Reasonably Optimistic
The Washington Post
Outreach Signals
Publishing Details
Contact & Outreach
About This Podcast
Explore Statistics
Recent Episodes
Gen Zers don’t cook. It’s costing them.
Eating food cooked at home has traditionally been considered a cheaper option to ordering takeout. So why are so many in Gen Z choosing food away from home? Host Megan McArdle explores how…
Do aliens exist? I asked an astrophysicist.
Are humans alone in the universe? The answer is more complicated than science fiction might suggest. Scientists have discovered billions upon billions of potentially habitable planets. But if life is…
How weddings got so expensive
The average wedding now costs $36,000, and many couples feel like they are being taken for a ride. From weekend bottlenecks and customization to family dynamics and the pressure to get everything…
Why $1 million doesn’t feel rich for Gen Z
The average American household is now worth more than $1 million. Yet Gen Z is increasingly pessimistic about its economic future. Why does it feel like so many people are falling behind? Is…
Why everyone is talking about peptides
Peptides are suddenly everywhere — touted by influencers, biohackers and longevity enthusiasts as the next breakthrough in wellness. But what exactly are they, and how much do we actually know about…
What’s going on with Ebola and hantavirus?
Trust in public health institutions has fractured since the covid-19 pandemic began, even as the threat of new outbreaks remains. Ebola is spreading in parts of Central Africa. Hantavirus has left…
Is life better in Europe? It's not so simple.
Europe promises a life many Americans envy: longer vacations, universal health care, beautiful cities and a slower pace. But those benefits come with trade-offs.Host Megan McArdle looks past the…
Men are falling behind. Let's talk about it.
Boys and men are struggling across some of the most important measures: education, employment, family life and mental health. But too often, attempts to talk seriously about these problems get pulled…
The problem with celebrity politicians
Host Megan McArdle explores the rise of the celebrity candidate, from Ronald Reagan to Arnold Schwarzenegger to Trump himself. She explains how parasocial relationships shape modern elections, and…
What prediction markets tell us about the future
Prediction markets are having a moment. But what are they actually good for? Economist Robin Hanson has been thinking about this for decades. Long before betting markets went mainstream, he argued…
Introducing ‘Make It Make Sense’: Should you be worried about hantavirus?
The hantavirus outbreak has reminded many about the mistakes of covid-19. In this episode, hosts Adam O'Neal, James Hohmann, Carine Hajjar and Kate Andrews discuss whether the confirmed cases on the…
Tax the rich! But then what?
Zohran Mamdani ran for mayor of New York on a platform of taxing the rich, proposing new levies targeting billionaires. Host Megan McArdle argues we’ve seen this kind of rapid shift before. In the…
Why is anger so addictive? A psychologist weighs in.
Social media is designed to keep us scrolling. But is it also keeping us angry? Rage bait is rewarded and amplified. It’s easy to react and even easier to get pulled in. Over time, this has changed…
Longing for 'simpler times'? Consider this first.
Scroll through enough retro photos or vintage ads, and it’s easy to convince yourself that life used to be simpler, even happier. But why does the past look better the farther away it gets?Host Megan…
Why Americans aren’t having as many kids
From politicians to Silicon Valley, a growing chorus is sounding the alarm and calling for more babies. But the story behind America’s declining birth rate is more complicated than headlines and…
Everyone wants to live like an influencer now
From overdone plastic surgery to open-concept floor plans, we’re designing our lives to look good on camera instead of optimizing for what we need. Influencer culture — and our constant exposure to…
How Americans developed an unhealthy relationship with the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court is supposed to be above politics. But these days, it doesn’t feel that way. From high-stakes rulings to increasingly bitter confirmation hearings, the court has become one of the…
The temperature is rising on AI. What comes next?
Anxiety around artificial intelligence is reaching a fever pitch and sparking real-world consequences. Recent violent incidents tied to opposition against data centers highlight growing public…
I'm not anti-tax. But this one should go.
Host Megan McArdle breaks down why the corporate tax system is so complex, costly and potentially inefficient — and explores a bold idea: What if we eliminated it altogether? From hidden economic…
What a Catholic feminist dares to say
In recent years, the idea of a “crisis of men and boys” has taken center stage in the cultural conversation. That can feel like a pendulum swing: from making space for women to examining men’s…
Frequently Asked Questions
Reasonably Optimistic has published 152 episodes since March 2024, covering topics in News, News Commentary.
Reasonably Optimistic is currently highly active with new episodes every few days. Average episode length is 22m.
Sign up on Grep.FM to access contact details for Reasonably Optimistic, including email and social media links.
Similar Podcasts
The Charlie Kirk Show
Charlie Kirk
4,305 episodes
Verdict with Ted Cruz
Premiere Networks
1,131 episodes
The Glenn Beck Program
Mercury Radio Arts
4,645 episodes
Mark Levin Podcast
Cumulus Podcast Network
2,531 episodes
The Tucker Carlson Show
Tucker Carlson Network
398 episodes
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
iHeartPodcasts
11,435 episodes