Enough with the doom and gloom — we’re ready to talk about how America can thrive. Hosted by Washington Post Opinion columnist Megan McArdle, “Reasonably Optimistic” is your weekly conversation about how America can get unstuck and build a better future. Stop feeding your rage and start embracing our possibilities. Episodes drop Wednesdays.
Latest episodes
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27 min
Netflix’s next act may look a lot like old TV
The streaming revolution promised viewers an endless library of movies and shows for less than cable. Netflix led that charge, becoming the era's dominant streaming service. That t…
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48 min
How the DSA is reshaping the Democratic Party
The Democratic Socialists of America was once on the fringes of American politics. Now, DSA candidates are winning primaries, challenging establishment Democrats and pushing the De…
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28 min
What prediction markets can tell us that polls can’t
On platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket, users can bet on elections, interest-rate cuts, corporate earnings and almost any question with an answer that will eventually be revealed.…
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39 min
The fight for fed-up voters in the 2026 midterms
The polls suggest a strong Democratic showing in the 2026 midterms. They also reveal an electorate angry about the cost of living, political corruption and a system many believe is…
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47 min
The overlooked businesses making Americans rich
The American Dream can feel farther away than ever. Housing is expensive, good jobs seem harder to find and the people getting rich seem to be concentrated in a handful of big citi…
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41 min
How America can recover from Trump-era politics
There’s a lot to complain about in the American political system: Congress lurches from deadline to deadline, presidents claim more and more power and each side of the aisle treats…
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27 min
The job interview advice Gen Z needs to hear
A viral debate over bringing iced coffee to a job interview may seem trivial. But it points to a bigger divide over what employers are looking for when college degrees, cover lette…
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51 min
Is AI taking Gen Z’s jobs? It’s not that simple.
Artificial intelligence feels different from previous technological innovations because it can write, reason, analyze and generate ideas. In other words, it can do at least some of…
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1 h 05
The $1 million prize for academics who tell unwelcome truths
What do you do when your research leads to a conclusion that challenges conventional wisdom? You can publish it and risk the backlash — or quietly bury the findings and move on to…
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36 min
How conservatism went from Reagan to Trump
In the decades following World War II, the American right coalesced around fusionism — the idea that individual liberty and limited government could coexist with religious faith an…
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45 min
Why everyone seems to hate Flock cameras
No one likes the idea of being surveilled. That concern is fueling a nationwide backlash against Flock cameras, the automated license plate readers police use to find stolen vehicl…
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49 min
What AI experts fear most
Artificial intelligence is advancing faster than many expected. So much so that some of the experts who understand it best are sounding the alarm. Are their warnings exaggerated, o…
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31 min
This medieval revolt has a warning for today
More than six centuries ago, the Black Death wiped out nearly half of England’s population. Suddenly, workers had more power, wealthy landowners had less, and the old social order…
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50 min
The strange truth behind our obsession with UFOs and aliens
It doesn’t take much to ignite a new wave of alien conspiracy theories on social media. But beyond the internet speculation lies a serious scientific question: If billions of plane…
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33 min
My mother’s secret changed how I think about abortion
Shortly before her mother died, Megan McArdle learned a family secret. Decades earlier, her mother had given birth to a son and placed him for adoption. Megan’s attempt to find the…
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55 min
The myths fueling America’s AI data center backlash
AI data centers have become America’s newest political villain — accused of draining local water supplies, overheating communities and sending electricity bills soaring. But some o…
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16 min
Football is back. A new CTE study asks what it costs.
Football season is back, bringing millions of Americans together around one of the country’s most beloved sports. But new research on chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, rais…
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57 min
The hidden forces behind America’s baby bust
Why are Americans having fewer children, even though many say they want larger families? Host Megan McArdle talks with author Tim Carney about how professional ambition, personal a…
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50 min
A sociologist’s perspective on the Jason Arday story
The controversy surrounding Cambridge professor Jason Arday began with questions about his academic record and extraordinary personal story. It ended in tragedy. What can sociology…
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52 min
What empty pews reveal about America
America is becoming less religious — but the story is more complicated than empty pews. Host Megan McArdle is joined by political scientist and former pastor Ryan Burge to talk abo…