Impromptu

America’s colleges have spent years at the center of the culture wars. But some of the sharpest critics of higher education are people who once believed deeply in its mission — and changed their minds after seeing it from the inside. Host Megan McArdle is joined by Tyler Austin Harper, staff writer at The Atlantic and former professor at Bates College. He breaks down how academ...

From the housing shortage to rising electricity costs, many of America’s biggest affordability problems come back to the same question: Why can’t we build more? Host Megan McArdle is joined by political commentator Josh Barro to talk about the “abundance” agenda and what it could mean for the cost of living, housing and energy prices, and economic growth. They discuss how both ...

As students head back to school, families and educators are facing a growing question: What should they do about smartphones? Host Megan McArdle is joined by social psychologist Jonathan Haidt to talk about how TikTok, social media and constant digital stimulation may be changing the way children pay attention, stay motivated and cope emotionally. They discuss how childhood shi...

Dinner shouldn’t be stressful. But after a long day, even deciding what to cook can feel like one more exhausting task. Add the pressure to make meals healthy, affordable, interesting and Instagram-worthy, and home cooking can start to feel more like performance than pleasure. Host Megan McArdle talks with Caroline Chambers, author of "What to Cook When You Don’t Feel Like Cook...

Public confidence in higher education has been eroding for years. Rising costs, uncertain job prospects and political conflict have led many people to question whether colleges still serve the public. But trying to fix that by slashing research funding or putting campuses under tighter government control could destroy a lot of what makes them valuable. Host Megan McArdle argues...