Society & CultureNewsNews CommentaryGovernment

What Could Go Right?

The Progress Network with Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas

It's easy to be pessimistic, especially with headlines dominated by global challenges like a changing geopolitical landscape, the rise in authoritarianism, and a seemingly unstable global economy. But what if, despite all that, humanity is actually making progress?
Join Progress Network Founder Zachary Karabell every Wednesday as he chats with leading experts like Ian Bremmer and Anne Marie Slaughter to challenge the negativity and find out whether we should be so pessimistic about everything from sustainability and polarization to the future of work. Plus, start your week right with Progress Network Executive Director Emma Varvaloucas, who delivers a weekly dose of essential good news every Monday. If environmental success stories and medical breakthroughs are your thing, you won’t want to miss it.
Tune in to discover the evidence for progress and find your reason for cautious optimism.

Play

Open in

22 episodes
a few times a week
Avg 33 min
English

Episodes 22

Newest Oldest Longest

All20 Unplayed20 In progress0 Played0

Counted on this page — what you have heard stays on this device, so it is not something the list can be paged by.

Wednesday · 1 hr 1 min
Social Media Is Making Politics Feel Worse Than It Really Is | With David Pakman
David Pakman is the founder and host of The David Pakman Show, one of the most watched independent progressive podcasts and online political shows. He's built an audience of over 6.7 million subscribers across social media platforms through calm, fact-based analysis and critical thinking. David joins host Zachary Karabell to discuss his new book, Pay Attention, coming out on September 22. They dive into the missed messaging opportunities for the left, the ongoing culture wars that lend themselves to clickbait headlines, and strategies to expand the progressive political tent within the limitations of the American two-party system. David offers his perspective on building an audience while protecting his values and integrity, and why the future of American political discourse might actually be brighter than the headlines suggest. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. 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 Subscribe to Zachary’s Substack: www.edgyoptimist.substack.com/
Monday · 17 min
1. The Crime Wave Is Over. Why Does Nobody Believe It?
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/
August 19 · 49 min
The AI Future Isn’t Inevitable. So Why Are We Told It Is? | With Carissa Véliz
Being a human being is an anxious experience, and to calm the fear of uncertainty, we’re obsessed with predicting the future. Whether spiraling about changes to the economy, politics, or culture, we’re desperate to know what’s coming around the corner. In this episode, host Zachary Karabell is joined by Carissa Véliz, philosopher and author of "Prophecy: Prediction, Power, and the Fight for the Future, from Ancient Oracles to AI." They discuss the ways tech executives and AI experts offer predictions for our society that are supposedly inevitable. But what if we refuse to accept these guesses as truth? What if leaning into ambiguity and our own vulnerability makes us better citizens and gives us a true chance to make a better world? Zachary and Carissa discuss the difference between a mindset that is focused on definite outcomes versus a mindset open to the possibilities of different paths and why the latter is crucial to a healthy society. They also dive into Carissa's work on privacy and the pitfalls of unprecedented surveillance and data collection that feed the prediction machines. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. 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 Subscribe to Zachary’s Substack: www.edgyoptimist.substack.com/
August 17 · 13 min
Why the Experts Were Wrong about India
Winston Churchill predicted this nation would collapse, but today India is experiencing a massive economic glow up as it rapidly lifts hundreds of millions out of extreme poverty. We also investigate why crucial historical signs are quietly vanishing from America's national parks, and how an eccentric doctor's argument with mother nature saved countless lives from malaria. 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/
August 12 · 39 min
How Haters Can Accidentally Make You Happier | with Ronda Rousey
The concept of the American Dream calls up images of enormous money and fame that most of us will never see. But what happens to someone who actually becomes mega famous? Is it truly something to strive for? Is the cost worth it? Ronda Rousey, the superstar MMA fighter turned graphic novelist, joins Zachary Karabell to explain her approach to creativity, life, and happiness that rejects our traditional metrics for success. The discussion touches on Ronda's meteoric rise to fame, the tremendous wave of online hate directed at her, and how it taught her to give up her need for external validation. They tackle the divisive infiltration of politics into combat sports, and how Ronda's big fight on Netflix this past May could offer a solution. Plus, Ronda explains what makes her happy these days, including her graphic novel about a pregnant assassin called Expecting the Unexpected. You can purchase Ronda's graphic novel, Expecting the Unexpected, here: ⁠https://awastudios.com/ronda⁠ What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. 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 Subscribe to Zachary’s Substack: www.edgyoptimist.substack.com/
August 5 · 56 min
The Case for Rewriting Nature's Code | with Ben Lamm
Words like "de-extinction" and "cloning" are often associated with dystopian science fiction stories, but reality tells a more hopeful tale. Ben Lamm, CEO and co-founder of Colossal Biosciences, joins host Zachary Karabell to argue that de-extinction, genetic engineering, and biotechnology can fix the harms humans have caused to our environment and prevent us from passing down genetic diseases. Ben discusses the role of government in regulating private companies, ethical standards, and his personal decision to stop his children from inheriting a genetic mutation that contributed to a life-threatening illness. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. 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 Subscribe to Zachary’s Substack: www.edgyoptimist.substack.com/
