of centralized power, bureaucratic surveillance, and top-down social control wasn't a libertarian economist but a French postmodernist? And what if one of the economists most vilified by the left wasn't a cold-hearted market fundamentalist but a thinker obsessed with the limits of knowledge and the dangers of planning? Today's guest is King's College London political economist Mark Pennington, author of the new book Foucault and Liberal Political Economy: Power, Knowledge and Freedom. A self-declared postmodernist libertarian, Pennington explores the common ground between Michel Foucault and Friedrich Hayek. He talks with Nick Gillespie about how Foucault's critiques of expert rule, scientism, and the construction of subjectivity can bolster the classical liberal fight for freedom—and how Hayek's warnings about the pretense of knowledge might offer the left a way to resist domination without defaulting to centralized authority. If you're a libertarian who thinks Foucault is just woke nonsense—or a progressive who sees Hayek as a neoliberal villain—this conversation will blow your mind in the best way possible. 0:00 – Intro 1:20 – What is a postmodern Austrian political economist? 5:07 – Scientism and Hayek 10:45 – The limits of postmodernism 17:46 – The intersection of Foucault and Hayek 30:12 – Systems of control and surveillance 37:39 – Foucault's warnings on government authority 49:57 – Creating a postmodern liberal political economy 1:01:29 – Foucault and the Iranian Revolution 1:08:21 – Have we learned anything from Foucault and Hayek? Subscribe at YouTube: http://youtube.com/reasontv Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Reason.Magazine Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/reason Visit the archive: https://reason.com/tags/reason-podcast

The New York Times Doesn't Understand Men

This week, editors Peter Suderman and Matt Welch are joined by Reason reporter Eric Boehm and special guest Emily Jashinsky, host of After Party. They begin with the media's growing fixation on men and masculinity, from a wave of New York Times essays to broader questions about dating, education, and work. What does this coverage reveal about how the media sees men, and about younger male voters drifting from the Democratic Party? The panel then examines President Donald Trump's escalating tariff policy, its economic consequences, and how it fits into the administration's broader approach to trade and inflation. A listener question prompts a discussion of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's shift toward deregulation, and the growing calls to reverse course. The panel also looks at Trump's overseas business activity and the ethical questions it raises about the use of public office for personal gain. 0:00–How men are characterized in the media 13:00–The publishing industry's struggles with men 19:15–The tradeoffs of Trump's tariff policies 42:52–Listener question on NCAA deregulation 50:56–The ethics of personal profits as president 1:00:14–Weekly cultural recommendations Subscribe at YouTube: http://youtube.com/reasontv Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Reason.Magazine Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/reason Visit the archive: https://reason.com/tags/reason-podcast

Patrick Eddington: How to 'Tyranny-Proof' America

The former CIA analyst and Cato scholar discusses Palantir, Trump's new national database, and the sordid history of federal law enforcement on Just Asking Questions. https://reason.com/podcast/2025/07/31/patrick-eddington-how-to-tyranny-proof-america/

Gary Taubes: MAHA, Ultra-Processed Foods, and Bad Science

Science journalist Gary Taubes discusses the MAHA Report, new dietary guidelines, and bad nutrition science on the latest episode of Just Asking Questions. https://reason.com/podcast/2025/07/24/gary-taubes-maha-ultra-processed-foods-and-bad-science/