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8 August 2025

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Does America’s “China consensus” make sense?

Jordan Schneider of the ChinaTalk podcast and Robert Wright debate whether the US's prevailing hawkish strategy is the right way to engage with China. Play entire video

It’s Gaza Awareness Week!

Robert Wright and American Prestige podcast hosts Derek Davison and Daniel Bessner discuss the shift in discourse on Gaza—and what it could mean for Israel and for US politics.

Trump’s Plan for Global AI Dominance

Robert Wright and Connor Echols discuss Trump’s contradictory strategy for winning an AI arms race with China.

Is the New Syria Unravelling?

Robert Wright and Middle East expert Joshua Landis discuss the mounting challenges facing the new regime, what’s really behind Israel’s recent attacks, what grounds for hope remain, and more.

Jeffrey Epstein, MechaHitler, and Other Ills

Robert Wright and psychologist Paul Bloom discuss the Epstein files, Bob’s AI-guided (and misguided?) cancer journey, Grok’s Nazi-pornbot turn, AI companions, and more.

An American Scholar in China

Neysun Mahboubi joins Connor Echols to discuss his experience bringing American students and scholars to China—including one meeting in which his student pressed a Chinese official on human rights.

How power really works in DC

Connor Echols talks to best-selling author Barry Eisler about his new novel, The System.

Why Nations Go to War

Robert Wright speaks to Alex Jordan and Courtney Rawlings, hosts of the Quincy Institute’s new Always at War podcast, about the structural and psychological causes of international conflict—and of US military interventions in particular.

Bibi’s War, America’s Problem?

Robert Wright and Connor Echols discuss whether the US will be dragged into Israel’s conflict with Iran.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Must We Discuss Sydney Sweeney?

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Robert Wright and psychologist Paul Bloom discuss the American Eagle ad controversy. Plus: How real is IQ? Billy Joel’s burnout. A Bayesian Epstein analysis. And more.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Anatomy of a Man-Made Famine

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Alex de Waal of the World Peace Foundation explains to Connor Echols how the famine in Gaza has become the world’s “most intense” hunger crisis in decades.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Why China Won’t Invade Taiwan

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Connor Echols and Dan Grazier discuss the horrible difficulty of invading Taiwan—and the reasons why Washington keeps playing up the threat to Taipei.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Can Trump get Iran back to the table?

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Connor Echols discusses the latest on the US-Iran crisis with Alan Eyre, a distinguished fellow at the Middle East Institute and a former core member of the US team that negotiated the 2015 Iran deal.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

The Truth about Sam Altman

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Robert Wright and Timothy B. Lee, author of the Understanding AI newsletter, discuss what two new biographies reveal about the OpenAI CEO.

Nonzero (The Wright Show)

Why Bibi Always Needs More War

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Robert Wright and Oscar-winning documentarian Alex Gibney discuss Alex’s new film The Bibi Files, Netanyahu’s corruption trial, and the mysteries of Elon Musk.