Best Kyla Scanlon Podcasts (2025)

Steven Pinker returns to Conversations with Tyler with an argument that common knowledge—those infinite loops of "I know that you know that I know"—is the hidden infrastructure that enables human coordination, from accepting paper money to toppling dictators. But Tyler wonders: if most real-world coordination works fine without recursively looping …

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David Commins on Saudi Arabia, Wahhabism, and the Future of the Gulf States 51:07

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7d ago51:07

51:07

David Commins, author of the new book Saudi Arabia: A Modern History, brings decades of scholarship and firsthand experience to explain the kingdom's unlikely rise. Tyler and David discuss why Wahhabism was essential for Saudi state-building, the treatment of Shiites in the Eastern Province and whether discrimination has truly ended, why the Saudi …

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Dr. Susan Swick, Chief Mental Health Officer at Montage Health 1:05:34

8d ago1:05:34

1:05:34

In this episode - we dive into: Transitioning from a history major to medical school The opportunity to build Ohana, Montage Health's child and adolescent mental health program. How to build mental fitness, for children and adults Building her own Ohana Please enjoy this interview with the incredible, Dr. Susan Swick. For more information and conte…

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Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack on the Risks Markets Are Missing Now 22:56

25d ago22:56

22:56

The importance of Fed independence, sticky inflation, AI’s impact on entry-level work, and why she still leans modestly restrictiveBy Kyla Scanlon

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Seamus Murphy on Photographing Patterns Across Cultures 54:41

21d ago54:41

54:41

Seamus Murphy is an Irish photographer and filmmaker who has spent decades documenting life in some of the world's most challenging places—from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan to Nigeria's Boko Haram territories. Having left recession-era Ireland in the 1980s to teach himself photography in American darkrooms, Murphy has become that rare artist who …

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David Brooks on Audacity, AI, and the American Psyche (Live at 92NY) 1:10:18

1M ago1:10:18

1:10:18

David Brooks returns to the show with a stark diagnosis of American culture. Having evolved from a Democratic socialist to a neoconservative to what he now calls "the rightward edge of the leftward tendency," Brooks argues that America's core problems aren't economic but sociological—rooted in the destruction of our "secure base" of family, communi…

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Vanessa Dew - Entrepreneur, Co-Founder of Healthade Kombucha 43:14

1M ago43:14

43:14

In this episode, we discuss: How hot tub sessions with her best friends helped bring kombucha into the mainstream Building Health-Ade from farmers markets to over 50K stores nationwide The identity shift when you take a step back from the company you built Why it's important to treat and trust your gut (I had to do it!) Please enjoy this interview …

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Nate Silver on Life’s Mixed Strategies 1:03:43

1M ago1:03:43

1:03:43

In his third appearance on Conversations with Tyler, Nate Silver looks back at past predictions, weighs how academic ideas such as expected utility theory fare in practice, and examines the world of sports through the lens of risk and prediction. Tyler and Nate dive into expected utility theory and random Nash equilibria in poker, whether Silver's …

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Kyla Scanlon - Author, Economic commentator, and Educator 38:31

2M ago38:31

38:31

In this episode - we cover: How Western Kentucky University shaped her love for economics Through Covid comes content creation Her best-selling book, In This Economy Bread, her media company, and the expansion goals Rethinking how we talk about economics education As she autographed her book for my kids, I’ll leave you with the same words she wrote…

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Annie Jacobsen on Nuclear War, Intelligence Operations, and Conspiracy Realities 57:38

2M ago57:38

57:38

Annie Jacobsen has a favorite word for America's nuclear doctrine: madness. It's madness that any single person has six minutes to decide the fate of civilization, madness that we've built weapons capable of ending the world in 72 minutes, and madness that everything hangs by the thread of deterrence. But to Tyler, life is "a lot of different kinds…

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Helen Castor on Medieval Power and Personalities 1:07:18

