The Crime Wave Is Over. Why Does Nobody Believe It?

The Crime Wave Is Over. Why Does Nobody Believe It?

Author: The Progress Network with Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas August 24, 2026 Duration: 17:10
The media is constantly telling us that danger is everywhere. Between true crime binges and political rants, we're led to believe that our streets are a war zone. However, recent statistics released by the FBI tell a completely different story. Plus, we'll get into why video game fans have the resume the FAA is looking for. Then in our this week in history segment, we’re taking a look at a bad deal that sparked a massive non-violent protest in the form of a human chain. Join Emma Varvaloucas on this episode of the What Could Go Right progress report to hear the full story. For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.org Subscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://theprogressnetwork.org/newsletter/ Watch the podcast on YouTube: / theprogressnetwork Follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @progressntwrk Follow Emma on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heyemmavarv/

It’s easy to feel that everything is falling apart, but what if the dominant narrative of decline is missing a crucial piece of the story? What Could Go Right? asks that question directly, offering a necessary counterpoint to the daily drumbeat of crises. Hosted by The Progress Network’s Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas, this podcast operates from a simple but radical premise: while the problems are real, so is the human capacity for ingenuity and constructive change. Each episode brings together a diverse group of thinkers, from scientists and activists to policymakers and cultural commentators, for conversations that go beyond diagnosing issues to exploring tangible solutions and underreported advances. You’ll hear nuanced discussions on everything from climate technology and economic innovation to the reshaping of governance and culture, all grounded in a realistic sense of possibility. This isn’t about blind optimism; it’s about engaged, evidence-based hope. Tuning in means joining a community that believes understanding what’s working is just as important as understanding what’s broken. If you’re weary of doomscrolling and looking for substantive dialogue that charts a path forward, this is the podcast for you.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

What Could Go Right?
Podcast Episodes
The World Map You Grew Up With Is Wrong [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:59
Maps have distorted the true size of the African continent for 500 years, but a new UN resolution is changing that. Progress Network Executive Director Emma Varvaloucas examines this historic shift toward a more accurate…
AI Was Supposed to Destroy Jobs. Here's What Actually Happened [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 16:50
There’s been a lot of doom and gloom around artificial intelligence taking our jobs. Even founders of AI companies like Sam Altman have said that many jobs will go poof and disappear. But is the AI job apocalypse all hyp…
Why We Can't Picture a Good Future Anymore | With Ari Wallach [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:28
Are we trapped in a cultural doom loop that forces us to fear the future instead of dreaming of a better one? In this episode, futurist Ari Wallach joins host Zachary Karabell to examine why modern society defaults to sh…
Introducing: The Ongoing Transformation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:31
This week, we want to share a podcast from our friends at Issues in Science & Technology. It’s called The Ongoing Transformation and it looks at how science and society are continually transforming each other. From count…