Shows
"Econ 102" with Noah Smith and Erik TorenbergDerek Thompson on Why America Can't Build, Abundance, and SubstackIn this episode of Econ 102, we're republishing a conversation between Noah Smith and Derek Thompson recorded live on Substack in June. They explore Derek’s shift from The Atlantic to Substack and unpack the “abundance agenda” — a vision for revitalizing American politics through better housing, energy, and innovation policy. Their wide-ranging conversation touches on economic reform, trendspotting, and the evolving media landscape.
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Big ThinkSpeed vs. process: Why America chose wrong | Derek Thompson"I'd prefer to think about a different axis, which is, should government be more or less effective? Should government work faster or slower?"
Why can’t America build anymore? The US has become astonishingly slow (and increasingly expensive) when delivering basic infrastructure. Journalist and Abundance co-author Derek Thompson explores how a tangled web of bureaucracy, overregulation, and political dysfunction has paralyzed our ability to execute.
Chapters:00:00 Why can’t we build?
01:02 Is DOGE making the government efficient?
02:55 Institutions and blame
04:29 The many axis of politics
07:03 Choosing speed over process
About Derek Thompson:
Dere...2025-06-0408 min
Chicago Humanities TapesEzra Klein and Derek Thompson Wonder What You Will Build for the FutureBestselling authors and popular podcasters Ezra Klein (The New York Times) and Derek Thompson (The Atlantic) are interested in societal abundance – how do we get closer to equality when it seems like we’re getting farther from having enough resources for everyone? Joined by historian and science fiction writer Ada Palmer, these three brilliant minds joyfully dig into everything from futurism to Shakespeare, encouraging listeners to combat daily despair with progressive action. Subscribe to the podcast. SHOW NOTES Watch the full program here. Read the podcast transcript. PHOTO: Ezra Klein...2025-05-061h 14Chicago Humanities TapesEzra Klein and Derek Thompson Wonder What You Will Build for the FutureBestselling authors and popular podcasters Ezra Klein (The New York Times) and Derek Thompson (The Atlantic) are interested in societal abundance – how do we get closer to equality when it seems like we’re getting farther from having enough resources for everyone? Joined by historian and science fiction writer Ada Palmer, these three brilliant minds joyfully dig into everything from futurism to Shakespeare, encouraging listeners to combat daily despair with progressive action. Subscribe to the podcast. SHOW NOTES Watch the full program here. Read the podcast transcript. PHOTO: Ezra Klein...2025-05-061h 14
Town Hall Seattle Civics Series388. Derek Thompson with Clayton Aldern: Abundance From bestselling authors and journalists Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson, Abundance is a call to renew a politics of plenty, face the failures of liberal governance, and abandon the chosen scarcities that have deformed American life. To trace the history of the twenty-first century so far is to trace a history of unaffordability and shortage. After years of refusing to build sufficient housing, America has a national housing crisis. After years of limiting immigration, we don’t have enough workers. Despite decades of being warned about the consequences of climate change, we haven’t built anyt...2025-04-251h 20
PossibleDerek Thompson on AI, abundance, and human progressWhy can the United States government help make a vaccine in a year but not build a high-speed train in a reasonable timeframe? What if our biggest problems—affordable housing shortages, energy limits, and scientific slowdowns—aren’t inevitable, but chosen?This week, Reid and Aria sit down with Derek Thompson—staff writer at The Atlantic and host of the podcast Plain English—to explore how a scarcity mindset is holding American society back. They cover how AI can revolutionize scientific discovery; what Operation Warp Speed got right; and why real progress depends on bold polic...2025-04-2353 min
Intelligence SquaredAbundance: A New Blueprint for Liberal Politics, With Derek ThompsonWhat if the biggest threat to liberal democracy isn’t authoritarianism - but our failure to build?On today’s episode we’re joined by journalist Derek Thompson to unpack Abundance, a new vision of progressive politics co-authored by Thompson and Ezra Klein. In it, Klein and Thompson trace the political, economic, and cultural barriers to progress and propose a path toward a politics of abundance. Derek Thompson is a staff writer at The Atlantic, host of the Plain English podcast, and the author of the i...2025-04-1650 min
Just Asking QuestionsDerek Thompson: Democrats Must ChangeDerek Thompson, a senior writer at The Atlantic and co-author (with Ezra Klein) of Abundance: The New Politics of Growth, joins this episode of Just Asking Questions to make the case that if Democrats want to win in the future, they must first learn to build. In this conversation, Thompson challenges Democrats to reimagine themselves as the party of pragmatic progress, rather than redistribution.
We wanted to bring Thompson on the show now because the tension inside the Democratic Party is reaching a breaking point. In the wake of disappointing results and growing disillusionment with blue-state governance...2025-04-111h 07
City Arts & LecturesEzra Klein and Derek ThompsonEzra Klein is a columnist and podcast host at The New York Times and the author of Why We’re Polarized. Derek Thompson is a staff writer at The Atlantic, host of the podcast Plain English and a news analyst with NPR. Klein and Thompson’s new book Abundance is a call to rethink big, entrenched problems that seem mired in systemic scarcity: from climate change to housing, education to healthcare. The history of the twenty-first century in America is one of growing unaffordability and shortage. After years of refusing to build sufficient housing, the entire country has a natio...2025-04-061h 24
Open to DebateThink Twice: About Abundance with Derek ThompsonReporter and podcaster Derek Thompson says we’re better at recognizing problems, but our ability to solve them has not improved. How can we make sure meaningful progress occurs? In this conversation with Open to Debate guest moderator Nayeema Raza, Thompson will discuss his new book “Abundance,” rethinking yesterday’s issues to address today’s problems, and what both sides of the political aisle should learn to ensure we have a more abundant society. Our Guest: Derek Thompson, Staff Writer at The Atlantic; Author of the "Work in Progress" Newsletter Nayeema Raza, Journalist...2025-03-2853 min
Lex Fridman Podcast#462 – Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson: Politics, Trump, AOC, Elon & DOGEEzra Klein is one of the most influential voices representing the left-wing of American politics. He is a columnist for the NY Times and host of The Ezra Klein Show. Derek Thompson is a writer at The Atlantic and host of the Plain English podcast. Together they have written a new book titled Abundance that lays out a set of ideas for the future of the Democratic party.
