Great job pinning down the most interesting issues to talk about. Love how the podcast finds big ideas to discuss that are connected to current events.

It’s hilarious to me that a guy who basically prayed at th altar of Fauci, and Covid vaccines and boosters, thinks he has any right anymore to come across as anything other than a left wing echo chamber / radical. I love to see him now parroting the line going across all left wing outlets “ok, we admit, government needs to be cut… it’s jus the way musk is doing I that’s the problem “ 😂😂 coming from the group of people who had no problem how govern was operating, are only pivoting Now that their hand has been caught u. Cookie jar and most of America hates them. Derek Thompson would be better served wearing a mask, social distancing and getting his 9th covid booster rather than lecturing anyone about pretty much anything. He’s a perfect example of why the dems have never been less relatable, less popular, and less trustworthy than they are right now. Bye

Facts aren’t facts because you say them out loud or have an expert on - still some opinion or assumptions there. Don’t do an episode on “facts we know” and give nothing but speculation. Listen back to older episodes and see how misses have been stated. Add another to the list. Stay in your lane.

This is one of my regular listens. Derek is one of the most rational and thoughtful interviews on the left, and like other great interviewers he is at his best interviewing ideological opponents and asking probing questions. Unlike many podcasts, he gives listeners a serious interview that avoids strawman arguments and hysteria. Coming from a more conservative perspective, I can hear serious challenges to my ideas and enjoy listening.

Thompson is among the better podcast hosts out there now, which speaks as much to the bleak landscape as much as to his own modest talents. He’s at his best when he’s interviewing a legitimate expert about something in science or history. Unfortunately he’s really credulous about tech and politics adjacent to it. I hope he loses that credulousness, but I’m not optimistic given the current incentives and culture. It’s worth listening to when you’ve run out of episodes of better versions of his show, like Ezra Klein’s.

A podcast filled with incredible insights, thoughtful commentary, smart guests, and timely topics. I listen to many podcasts but Plain English is my only never-miss must-listen. Thanks!

Today’s episode about GLP-1 drugs with Al-Aly has been super interesting to listen to and your guest is wonderful but I really think he needs a bit of coaching on podcast speaking. I had to turn it off midway because it was making me too anxious - he is so excited to be talking about this that he’s losing his breath, tripping over his words and shouting. It both makes me happy there’s someone like him talking about this subject but also wanting him to calm down!

Always love these episodes. Really enjoyed first episode of Plain History series. Looking forward to more!!!

Loved the first episode of plain history, you have the perfect skill set for a history show. Keep making these please!

Loved the conversation with Candice Millard. Looking forward to more of this ilk.

As a wine drinker as always a great job.

I normally find Derek’s podcast Plain English to be very informative and enjoyable. But the latest episode regarding healthcare was so out of touch with real people that it was offensive. Try talking to regular people and collect their stories in addition to experts. While the episode was informative it lacks the average persons insight. That is true of most episodes in my opinion but was more prominent on this topic. No Derek you do not represent the average Joe well. Your guest would be found to be very condescending to many. The conversation lacked empathy to many people’s struggles and concerns with the state of US healthcare today. Step out of your ivory tower more often. Recent podcast on LA fires was heavily focused on Palisades fire ignoring the Easton fire. Also facts about SoCal fire history was just plain wrong. Next time interview some folks in SoCal with knowledge of the real situation instead of a former. Atlantic colleague. Recall just poorly informed on this topic. I am sadly unfollowing a podcast I use to enjoy.

I wait anxiously for each program and so far never disappointed. Excellent podcast and sure wish I could catch a live show! Thanks Derek .. keep up the good research and presenting.

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Generally think this is a very smart show. But nothing in that crypto episode sounds legit. Really, the Biden DOJ is closing the personal bank accounts of DraftKings employees because they work for a betting site? I’ve heard nothing about this in the mainstream press, and I think this would be a huge news story if true. Come on, do better with the fact checking. Lost a listener.

Hands down the smartest and most densely informative podcast out there. I can't recommend it enough.

Good premise and nice to have guests who are well versed in the topic. However their selection and the stats chosen assuredly have bias towards an agenda.

I have to admit to finally dropping this podcast after hearing the Burkeman “interview.” Three BIG reasons: Johnson barely interviews Burkeman, instead talking a lot about himself and how much he knows. Second, he is not self-aware enough to realize that he is not the first overwhelmed/enamored new parent in the planet. Ad nauseum kid talk is alienating. Third, Burkeman barely gets a word in, unless it to be made to forcibly agree with Johnson. Burkeman’s writing is wonderful, gently insightful, full of practical and thoughtful wisdom. It’s a shame Johnson failed to share that and actively squashed every opportunity for the listener to be engaged.

There's quite a few episodes I really enjoyed like the episode on GLP-1s as well as the episode on how breathing techniques affect mood and immune response. But anytime there is a discussion about economics or politics the capitalist realism and the ideological commitment to the status quo, comes in full force to ruin the discourse. Perhaps I should have done more research into Derek's beliefs instead of just casually consuming the podcast. And perhaps we'll find someone as articulate and intellectually curious as Derek without all of the neoliberal baggage. To all my leftists this is not for you!

From Ravi Sahay You missed it completely. Allopathic medicine which ignores lifestyle, diet and other modes of healing is the REAL problem. Every One needs a crash course on Microbiome incl the Gut Brain connection!