2M ago1:07:18

1:07:18

Helen Castor is a British historian and BBC broadcaster who left Cambridge because she wanted to write narrative history focused on individuals rather than the analytical style typical of academia. As someone interested in individual psychology and the functioning of power, Castor finds medieval England offers the perfect setting because its sophis…

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David Robertson on Conducting, Pierre Boulez, and Musical Interpretation 59:34

3M ago59:34

59:34

David Robertson is a rare conductor who unites avant-garde complexity with accessibility. After serving as music director of the Ensemble Intercontemporain, Pierre Boulez’s storied contemporary-music ensemble, he went on to rejuvenate the St. Louis Symphony. Robertson combines a fearless approach to challenging scores with a deep empathy for audien…

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Austan Goolsbee on Central Banking as a Data Dog 58:40

3M ago58:40

58:40

Austan Goolsbee is one of Tyler Cowen’s favorite economists—not because they always agree, but because Goolsbee embodies what it means to think like an economist. Whether he’s analyzing productivity slowdowns in the construction sector, exploring the impact of taxes on digital commerce, or poking holes in overconfident macro narratives, Goolsbee is…

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Chris Arnade on Walking Cities 58:55

3M ago58:55

58:55

Most people who leave Wall Street after twenty years either retire or find another way to make a lot of money. Chris Arnade chose to walk through cities most travelers never truly see. What emerged from this approach is a unique form of street-level sociology that has attracted a devoted following on Substack. Arnade's work suggests that our most s…

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Any Austin on the Hermeneutics of Video Games 1:05:48

4M ago1:05:48

1:05:48

Any Austin has carved a unique niche for himself on YouTube: analyzing seemingly mundane or otherwise overlooked details in video games with the seriousness of an art critic examining Renaissance sculptures. With millions of viewers hanging on his every word about fluvial flows in Breath of the Wild or unemployment rates in the towns of Skyrim, Aus…

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Gamblemerica: How Sports Betting Apps Rewired a Generation's Relationship to Risk 35:51

4M ago35:51

35:51

Sports betting in the United States of America. Read the full piece here: https://kyla.substack.com/p/gamblemerica-how-sports-betting-apps 00:00 - Intro 00:36 - An Excerpt 02:42 - The United States of Gamblemerica 06:09 - In Dialogue with Jon 08:12 - The History of Sports Betting 13:55 - The State, The Platform, the Hen House 17:17 - The Dopamine B…

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John Arnold on Trading, Energy, and Evidence-Based Philanthropy 1:04:45

4M ago1:04:45

1:04:45

John Arnold built his fortune in energy trading by surrounding himself with smart people, maintaining emotional detachment, sensing market imbalances through first-principles analysis, and focusing with laser intensity on a single niche until he dominated it completely. Now he's applying that same analytical rigor to philanthropy, where he's discov…

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Theodore Schwartz on Neurosurgery, Consciousness, and Brain-Computer Interfaces 57:34

4M ago57:34

57:34

Get tickets to the CWT live show at 92NY with David Brooks! Theodore Schwartz stands at the pinnacle of neurosurgical expertise. With over 500 published articles, 200 pieces of commentary, and 5 patents to his name—effectively producing a scholarly work every two weeks for three decades—Schwartz spent most of his career at Weill Cornell Medicine, w…

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Jack Clark on AI's Uneven Impact 1:02:40

5M ago1:02:40

1:02:40

Few understand both the promise and limitations of artificial general intelligence better than Jack Clark, co-founder of Anthropic. With a background in journalism and the humanities that sets him apart in Silicon Valley, Clark offers a refreshingly sober assessment of AI's economic impact—predicting growth of 3-5% rather than the 20-30% touted by …

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Kenneth Rogoff on Monetary Moves, Fiscal Gambits, and Classical Chess 1:00:34

5M ago1:00:34

1:00:34

Harvard economist Kenneth Rogoff approaches global finance with the same strategic foresight that made him a chess grandmaster. Author of the new book Our Dollar, Your Problem, Rogoff doesn't sugarcoat America's future: he foresees a significant inflation shock within a decade, far more severe than the post-COVID bout. When this second wave hits, h…

