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Jackie is newly engaged, but thoughts about her big day fill her with dread, not excitement. Jackie and her fiance want to have only vaccinated people at their wedding to protect some vulnerable family members from COVID-19. However, requiring vaccination means Jackie’s parents and sister likely won’t attend, which would break Jackie’s heart. On this episode of How To!, we bring on Nwandi Lawson, a former journalist who now runs a communications firm specializing in difficult conversations. She’s had her own challenging family discussions during the pandemic, and has some surprising tips for how to speak truth to power while keeping your relationships intact, and maybe even change a few minds. If you liked this episode, check out: “How To Talk Politics Without Wrecking Relationships.” Do you have a question with no easy answers? 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. Slate Plus members get bonus segments and ad-free podcast feeds. Sign up n

Last August, then-17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse crossed state lines with a semi-automatic rifle, and fatally shot two people and wounded another during a protest in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Rittenhouse’s lawyers leaned heavily on the teenager's right to defend himself. In Wisconsin, that means the prosecution had to disprove self-defense beyond a reasonable doubt. Was it inevitable that Rittenhouse would walk free? And how did the community react when he did?  Guest: Stacy St. Clair, reporter for the Chicago Tribune.  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

When you think about the game, you lose the game. When you lose the game you must declare that you have lost the game, causing all others in your vicinity to also lose the game. That’s it, that’s the game.  The game is mind game that trades on a quirk of human psychology, and is so intensely viral that it went from a college science fiction club in-joke to an endemic mind virus in only a few decades. If you’re a bit older and already know about the game, you likely learned about it in the aughts, but the game continues to spread through social media, most recently on TikTok, where the game became a meme over lockdown. On this episode, we examine the game to figure out how it works, where it came from, and the curious psychology that powers its viral nature.  Note: A version of this episode was originally released as a secret bonus to our 2018 episode “The Incunabula Papers”, but this is its official public release. The episode has been updated with new voice over, sound design, and minor story changes to brin

Stefan Fatsis and Josh Levin are joined by the New Yorker’s Vinson Cunningham to talk about Peng Shuai and the future of sports in China. Next, they discuss the resurgent Golden State Warriors. Finally, they review the movie King Richard. Peng Shuai (2:03): Will the Peng case lead the WTA to pull out of China?   Warriors (24:35): How Steph Curry’s squad got its mojo back. King Richard (42:42): Is the new movie about the Williams sisters’ upbringing any good? Afterball (1:02:00): Josh on watching (or not watching) the 1980 Summer Olympics on American TV. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How many times a day do you hear the word “inflation” now? Many items are getting more expensive, but what’s actually driving those price increases? And are we heading towards a repeat of the 1970s wage-price spiral, or is this a temporary blip?  Guest: Jordan Weissmann, senior editor at Slate.  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

Slate Money is obsessed with Succession, HBO's wonderful drama about the lives of the superrich Roy family. So, every Monday, we'll be discussing the previous night's episode with spoiler-filled glee. For Episode 6, Felix Salmon and Emily Peck are joined byjournalist, author and Godmother of Slate Money Succession, Taffy Brodesser-Akner to talk about Soy Boys, the fascists, and Tom’s diner regiment in preparation for prison. Podcast production by Cheyna Roth.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Stoya and Rich answer a letter from a man who’s getting highly aroused at an inopportune time with his girlfriend. Then they hear from a letter writer who wonders what to do about her husband’s strange penis. Mentioned in the episode: “Sexual interest as performance, intellect and pathology: A critical discursive case study of dacryphilia” The Little Death (2014) Slate Plus members get another episode of the How to Do It podcast every Monday. Sign up for Slate Plus now for just $1 for your first month. *** Read the How to Do It column on Slate here. If you’re in need of sex advice from Stoya and Rich, write in here or leave a voicemail at ‪(347) 640-4025 and we may use it on the show. Remember, it’s anonymous—and nothing is too embarrassing! Production by Chau Tu. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, host June Thomas talks to Oliver Burkeman, author of the book Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals. In the interview, Oliver shares his philosophy of time management, which hinges on the finite nature of life. He also discusses his previous experience as a “productivity geek” and explains some of the dangers of obsessive time management.  After the interview, June and co-host Isaac Butler discuss their own approaches to organization and productivity.  In the exclusive Slate Plus segment, Oliver talks about the benefits (and drawbacks) of group activities.  Send your questions about creativity and any other feedback to working@slate.com or give us a call at (304) 933-9675. Podcast production by Cameron Drews. 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 Big Mood, Little Mood—and you’ll be supporting the work we do here on Working. Sign up now at slate.com/w