Excellently curated topics, content, and guests. The host is concise and leans into what he knows; and acknowledges what he may not. Overall, just a great show.

J gruber is a failed academic who wrote a horrible health care law and he is not a reliable source of info anymore than the average united healthcare customer. Truly grotesque and violent speech by uninformed effective altruists straight from the weather underground Genuinely started kinda interesting when talking tech… genuinely lost all interest when this became a NY times propaganda outlet. Really a hateful, regressive and very poorly conceived podcast now. Tried listening again and still mostly James clapper level propaganda

Used to be my favorite podcast until this fall with politics - very biased, hateful, dismissive, and plainly rude regarding anything center or center/right. I don’t trust his objectivity or rationality on any topic anymore. Plus, the pretentious rants are annoying. He barely lets his guests speak. How can a person hosting a podcast talk too much?? Not sure how it’s possible but he does. Very sad to be unsubscribing. Hopefully he’ll get the show back on track in the future.

The left-wing propaganda you’ve been vomiting for the last two months didn’t work, did it? America has spoken. Furthermore, the majority is clearly more smart than you are. Look at the market the day after Trump was elected. And that’s all I care to say, because I have better things to do. Not even worth it. Do some more homework about what the current administration did to the middle class ( the class that made this country what it was, mind you ), get a better understanding of economics, and lastly, get yourself together. Unsubscribed.

Great topics and unique ways of engaging with guests and topics

Derek thinks he’s smarter and morally superior to you. Sure, he’ll pretend to be open-minded and thoughtful about incredibly complex issues (the economy and foreign policy, for instance), but that’s all just window dressing. In Derek’s mind, there is one correct viewpoint. He’ll shove it down your throat and then claim you’re a terrible person if you disagree. Most people would say, “don’t bother wasting your time listening to this drivel,” but I actually encourage you to listen to several episodes, if only to get a proper feel for how incredibly pretentious and holier-than-thou Derek and a huge proportion of “journalists” are.

I am a loyal listener but he’s been off the rails the last month with politics. His unreasonable takes against all conservatives have made me doubt his objectivity and logic in other areas. Derek used to be like gospel to me but there’s no need to demonize and disparage the opinions of half the country.

Liked it at first but the more I listen, the less I like it. It’s just opinions on politics now. It was better when it was general topics that we learned new information about.

Such a smart and insightful dude. Always brings experts into the show, but he does his research before. Couldn’t recommend it enough.

Well researched and intelligent content. He deals with topical subjects and goes deep. Derek also has a great speaking voice.

And that’s saying a lot, as someone who chooses to listen to the FantasyPros fantasy football podcast. Just getting advertisements for this content makes me enjoy other Ringer content less, and makes me less less likely to engage with the Ringer at all.

Love the pod. You talk about catastrophe stories driving media. Could you do more positive futurist stories then?

I listened to the most recent episode about the economy, it was very much over my head. If you have an episode on economics that could serve as a primer, referencing that somewhere would be appreciated. I know some basics of economics but I don’t have a degree in it, and I didn’t think I’d need one given the title of this podcast.

Took many episodes to get there, but at least addressed individual investor activity in latest episode. If only briefly. The fact that investor purchases have grown from 13 to 25% of sales in the current economics should be alarming. Which means they are almost certainly competing on at least 50% if not higher. There is an exploding group of citizens (not institutions) who think the best way to get ahead in life is to hoard as much housing as possible and jack rent prices as high as possible. And do nothing else meaningful to contribute to society other than generate their “passive income” (read: parasitic income).

Hard pass. Mean.

You’re not gonna be president. You have my vote

This isn’t a political podcast. It’s just smart. I appreciate the way you covered the topic. Thanks.

One of the smartest reviews of current dilemma

I regularly listen to at least 20 podcasts, and this one is hands-down the smartest podcast out there in terms of conveying the key information about issues and trends in a digestible and enjoyable manner. Keep up the excellent work!

This entire conversation was in the context of the patriarchal capitalist social construct in which we’ve all been indoctrinated. The conversation was oozing with misogyny, probably unconscious and internalized. But nonetheless, it was heartbreaking as a social scientist, and 61 year-old female. I haven’t read the book, but the lens of which this narrative is told is the problem. Children are not objects nor is it a woman’s obligation to have them. There is so much more depth and nuance to the choice of partnering and having children. It just can’t be seen through the patriarchal social construct that is destroying humanity. Positive masculinity is men remembering how to honor, respect, and value the Sacred in women.

It’s ok. The guy is kind of smarmy and corny. He definitely can’t squat two plates below parallel

Smart questions and smart conversations. A great pod that informs and make you a more thoughtful person.

BUT, did you talk to any folks that work with the youth, I just left education after 10 years. The smart phone isn’t the problem, it’s that it provides accessibility to hate, and accessibility to seeing others who are “better than you,” and celebrated. We don’t celebrate the ordinary, oh wait…. Yea we do it’s called social media.

Just guys being dudes

Asks all the questions you would ask. I learn a lot from every episode.

I feel more informed for finding this show. Keep it up!

Thoughtful treatments of important topics with interviews of experts who bring a range of perspectives. Perhaps my favorite podcast.

This is my favorite podcast because of the intelligent interviews and the depth of the analyses. The host always makes each topic interesting even if I had little previous interest in the subject.

So many great topics and interesting points of view.

Great podcast!