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Chris Dixon on Blockchains, AI, and the Future of the Internet 1:02:51

5M ago1:02:51

1:02:51

Chris Dixon believes we're at a pivotal inflection point in the internet's evolution. As a general partner at Andreessen Horowitz and author of Read Write Own, Chris believes the current internet, dominated by large platforms like YouTube and Spotify, has strayed far from its decentralized roots. He argues that the next era—powered by blockchain te…

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Ian Leslie on McCartney, Lennon, and the Greatest Creative Partnership of All Time 59:22

5M ago59:22

59:22

It’s Beatles day! In this deep dive into one of music's most legendary partnerships, Ian Leslie and Tyler unpack the complex relationship between John Lennon and Paul McCartney. Leslie, whose book John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs examines this creative pairing, reveals how their contrasting personalities—John's intuitive, sometimes chaotic approa…

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Wendy Morgan - Writer/Film Maker/Director 43:03

6M ago43:03

43:03

In this episode, we dive into: Her family's journey from Chile to Canada The moment she fell in love with music videos How Wendy broke into the world of directing unforgettable music videos and narrative films The story behind directing one of the greatest music videos of all time Wendy Morgan inspires me in so many ways — her graceful presence bot…

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Jennifer Pahlka on Reforming Government 54:08

6M ago54:08

54:08

Jennifer Pahlka believes America's bureaucratic dysfunction is deeply rooted in outdated processes and misaligned incentives. As the founder of Code for America and co-founder of the United States Digital Service, she has witnessed firsthand how government struggles to adapt to the digital age, often trapped in rigid procedures and disconnected fro…

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Sheilagh Ogilvie on Epidemics, Guilds, and the Persistence of Bad Institutions 59:11

6M ago59:11

59:11

Sheilagh Ogilvie has spent decades examining the institutional structures that shaped European economic history, challenging conventional wisdom about everything from guilds to marriage patterns. In her conversation with Tyler, she reveals how studying pandemic responses from the Black Death to COVID-19 provides a unique lens for understanding deep…

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Ezra Klein on the Abundance Agenda 1:08:40

6M ago1:08:40

1:08:40

What happens when a liberal thinker shifts his attention from polarization to economic abundance? Ezra Klein’s new book with Derek Thompson, Abundance, argues for an agenda of increased housing, infrastructure, clean energy, and innovation. But does abundance clash with polarization—or offer a way through it? In this conversation, Ezra and Tyler di…

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Carl Zimmer on the Hidden Life in the Air We Breathe 51:43

7M ago51:43

51:43

Carl Zimmer is one of the finest science communicators of our time, having spent decades writing about biology, evolution, and heredity. His latest (and 16th) book, Air-Borne: The Hidden History of the Life We Breathe, explores something even more fundamental—how the very air around us is teeming with life, from pollen to pathogens to microbes floa…

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Gregory Clark on Social Mobility, Migration, and Assortative Mating (Live at Mercatus) 1:23:14

7M ago1:23:14

1:23:14

How much of your life’s trajectory was set in motion centuries ago? Gregory Clark has spent decades studying social mobility, and his findings suggest that where you land in society is far more predictable than we like to think. Using historical data, surname analysis, and migration patterns, Clark argues that social mobility rates have remained la…

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Ross Douthat on Why Religion Makes More Sense Than You Think 1:13:38

8M ago1:13:38

1:13:38

Sign Up for the Boston Listener Meet Up For Ross Douthat, phenomena like UFO sightings and the simulation hypothesis don't challenge religious belief—they demonstrate how difficult it is to escape religious questions entirely. His new book, Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious makes the case for religious faith in an age of apparent disenchant…

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DeepSeek, the Federal Spending Freeze, and America’s Innovation Crisis 17:25

