Ezra Klein Returns (on political polarization)
5/27/20262 hr 8 min
Ezra Klein (Abundance, The Ezra Klein Show, Why We’re Polarized) is a political commentator, journalist, podcast host and New York Times columnist. Ezra joins Armchair Expert to discuss becoming a father, getting serious about longevity and strength training, and why self-improvement became politically coded. Ezra and Dax talk about how attention became the most valuable currency in politics, why there’s no liberal Joe Rogan, and how cancellation can backfire into shadow influence. Ezra explains why democracy requires moral imagination, how telling people you hate them pushes them away, and why the desire to become a better person shouldn’t belong to one political side.
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Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsDax Shepard· Host0:00
Welcome, welcome, welcome to Armchair Expert, Experts on Expert. I'm Dan Shepherd. I'm joined by Lily Padman.
Monica Padman· Host0:05
Hi.
Dax Shepard· Host0:05
And today we have a returning guest.
Monica Padman· Host0:08
[gasps] Yes.
Dax Shepard· Host0:09
He was last here weeks before shutdown.
Monica Padman· Host0:11
Yeah, lot's changed.
Dax Shepard· Host0:12
Six years ago. Uh, Ezra Klein. He is a political commentator and a journalist. He co-founded Vox and is currently a New York Times podcast host and op-ed columnist. Ding, ding, ding, that's why he's here. I read, uh, an op-ed he wrote that I really, really liked that we're gonna discuss at length. His books include Abundance, which is gaining a lot of political traction.
Monica Padman· Host0:32
Oh, it's also been on so many big lists, Bill Gates's list, Obama's list, just man oh man.
Dax Shepard· Host0:39
And then Why We're Polarized, which was how we met him the first time. Uh, and of course, listen to his podcast. It is extremely well-informed and beautifully executed, The Ezra Klein Show. Please enjoy Ezra Klein. We are supported by Quince. Monica- Mm-hmm. We love Quince.
Monica Padman· Host0:57
We do. We do love Quince.
Dax Shepard· Host0:59
We genuinely do. I've become obsessed with how they do things. They make these European linen shorts and shirts 100% European linen, and they feel incredible. Lightweight, breathable, but still look polished.
Monica Padman· Host1:11
And it's perfect for this time of year. Spring loves linen. I feel like everything they make is super luxe, but it doesn't break the bank.
Dax Shepard· Host1:19
Yeah, and the way they keep prices low is they work directly with ethical factories. No middleman, no retail markup, so you're getting premium materials at 50 to 80% less than comparable brands.