Thirty-five years ago, in the fall of 1986, women with rock foundations and pop sensibilities were doing quite well on the charts. Three acts in particular were drawing sizable attention—and they were all singing on the same album: Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors, which featured backing vocals by the Bangles and ’Til Tuesday’s Aimee Mann. It turns out these women had more than that brief coincidence in common. Lauper, Mann and the Bangles came up at the same postpunk, new-wave moment in ’80s pop. And they fought many of the same battles: record-label machinations…a media that stoked rivalries, whether or not they existed…and a sexist music industry that repeatedly underestimated their skills. In this Hit Parade episode, Chris Molanphy recounts how these women emerged from distinctive rock scenes––from punk-era New York and Boston, to L.A.’s Paisley Underground—then outgrew them. They found critical and commercial acclaim and remain influential decades later, in a variety of media, from Hollywood to Broadway. What

The realm of fan fiction is a wild, magical place to be, especially if that fan fiction is set at Hogwarts. On today’s episode, Rachelle and Madison talk about All the Young Dudes, an extensive Harry Potter fan fiction that has inspired a fandom all its own, and just how that fandom came to be. But first, they chat about National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and spend time listening to the first line of some listeners’ NaNoWriMo novels. Podcast production by Jasmine Ellis, Daniel Schroeder, and Derek John. Support ICYMI and listen to the show with zero ads. Sign up to become a Slate Plus member for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dahlia Lithwick is joined by leading environmental lawyer and Harvard professor Richard Lazarus , author of The Rule of Five: Climate History at the Supreme Court, to discuss cases currently flying under many court-watchers’ radar, which could have a huge impact on our ability to respond to climate change.  In our Slate Plus segment, Slate’s senior jurisprudence editor Nicole Lewis joins Dahlia to discuss the Kyle Rittenhouse verdict, the criminal trial of Gregory and Travis McMichael and William Bryan in Georgia for the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, and the federal civil trial in Charlottesville of white supremacist groups, and what all three cases tell us about whiteness and justice in America. Sign up for Slate Plus now to listen and support our show. Podcast production by Sara Burningham. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, Felix Salmon, Emily Peck and Stacy-Marie Ishmael are joined by author Christopher Mims to talk about his new book, Arriving Today, what’s really going on with the supply chain crisis, the logistics of how Amazon works, and the crazy story of a crypto group trying to get a copy of the U.S. Constitution at auction.    In the Plus segment: The people you don’t think about in the supply chain.      Email: slatemoney@slate.com Podcast production by Cheyna Roth To learn more about Work Check, visit https://link.chtbl.com/workcheck?sid=podcast.slatemoney Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Penny Lane gave up months of wages and weeks of her life to have her kidney cut out and given to someone she never knew, and who may never thank her. She is one of about 200 people in the US a year who give up a kidney altruistically. What motivates someone to do that? Evolutionary psychologist Michael McCullough believes that not only is there true altruism amongst the human species, but that it is a unique trait, an emerging and spreading trait, and it is selected for by evolution, even out-competing the more familiar traits of selfishness that drive evolution in other species. And the trait is responsible for moral progress in the world. Barry is skeptical, and calls friend of the show Kieran Setiya to talk him out of his skepticism, only to discover that, in many ways, humans are even worse than he thought. We may have evolved to demand altruism from others, but not be altruistic ourselves. This episode brought you by Scribd and Inkl. Get an enormous library of books, magazines, podcasts, and audiobooks.

