Ross and Ezra Klein Discuss Trump, Mysticism and Psychedelics

Ross and Ezra Klein Discuss Trump, Mysticism and Psychedelics

Author: New York Times Opinion August 21, 2025 Duration: 1:36:12
This week, we’re sharing a great conversation Ross had on “The Ezra Klein Show” this past spring. Ezra asks Ross about his most recent book, “Believe: Why Everyone Should Be Religious.” But along the way, they debate not just how religion influences the Trump administration but also their own lives. Come for their seeking and stay for their thoughts on ayahuasca and mystical encounters.

Every Thursday, Ross Douthat sits down to make sense of a world that feels perpetually off-balance. This isn't about quick takes or yesterday's headlines. Interesting Times with Ross Douthat is a series of deep, considered conversations that explore the undercurrents shaping our politics, our culture, and the very structure of society. From the New York Times Opinion section, each episode acts as a first draft of our collective future, attempting to map a new world order as it emerges in real time. You'll hear from thinkers, writers, and doers who are challenging conventional wisdom, all through Ross's distinctive lens. The discussions are built on the premise that we are living through a historical pivot, and understanding it requires patience, curiosity, and a willingness to engage with complex ideas. The result is a podcast that feels both urgent and reflective, a necessary pause amid the noise to examine how we got here and where we might be headed. It’s for anyone who finds the present moment bewildering and seeks a more substantive dialogue about the forces at play. Tune in for a thoughtful analysis that you won't find anywhere else, naturally evolving from week to week as the story of our age continues to unfold.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 65

Interesting Times with Ross Douthat
Podcast Episodes
‘A Hard Time We Had of It’ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:03
Merry Christmas and happy holidays! This week Ross Douthat shares one of his favorite poems for the occasion, “The Journey of the Magi,” written by T.S. Eliot, to reflect on a year one might call “interesting.” See you n…
Will It Ever Be Cool to Be Conservative? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:48
Edgelords, Groypers, Sydney Sweeney’s jeans. American pop culture is having a right-wing moment. Ross recently joined the “Popcast” hosts Jon Caramanica and Joe Coscarelli to debate whether it will ever be truly cool to…
Is Anything Holding MAGA Together? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09:23
After Charlie Kirk’s assassination, conspiracy theories and divisions multiplied on the right. On this episode of “Interesting Times,” Ross talks to Andrew Kolvet, a Turning Point USA spokesperson and executive producer…
The Shifting Politics of Transgender Rights [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:17:59
The transgender rights movement in America appeared to be gaining momentum. But after suffering a big loss before the Supreme Court in June and facing a shift in public opinion, where does the fight go now? On this episo…
It’s Deeper Than Nick Fuentes [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:35
Is antisemitism the next chapter of “America First”? Many see the appeal of antisemitic ideas among younger conservatives as a natural consequence of a hard right nationalist turn. Yoram Hazony — a prominent advocate of…
‘This Is the War Against Human Nature’ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:46
“There’s something very spiritually dark about the internet,” the author Paul Kingsnorth tells Ross Douthat in this week’s episode of “Interesting Times.” Kingsnorth warns against the expanding presence of technology in…
Did Liberal Feminism Ruin the Workplace? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:46
Is society too feminine or not feminine enough? Two conservative writers, Helen Andrews and Leah Libresco Sargeant, disagree on the answer. They join Ross Douthat to debate whether the feminization of institutions led to…
Mamdani’s Victory Is Less Significant Than You Think [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 4:34
Does Zohran Mamdani’s win mean a new dawn for the Democratic Party? Not exactly, Ross Douthat argues. In this mini-episode of “Interesting Times,” Ross explains that the New York mayor’s office has historically been a “s…
What Palantir Sees [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:14
Who’s afraid of Palantir? The company’s chief technology officer, Shyam Sankar, joins Ross Douthat for a conversation about what the shadowy company actually does — and the thorny political and ethical questions it faces…