8M ago17:25

17:25

Nvidia just lost $600 billion in value in a single day—the largest single-stock drop in history—and all because of a Chinese AI startup called DeepSeek. But this isn’t just about Nvidia or AI. It’s about how America is battling its own assumptions about innovation, efficiency, and progress. In this video, I'll talk about (1) how DeepSeek built a gr…

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Joe Boyd on the Birth of Rock, World Music, and Being There for Everything 1:00:42

8M ago1:00:42

1:00:42

Sign Up for the Boston Listener Meet Up Joe Boyd was there when Dylan went electric, when Pink Floyd was born, and when Paul Simon brought Graceland to the world. But far from being just another music industry insider, Boyd has spent decades exploring how the world's musical traditions connect and transform each other. His new book And the Roots of…

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Eve Meyer - Fmr Executive Director of San Francisco Suicide Prevention 54:15

9M ago54:15

54:15

In this episode, we discuss: Her family's immigration story after the Holocaust How the death of her sister impacted the family Leading the San Francisco Suicide Prevention for 30+ years Managing 65K calls each year in the oldest US suicide hotline Using humor as therapy Please enjoy this episode with the legendary, Eve Meyer.…

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Scott Sumner on Monetary Rules, Blooming Late, and the Death of Cinema 1:08:14

9M ago1:08:14

1:08:14

Scott Sumner didn't follow the typical path to economic influence. He nearly lost his teaching job before tenure, did his best research after most academics slow down, and found his largest audience through blogging in his 50s and 60s, in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. Yet this unconventional journey led him to become one of the most influe…

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Conversations with Tyler 2024 Retrospective 58:05

9M ago58:05

58:05

Donate to Conversations with Tyler Give Crypto Other Ways to Give On this special year-in-review episode, Tyler and producer Jeff Holmes look back on the past year in the show and more, including covering the most popular and underrated episodes, fielding listener questions, reviewing Tyler’s pop culture picks from 2014, mulling over ideas for what…

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The Year Narrative Ate Reality 11:40

9M ago11:40

11:40

Full substack: https://kyla.substack.com/p/the-year-narrative-ate-realityBy Kyla Scanlon

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Trust as the Next Great Commodity 15:01

10M ago15:01

15:01

We talk about the concept of trust as a commodity and discuss how to invest when trust is scarce. Spectra School: http://www.spectramarkets.com/school/ Hanks Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8PndpFPL8g&t=40s How Trump Won: https://kyla.substack.com/p/how-trump-won-what-happens-next-and 00:00 Introduction and Overview 00:24 Special Sponsor Se…

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Paula Byrne on Thomas Hardy’s Women, Jane Austen’s Humor, and Evelyn Waugh’s Warmth 54:42

10M ago54:42

54:42

Donate to Conversations with Tyler Give Crypto Other Ways to Give What can Thomas Hardy’s tortured marriages teach us about love, obsession, and second chances? In this episode, biographer, novelist, and therapist Paula Byrne examines the intimate connections between life and literature, revealing how Hardy’s relationships with women shaped his por…

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Rosanne Longmore - CEO of Coroflo 41:46

10M ago41:46

41:46

In this episode, we discuss: Rosanne's journey from wealth management to entrepreneurship How a groundbreaking medical device got on her radar Taking on the CEO role of the startup, Coroflo Their groundbreaking technology that helps new mothers and newborns How connection drives her and Coroflo's work Please enjoy this interview with the delightful…

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Stephen Kotkin on Stalin, Power, and the Art of Biography 1:26:25

10M ago1:26:25

1:26:25

Donate to Conversations with Tyler Give Crypto Other Ways to Give In his landmark multi-volume biography of Stalin, Stephen Kotkin shows how totalitarian power worked not just through terror from above, but through millions of everyday decisions from below. Currently a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution after 33 years at Princeton, Kotkin brin…

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Thanksgiving to Black Friday: The Beauty of Supply Chains 9:25