Zeba Blay popularized the hashtag #carefreeblackgirls, a celebration of positive online representation of Black women and girls. In her book Carefree Black Girls, she reckons with why––even in a pop culture led by people of color––so many critics are white men. Blay joins the show this week to discuss The Harder They Fall, Passing, Dave Chappelle, and where today’s artists are, and aren’t, hitting the mark on race.  Guest: Zeba Blay, culture and film critic and author of the book Carefree Black Girls Podcast production by Ahyiana Angel and Jasmine Ellis You can skip all the ads in A Word by joining Slate Plus. Sign up now at slate.com/awordplus for just $1 for your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Over the weekend, Russia tested a new weapon​​—a type of missile that can fly into space and destroy a satellite in orbit.  The test created thousands of pieces of debris, which will hurtle around the Earth’s orbit for years to come. What’s the real risk of the rapid increase in space junk? And is there anything to be done about it? Guest: Laura Grego, Stanton Nuclear Security Fellow at MIT Host: Seth Stevenson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

John, Emily and David discuss Biden’s approval numbers, authoritarianism on the rise, and they are joined by author Jay Caspian Kang to talk about his new book, The Loneliest Americans. Here are some notes and references from this week’s show: FiveThirtyEight, Latest Polls  Isaac Chotiner for the New Yorker: “Can Biden’s Agenda Survive Inflation?” Jason Furman for the Wall Street Journal: “​​Biden Can Whip Inflation and Build Back Better” The Loneliest Americans, by Jay Caspian Kang Pew Research Center: “Where Do You Fit In The Political Typology?” Christopher Borrelli for the Chicago Tribune: “What We’re Reading: 4 Korean American Memoirs, From Personal Stories To An Unsettling Confrontation on Identity and Assimilation” Anne Appelbaum for the Atlantic: “The Bad Guys Are Winning” Freedom House: “Freedom in the World 2021: Democracy Under Siege” The Dictator's Learning Curve: Inside the Global Battle for Democracy, by William J. Dobson Twitter and Tear Gas: The Power and Fragility of Networked Prote

On this week’s episode: Elizabeth, Jamilah, and Zak help a parent who is in over her head when it comes to bath time. Her little one used to love taking baths but has since changed her mind. Now bath time is a nightmare for both of them. Then they’re joined by Dr. Syra Madad, an infectious disease epidemiologist with New York City Health + Hospitals and Harvard’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. She shares how parents can keep their family, especially kids who are still too young to be vaccinated, safe during the holiday season. On Slate Plus, the hosts talk about how they’re approaching the holidays this year.  Recommendations: Jamilah recommends Root Magic by Eden Royce.  Zak recommends unsubscribing to EVERYTHING!  Elizabeth recommends the Back to the Roots Organic Mushroom Grow Kit.  Join us on Facebook and email us at momanddad@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.  Podcast p

Beto O’Rourke is running to replace Greg Abbott as governor of Texas. Though it’s his first time in this particular race, you’d be forgiven for thinking, “again?”  Where does this habitually-losing smooth-talking Irish-guy-with-a-bordertown-nickname fit into a state with changing demographics and an incumbent governor under assault from both the right and left? Is Beto building a coalition, or heading for a third and final defeat? Guest: Patrick Svitek, political correspondent for the Texas Tribune. 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

White supremacist, anti-government terrorists attacked Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. A Muslim American came under immediate suspicion. How did a man who had nothing to do with the bombing get connected to one of the most horrific crimes in U.S. history? One Year is produced by Josh Levin, Evan Chung, and Madeline Ducharme, with additional production help from Cheyna Roth. Mixing by Merritt Jacob. Slate Plus members get to hear more about the making of One Year. Get access to extra episodes, listen to the show without any ads, and support One Year by signing up for Slate Plus for just $1 right now. For a behind-the-scenes look into some of the articles we read when we create the show, check out our Pocket collection at http://getpocket.com/slate.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week’s episode of The Waves, managing producer of Slate Podcasts Asha Saluja and senior editor Shannon Palus dive into new releases from superstars Adele and Taylor Swift. In the first half, they talk about how Taylor Swift shaped their views of romance and being 22, and whether her move to take back her song catalogue is actually feminist. Then, Asha and Shannon explore the conversation around Adele’s weight loss and the patriarchal expectations put on female pop stars.  In our Slate Plus segment, Asha and Shannon talk about whether it’s feminist when female pop stars don’t dance in their music videos.  Recommendations: Asha: Jao Refresher hand sanitizer and singing in the shower.  Shannon: Getting a latte and going for a walk with said latte.    Podcast production by Cheyna Roth with editorial oversight by Susan Matthews and June Thomas.  Send your comments and recommendations on what to cover to thewaves@slate.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices