
Real Progress: Why We Ignore How Good We Have It | with Nick Gillespie
From What Could Go Right? by The Progress Network with Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas
May 20, 2026 · 53 min
About this episode
Nick Gillespie joins Zachary Karabell to discuss the paradox of modern abundance and cultural dissatisfaction.
Why does historic abundance breed widespread cultural anger? Nick Gillespie, editor-at-large of Reason Magazine and host of the Reason podcast, joins host Zachary Karabell to unpack the great conundrum of the 21st century: why humans have more security and financial means than ever before, yet feel increasingly dissatisfied. In a world deeply divided along absolute binary lines, Gillespie explains how a philosophy of libertarianism provides a refreshing, pre-partisan alternative to standard political gridlock. Moving past abstract data, Gillespie shares his own personal history as the son of a high school dropout from a working-class white ghetto in Hell's Kitchen. He contrasts his own path of white-knuckling student debt payments with the unique anxieties facing modern generations. And they ask the question, what does the world look like post Trump season two? What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope.For transcripts, to join the newsletter, and for more information, visit: theprogressnetwork.orgSubscribe to our (FREE) Substack newsletter: https://theprogressnetwork.org/newsletter/Watch the podcast on YouTube: / theprogressnetworkFollow us on X…
People in this episode
Host: Zachary Karabell
Guest: Nick Gillespie
Topics covered
- cultural anger
- libertarianism
- financial means
- political gridlock
- personal history
- modern anxieties
Keywords
- cultural anger
- libertarianism
- financial security
- political division
- student debt
- modern generations
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Reason Magazine, The Progress Network, Kaleidoscope
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