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See below for timestamps, transcript, and to give feedback, submit questions, contact Lex, etc.
...2025-03-2600 min
The Bill Simmons PodcastThe Future of Everything With Derek ThompsonThe Ringer's Bill Simmons is joined by Derek Thompson for another edition of The Future of Everything, during which they discuss Derek and Ezra Klein’s new book ‘Abundance,’ before sharing their predictions for the future of politics, tech, sports, and culture.Host: Bill SimmonsGuest: Derek ThompsonProducers: Kyle Crichton and Chia Hao TatThis episode is sponsored by State Farm®. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.®The Ringer is committed to responsible gaming. Please v...2025-03-191h 38
KQED's ForumJournalists Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson on Why the Left is Bad at GoverningCalifornia in 2023 experienced a net loss of nearly 270,000 residents. The main reason given by those surveyed? The state’s cost of living is too high for working families. According to journalists Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson, much of the blame for that lies with Democrats, who they say have “failed at the work of governing” by pushing policies that make it too hard to build homes, mass transit and clean energy infrastructure. We talk to Klein and Thompson about how they think the left can govern better and smarter. Their new book is “Abundance.”Guests:2025-03-1857 min
Good on PaperDerek Thompson and Ezra Klein on AbundanceDonald Trump won back the White House last year by stoking fears of scarcity. The zero-sum thinking of the right that says there aren’t enough houses or jobs to go around laid the groundwork for the forces of illiberalism currently at play in the federal government. In their new book, Abundance, Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson argue that to combat the politics of scarcity, liberals at every level of government must embrace abundance. Further reading: Abundance, by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson Why We’re Polarized, by Ezra Klein “Do...2025-03-181h 21
Honestly with Bari WeissEzra Klein and Derek Thompson Have a Plan for the LeftEzra Klein and Derek Thompson are the two most important liberal journalists working in the legacy press today—Ezra at The New York Times, and Derek at The Atlantic.Although they insist they’ll never go into politics themselves, they are offering Democrats a path back to power.To see their way out of the political wilderness, the Democrats need a vision—one that goes beyond resistance to Trump. A vision that can bring back the disaffected Democrats who stayed home, or voted red for the first time, this past N...2025-03-181h 38
excellence, actually101 - From Solitude to Social Fitness: Rethinking Connection in the 21st Century (with Derek Thompson)Americans are spending more time alone than we have in a long, long time. That wouldn't be such a big deal if we weren't also reporting feelings of increased anxiety and unhappiness. This is why journalist Derek Thompson, in his recent cover story for The Atlantic, titled "The Anti-Social Century" (link below), writes, “Self-imposed solitude might just be the most important social fact of the 21st century in America." Today, Brad and Clay talk to Derek about how we got here, the consequences it's having on our society and culture, and why we might need to think about taking "so...2025-01-1652 min
The MHP ShowHow Can Automation and Technology Revolutionize Mobile Home Park Operations? | Episode 56 | Ty ThompsonIn this episode of the MHP Show podcast, host Derek Vickers talks with Ty Thompson, an army veteran and PGA golf professional, about his foray into mobile home park investing. Ty discusses the benefits of passive income and equity building in this niche real estate market. He shares insights on due diligence, the importance of mentorship, and strategies for automation and technology integration to streamline operations. The episode covers the inclusion of high-speed internet and HD channels in lot rent, the use of pet screening software, and the necessity of strict rent collection processes. The discussion also touches on...2024-05-0655 min
The Press BoxA Sportswriter Introduces Himself to Caitlin Clark, the Trump Trial Isn’t on TV, and NPR-mageddon With Derek ThompsonHello media consumers! Bryan welcomes a fellow Ringer podcast host, Derek Thompson of ‘Plain English,’ to discuss the following:
Donald Trump’s trial not being televised (1:58)
A sportswriter “introducing” himself to Caitlin Clark (11:28)
Reactions to Uri Berliner’s essay, which details why he can't work for NPR (16:51)
Derek's podcast about how boring the 2024 election is (35:45)
Host: Bryan CurtisGuest: Derek ThompsonProducers: Eduardo Ocampo and Brian H. Waters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices2024-04-1852 min
LongformEpisode 572: Derek ThompsonDerek Thompson is a staff writer for The Atlantic and host of the podcast Plain English.“I am an inveterate dilettante. I lose interest in subjects all the time. Because what I find interesting about my job is the invitation to solve mysteries. And once you solve one, two, three mysteries in a space, then the meta-mystery of that space begins to dim. And all these other subjects—that's the new unlit space that needs the flashlight. And that's the part of the job that I love the most: that there are so many dark corners in the wor...2024-03-1346 min
The Conversation with Nadine MathesonDerek Thompson: Author. The Great Milk Float RobberySend us a textDerek Thompson grew up in London and started writing fiction in his teens. After spending a year in the US, he returned to London and subsequently moved to the West Country. He wrote a commissioned piece for The Guardian in 2008 and entered the world of freelance writing in 2009. His short fiction has featured in both British and American anthologies, and can be found online. He has also written comedy material for live performance and radio.Derek Thompson writes the Thomas Bladen Thrillers and the Detective Craig Wild Mysteries. Derek's latest novel, W...2023-10-1757 min