Lexicon Valley

Yesterday, a jury found Jennifer Crumbley guilty of involuntary manslaughter for the mass-shooting carried out by her son Ethan at his high school in Oxford, Michigan.  How will this conviction change the way school shootings are prosecuted? Can future violence be prevented by holding the parents accountable? Guest: Quinn Klinefelter, host and Senior News Editor for 101.9 WDET in Detroit. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… dear colleague.  The way universities and colleges handle sexual assault cases has changed a lot in the last 13 years. Part of that is because of the sheer vastness of the higher education system; everyone does everything differently. But federal guidance has also shifted with each of the last three administrations… and our guest today argues that none of those systems have worked. In fact, they’ve all been unmitigated failures. Lara Bazelon of the University of San Francisco joins us to argue that existing systems should be burned down — and replaced with restorative justice.  If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.com Podcast production by Maura Currie. You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus! Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… folie à deux (again). A few weeks ago, Frank Buckley joined us to argue that Trump voters aren’t delusional. And a lot of you disagreed. One of you, though, turned out to be an expert in the nature of delusion. So who better to join us, and make the case that we got it wrong? Barry Mauer, a Hear Me Out listener and associate professor at the University of Central Florida, joins us to argue that the pro-Trump movement isn’t just delusional — it’s dangerous, it’s a cult, and it has to be called what it is. If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.com Podcast production by Maura Currie. You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus! Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… which wave is this, anyway? There’s no denying that the feminist movement looks different now than it did 50 years ago — and in some ways, that’s a good thing. But there’s an argument to be made that the modern movement skews politically progressive… so much so that it’s leaving some women, and some issues, behind.  Phyllis Chesler, author and second-wave feminist, joins us. If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.com Podcast production by Maura Currie. You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus! Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode Elizabeth Newcamp, Zak Rosen, and Lucy Lopez weigh in on a classic question: what school is right for your family? Our letter writers’ kid is gifted and their family has fallen in love with a local private school — but they’re also grappling with some guilt. How important is it to give your kid the best, if it also means putting them in a privilege bubble?  They also share some products and activities they’re loving right now. Then, if you have Slate Plus, is yelling actually useful?  Recommendations:  Zak: De-icing your car in the winter with a warm bag of water.  Lucy: Quarterly family vision boards! Elizabeth: Sushi Monster App  Reading:  The Truth About Yelling by Emily Edlynn  How (and why) to stop yelling at your kids by Shannon Shelton Miller Join us on Facebook and email us at careandfeedingpod@slate.com to ask us new questions, tell us what you thought of today’s show, and give us ideas about what we should talk about in future episodes. You can also call our phone line: (646) 357

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… yas, queen? It’s been hard to avoid an onslaught of memes about bad people lately. People like Gypsy-Rose Blanchard and George Santos have been punished for their misdeeds in one way… but now, it seems, they’re being rewarded by the attention economy. The question is: is it our fault? Rachel Greenspan, writer and social strategist, joins us once again to argue for discretion in memeing. If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.com Podcast production by Maura Currie. You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus! Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… delusion is not the solution. Welcome to a presidential election year, where everyone will surely be cool and normal. We know, we know — the prospect of dealing with electoral discourse is one that most of us aren’t looking forward to. But we’re here to prove that it’s possible to talk.  For Democrats, and liberals writ large, it’s hard to understand why anyone would want another Trump presidency; and it’s tempting to chalk that desire up to delusion, idiocy, or gullibility. But is that a good-faith assumption? Author and professor Frank Buckley joins us to defend the 2024 Trump voter — as someone who earnestly believes the other side is worse. If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.com Podcast production by Maura Currie. You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months. Learn more about

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… new year, new you?  If you’ve resolved to make 2024 your happiest, healthiest, most organized, most peaceful, etc. year yet? You’re not alone. And if you’re pretty sure the people who have made resolutions are doomed to abandon ship before January is over… you’re not alone, either. Nor are you wrong, exactly. In the season of giving, getting, and evaluating self-improvement advice, there’s a line between over-optimism and self-limiting skepticism. And our guest wants to help you walk that line.  Zak Rosen, host of The Best Advice Show and co-host of Slate’s Care & Feeding, joins us.  If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.com Podcast production by Maura Currie. You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… ‘tis the damn season. Break out the glitter and the ugly sweaters. If you’re on social media, you’ve probably seen a lot of minimalist holiday décor this year — from celebrities, influencers, and DIY-ers alike. It seems trendy to try “class up” the holidays and eschew the bright and gaudy for the monotone, the understated, or the expensive-looking… but does living in fear of committing a faux pas maybe miss the point?  Kristen Meinzer, culture critic and cohost of The Daily Fail, joins us to defend the tacky — as not only counterculture, but as the real reason for the season. If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.com Podcast production by Maura Currie. You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… cen-suspicions. We’re a little over six years away from the next national census. It’s understandable that this might not be at the top of your mind, but for a small group of academics and activists, it absolutely is.  Race isn’t a real thing, scientifically speaking. But we still live in a heavily racialized society, and the Census sets the stage for many, many policy decisions that impact race equity. So, if race isn’t real, why does the Census act like it’s a simple, immutable fact? Carlos Hoyt, an author and speaker, joins us to propose a more dynamic way of self reporting – and recording – race.  If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.com Podcast production by Maura Currie. You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoice

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… atrocities beget atrocities. The war in Gaza is ongoing, and brutal – and on this show we’ve discussed whether you, as an observer, have a responsibility to speak out about it… or to even choose a side between Israelis and Palestinians. This week, we take a different angle: who has a responsibility, in war, to do what? And not do what? And to whom?  Michael Walzer, author and professor emeritus at the Institute for Advanced Study, joins us to argue that even the oppressed have obligations.  If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.com Podcast production by Maura Currie. You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… great, but not enough. Mental health is on a lot of minds as we enter the holiday season — a time when we know many people struggle. So this week, we talk candidly about what it means to treat mental illness… and what it should mean, if we want that treatment to be effective, long-lasting, and sensitive. Spoiler: psychiatry and psychology are not the panaceas you might think. Erin Grimm, author and mental health advocate, joins us. ** NOTE: This episode contains candid discussion of mental health crises and treatment. Listener discretion is advised; if you or a loved one need help, you can contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 24/7 by calling or texting 988. You can also visit the lifeline online, and explore more resources from the National Alliance on Mental Illness. If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.com Podcast production by Maura Currie. You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… thanks, but no thanks. Americans are anxiously awaiting their Thanksgiving celebrations this week – for many, with some trepidation. Polls suggest we all know we don’t want to talk about politics around the table… but that most of us will anyway.  With keeping the peace at the front of many minds — and civility always at the front of ours — our guest this week proposes an alternative: be a little bit of a jerk, if you need to. And, if you can… it’s okay to avoid the festivities altogether.  Our returning guest is H. Alan Scott – comedian, podcaster, and self-described a--hole. Get your gift sets, stocking stuffers, white elephant gifts, and maybe even a little treat, by going to slate.com/shop. If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.com Podcast production by Maura Currie You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a m

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… solving the insolvent. With the threat of a government shutdown looming (again), there are a lot of key programs and initiatives proving contentious for lawmakers. But nobody seems to ever flirt with the idea of cutting – or ending altogether – social security, And maybe it’s time to do just that.  Eric Boehm of Reason Magazine joins us to argue for the end… even the beginning of the end… for social security. If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.com Podcast production by Maura Currie You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A Jewish writer and Muslim journalist sit down to discuss the power dynamics, tribalism, and role of empathy in a far-away conflict that hits close to home in America.  Guests: Aymann Ismail, Slate staff writer Emily Tamkin, writer and author of The Influence of Soros and Bad Jews. If you enjoy this show, please consider signing up for Slate Plus. Slate Plus members get benefits like zero ads on any Slate podcast, bonus episodes of shows like Slow Burn and Dear Prudence—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on What Next. Sign up now at slate.com/whatnextplus to help support our work. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… lovable underdogs? For a long time, we’ve been sold — and we’ve bought — the idea of the nerd hero; usually a man, usually brilliant, and usually a social outcast who, inevitably, gets the girl. That was the happy ending. But now, we’re surrounded by powerful, self-styled nerds who have it all and still want more. And, to some, it’s increasingly hard to root for these guys. Ian Bogost, a writer and video game designer, joins us.  If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.com Podcast production by Maura Currie You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To celebrate their third wedding anniversary, Anjali and Rahul are each selecting a surprise activity to do together. This happy couple loves spontaneity, so they’re concerned about someday growing bored in their relationship. They’re also feeling pressure to mark the traditional milestones of marriage, including having kids. On this episode of How To!, authors Caryl and Jay Casbon join us to share the wisdom they gained from interviewing other married couples for their book Side by Side. The Casbons draw upon their own 22-year marriage to urge Anjali and Rahul to face conflict with openness and focus on individual “inner work”—in order to grow together.  Learn more about Caryl and Jay Casbon here. If you liked this episode, check out an episode that Anjali loved: How To Decide Whether to Have a Baby with Wild author Cheryl Strayed.  Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Appl

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… the veil is thin. It’s easy to forget, between the plastic skeletons and cheap chocolate, that Halloween was — and is, for many cultures — very much about the reality of death.  As the Northern Hemisphere goes dormant for the winter, it’s worth remembering that the circle of life includes death. And instead of a punchline or a thing to be feared, we might actually celebrate death, when we can. And who better to consult on how to do that than modern-day witches? Helen Berger, sociologist and researcher at Brandeis University, joins us to discuss. If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.com Podcast production by Maura Currie You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for your first three months. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our listener Abdullah has reached a plateau. A mid-career manager at a large electronics engineering corporation, he feels intellectually unstimulated. Even though Abdullah has a stable job with seniority, he dreams of going back to school, and pursuing his true passion: economics. But with a family to support, should Abdullah make a risky leap? On this episode of How To!, host Carvell Wallace is joined by Freakonomics co-author and University of Chicago economist Steven Levitt. Well-known for out-of-the-box thinking, Levitt shares surprising tips (including a simple coin flip strategy) that can help anyone on the edge of a huge decision. If you liked this episode, check out: How To Know When to Quit Your Job Do you have a question we can help you solve? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001. We might invite you on the show! Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen. Podcast production by Kevin Bendis, Derek John, Joel Meyer, and Rosemary Belson. If yo

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… when silence is violence.  The war in Israel and Palestine is a rapidly-evolving situation – and one that’s bringing up a lot of emotions for a lot of people. Couple that with the flood of mis-and-disinformation on social media, and “to post or not to post” becomes an extremely loaded question.  Are you ever required to speak up on social media? Even if you don’t know the whole story? And if you elect not to say anything, is that inherently choosing a side — and causing harm to others in the process?  Social strategist and writer Rachel Greenspan joins us to say that, as a Jewish woman, she doesn’t expect her friends to post about this moment in history… and maybe, neither should you. If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: hearmeout@slate.com Podcast production by Maura Currie You can skip all the ads in Hear Me Out by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/hearmeoutplus for just $15 a month for y