Deep Questions with Cal Newport

Deep Questions with Cal Newport

Cal Newport

Episodes 404
Avg. Duration 1h 12m
Activity Highly Active
Since May 2020
Latest Episode Mar 2026

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Publishing Details

Schedule
Weekly
Format
Episodic
Consistency
100%
Hosting
feeds.buzzsprout.com

About This Podcast

Cal Newport is a computer science professor and a New York Times bestselling author who writes about the impact of technology on society, and the struggle to work and live deeply in a world increasingly mired in digital distractions. On this podcast, he answers questions from his readers and offers advice about cultivating focus, productivity, and meaning amidst the noise that pervades our lives.

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Recent Episodes

Ep. 394: Do I Need a Better Planning System?

Mar 02, 2026 1h 34m

It’s hard to live deeply in a distracted world if you don’t have control over how you spend your time. This goal requires a planning system that both works and can last. Do you have a reasonable…

Ep. 393: Can Movies Save Us From Our Phones?

Feb 23, 2026 1h 8m

Last month, the Atlantic reported that film students are now struggling to sit through entire films. In this episode, Cal argues that this is both an issue and an opportunity. The fact we can’t watch…

Ep. 392: Are “Micro-Streamers” the Future of Media? + Why Cal Spent $60 on a Task App

Feb 16, 2026 1h 2m

There remains a gap between the production values of professional streaming services like Netflix and independent content that appears on platforms like YouTube. But what happens when that gap…

Ep. 391: Is AI Reporting Broken? + Rethinking Morning Routines

Feb 09, 2026 58m

Is there something rotten in the state of AI reporting at the moment? In the ideas segment of this episode, Cal details three common traps in AI coverage that distort or distract from the reality of…

Ep. 390: What Happens When You Ditch Your Smartphone? + Assessing the Internet’s Latest Self-Help Sensation

Feb 02, 2026 1h 11m

Everyone knows that excessive smartphone use can be harmful. But the question we don’t ask enough is what the advantages are of not using these devices. In the ideas segment, Cal examines the…

Ep. 389: Is the Internet Hijacking Ambition? + Escaping Messaging Hell

Jan 26, 2026 1h 48m

It’s natural to feel ambition, as we’re wired to find great satisfaction in accomplishing hard goals. But what impact has the internet had on this instinct? To help explore this question, author Brad…

Ep. 388: What’s Worrying Jon Haidt Now? + Should You Buy a Landline? (Cal just did…)

Jan 19, 2026 1h 23m

Despite some initial skepticism, Jonathan Haidt’s crusade against kids using smartphones has been more or less completely vindicated. Which got us thinking: what’s he worried about next? In the ideas…

Ep 387: Can Substack Save Journalism? + Viral Advice for Ignoring Your Phone

Jan 12, 2026 1h 24m

Last year, when columnist Paul Krugman left the NYT, it seemed like yet another example of the traditional media crumbling. But Krugman, as it turns out, is doing great. His popular substack now…

Ep 386: Was 2025 a Great or Terrible Year for AI? (w/ Ed Zitron)

Jan 05, 2026 2h 23m

Ep 386: Was 2025 a Great or Terrible Year for AI? (w/ Ed Zitron) 2025 was a year that was saturated in AI news, from Deep Seek, through claims of economic “bloodbaths,” to GPT-5, Sora, and Chatbot…

Ep 385: Single-Purpose Notebooks (REPLAY)

Dec 29, 2025 1h 9m

In this replay of a classic episode from March 2024, Cal discusses his transformative experience using a small analog notebook to tackle a complicated problem in his life. He makes the broader…

Ep 384: What Should I Read for a Deeper New Year?

Dec 22, 2025 1h 16m

In our annual holiday episode, Cal tackles one of the questions he’s asked most often: What should I read? But with a twist. He recommends six books that are not from the self-help or advice genre…

Ep 383: Why Is Everyone Talking About “Against the Machine”? (w/ Tyler Austin Harper)

Dec 15, 2025 1h 35m

Earlier this fall, the activist, novelist, and essayist Paul Kingsnorth published an anti-technology polemic called “Against the Machine.” To say it hit a nerve is an understatement. In the months…

Ep. 382: Is the Internet Becoming Television?

Dec 08, 2025 1h 19m

Last month, Derek Thompson published an intriguing essay that made waves in technology criticism circles. It was titled: “Everything is Television.” In today’s episode, Cal takes a closer look at…

Ep. Ep 381: Life Advice from Legendary Writers

Dec 01, 2025 1h 38m

In today’s episode, Cal reviews some of his favorite advice from legendary writers (plus a bonus piece of advice from his own craft). Within each suggestion, he finds a general idea that can apply to…

Ep. 380: ChatGPT is Not Alive!

Nov 24, 2025 1h 18m

There has been a lot of loose talk online recently about the capabilities of existing AI tools. In this episode, Cal reacts to a specific recent clip from the Joe Rogan podcast in which the guest…

Ep. 379: The Flexibility Myth

Nov 17, 2025 1h 55m

When companies began instituting return-to-office plans after the pandemic, a disproportionate number of women chose instead to leave the workforce. Why? The obvious answer is that they wanted the…

Ep. 378: The Lost Art of Long Thinking

Nov 10, 2025 1h 28m

We often talk on this show about how digital devices undermine our ability to consume more complicated and meaningful ideas. But what about our ability to produce such ideas from scratch? In this…

Ep. 377: The Case Against Superintelligence

Nov 03, 2025 1h 31m

Techno-philosopher Eliezer Yudkowsky recently went on Ezra Klein's podcast to argue that if we continue on our path toward superintelligent AI, these machines will destroy humanity. In this episode,…

Ep. 376: The Lincoln Protocol

Oct 27, 2025 1h 23m

How do you escape a world where constant digital distractions and darkness threatens to pull you down? Maybe take a page out of Abraham Lincoln’s life. In this episode, Cal argues that Lincoln faced…

Ep. 375: Did OpenAI Just Kill Social Media?

Oct 20, 2025 1h 36m

Ep. 375: Did OpenAI Just Kill Social Media?OpenAI has been making waves recently with their release of their Sora 2 video generation model, which they have launched alongside a TikTok-style social…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Deep Questions with Cal Newport have?

Deep Questions with Cal Newport has published 404 episodes since May 2020, covering topics in Education, Self-Improvement.

Is Deep Questions with Cal Newport still active?

Deep Questions with Cal Newport is currently highly active with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 1h 12m.

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