10M ago9:25

9:25

The economics of Thanksgiving and Black Friday! 00:00 Intro 00:29 Turkeys 01:25 Supply Chain 03:18 The Sweet Potato Belt and Pumpkin Capital 04:34 Black Friday 04:59 The Impact of Smartphones on Shopping 05:34 Game Theory and Price Tracking 06:37 The Future of Black Friday 08:34 Conclusion Sources https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjcjvNvvGLc https:/…

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Understanding Trump's Tariffs 11:38

10M ago11:38

11:38

What even are tariffs 00:00 Tariffs 01:45 History 02:40 Why does Trump Like Them? 05:02 Market Response 09:30 The Economic Impact 📚 Want to learn more? Check out: Newsletter: kyla.substack.com Book: "In This Economy?" Podcast: Let's Appreciate 🔗 Follow for daily economic insights: TikTok: @kylascan Instagram: @kylascan LinkedIn: @kylascan DISCLAIME…

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Why Everything is Still Expensive: A Fed President Explains 29:32

10M ago29:32

29:32

I had questions. A lot of them. So I sat down with someone who might have answers - Mary Daly, President and CEO of the San Francisco Fed. She's one of the people actually making the decisions that affect your money. Five big things I wanted to understand: Why everything still feels so expensive What's really happening with jobs Why Wall Street and…

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Russ Roberts on Vasily Grossman’s Life and Fate 1:01:41

10M ago1:01:41

1:01:41

In this crossover episode with EconTalk, Tyler joins Russ Roberts for an in-depth exploration of Vasily Grossman’s Life and Fate, a monumental novel often described as the 20th-century answer to Tolstoy’s War and Peace. Russ and Tyler cover Grossman’s life and the historical context of Life and Fate, its themes of war, totalitarianism, freedom, and…

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How Donald Trump Won and What Happens Next for the Economy 48:57

10M ago48:57

48:57

Donald Trump’s election has ben elected the 47th president of the United States. Here's what it means and what could happen next. Newsletter: https://kyla.substack.com/p/how-trump-won-what-happens-next-and Sources https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkrNsNDaXS8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4t0S9zZn2QQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kBiyueN-l4 http…

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Neal Stephenson on History, Spycraft, and American-Soviet Parallels 47:19

11M ago47:19

47:19

Neal Stephenson’s ability to illuminate complex, future-focused ideas in ways that both provoke thought and spark wonder has established him as one of the most innovative thinkers in literature today. Yet his new novel, Polostan, revisits the Soviet era with a twist, shifting his focus from the speculative technologies of tomorrow to the historical…

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Comparing Economic Policies: Harris vs. Trump - A Deep Dive 29:16

11M ago29:16

29:16

I follow the outline of the CRFB here. In this episode, we break down the economic policy proposals of two major candidates: Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. We analyze their plans on taxes, healthcare, education, housing, and more, providing insights into how each policy could impact the economy. We draw from multiple sources, including CRFB and Bu…

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Christopher Kirchhoff on Military Innovation and the Future of War 56:38

11M ago56:38

56:38

Christopher Kirchhoff is an expert in emerging technology who founded the Pentagon’s Silicon Valley office. He’s led teams for President Obama, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and CEO of Google. He’s worked in worlds as far apart as weapons development and philanthropy. His pioneering efforts to link Silicon Valley technology and startup…

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Musa al-Gharbi on Elite Wokeness, Islam, and Social Movements 49:03

12M ago49:03

49:03

Subscribe to Pluralist Points on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts Musa al-Gharbi is a sociologist and assistant professor at Stony Brook University whose research explores how people think about, talk about, and produce shared knowledge about race, inequality, social movements, extremism, policing, and other social phenomena. His new book, We Ha…

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Tom Tugendhat on Modernizing the UK and Political Reform 50:26

12M ago50:26

50:26

Tom Tugendhat has served as a Member of Parliament since 2015, holding roles such as Security Minister and chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee. Before entering Parliament, Tom served in in Iraq and Afghanistan. He also worked for the Foreign Office, helped establish the National Security Council of Afghanistan, and served as military assi…