August 3 · 16 min
Global Shark Conservation Sees Historic Regulatory Breakthroughs
After decades of facing severe overfishing and cultural stigma, global shark populations are finally rebounding thanks to strict new international trade bans and expanding marine sanctuaries. Emma Varvaloucas, Executive Director of The Progress Network, shares how much our views and treatment of sharks have shifted over the last century and why there’s reason for optimism. Plus: a team of 23 students in the Netherlands successfully engineered the world's first fully solar-powered ambulance to deliver off-grid medical care, Indigenous youth are reclaiming traditional face tattooing to preserve their cultural heritage, and robust conservation programs have helped two wildlife species in America bounce back from the brink of extinction. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. 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/
July 29 · 54 min
Why the Economic Numbers Don't Match How You Feel | With Mark Zandi
There is a massive chasm between what official data tells us about the financial landscape and how average Americans actually experience their daily lives. Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's, joins Zachary Karabell to break down why this disconnect exists and how a skewing of income distribution means different classes are living in entirely separate realities. They explore whether modern technological leaps like artificial intelligence will create devastating job losses or spark a much-needed era of entrepreneurial business formation. The conversation then shifts to the fundamental purpose of our financial systems and the vital role of government in setting clear, bright yellow lines for businesses to follow. They tackle the potential politicization of the Federal Reserve, the speculative nature of cryptocurrencies as a store of value, and why the historical data surrounding first-time home buyers might not be as dire as the modern internet suggests. Ultimately, they ask a critical question about the true goal of an affluent, democratic society in the twenty-first century. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. 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 Subscribe to Zachary’s Substack: www.edgyoptimist.substack.com/
July 27 · 16 min
The Invisible Arms Race Against Wildfire Smoke
While the severity of North American wildfires and their deadly smoke has undeniably increased, humanity is quietly winning an invisible technological arms race against our changing atmosphere. Emma Varvaloucas, Executive Director of The Progress Network, explores how eight decades of innovations—from the invention of the HEPA filter to electrostatic N95 masks—are enabling individuals to mitigate climate impacts and become the architects of their own survival. Plus: A Harvard-led discovery of an Earth-like exoplanet with an atmosphere, a 21% global decrease in road traffic fatalities, and the successful conservation of the Australian numbat. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. 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/
July 22 · 41 min
The Case for Embracing Limits | with David Epstein
We live in an era of limitless options, but infinite choice might actually be paralyzing our ability to make decisions and find satisfaction. David Epstein, bestselling author of Range and the new book Inside the Box, joins host Zachary Karabell to argue that we severely overvalue complete freedom. Instead, Epstein reveals how imposing limits and constraints on ourselves can act as a powerful tool to drive creativity, spur innovation, and increase personal contentment. Epstein shares his own personal strategies for managing an overwhelming world. He discusses how he limits his own maximizing tendencies by setting strict parameters before shopping online, and how he outlined his entire new book on a single piece of paper to restrict his own sprawling curiosity. The conversation also delves into the stark contrast between the American youth sports machine and Norway's highly successful, joy-focused athletic development model. Along the way, they explore the decline of local investigative journalism, the cognitive pitfalls of learning via AI, and why historical context remains our best defense against modern pessimism. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. 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 Subscribe to Zachary’s Substack: www.edgyoptimist.substack.com/
July 20 · 15 min
Opening a Nearly 2,000-Year-Old Treasure + Reviving Eyes for Science and Shark-Spotting Drones
Researchers just used machine learning to read a carbonized Roman scroll that hasn't been opened in 2,000 years. In this week’s progress report, Emma Varvaloucas dives into a technological breakthrough that is unlocking an ancient library buried by volcanic ash in 79 AD. Plus: a groundbreaking medical device in Barcelona that extends the viability of human eyes for vital medical research, the rapid adoption of eco-friendly heat pumps rivaling traditional air conditioning in the US, and the AI-powered drones that are successfully protecting swimmers from shark encounters across the globe. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. 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/
July 15 · 42 min
The Era of Mass Incarceration May Actually Be Ending | with Alex Duran
The American criminal justice system is often viewed as an unfixable and intractable problem. But shifting demographics and new approaches to community investment might actually bring a natural end to the era of mass incarceration. Alex Duran spent 12 years in New York maximum security prisons before earning a liberal arts degree through the Bard College Prison Initiative. Today, he leads the criminal justice portfolio at Galaxy Gives. He joins host Zachary Karabell to discuss his surreal personal journey from Rikers Island to the world of high level philanthropy. The two explore the real reasons crime rates fluctuate, why our current parole systems are built to manage failure rather than reward success, and how simple investments in the physical environment can do more for public safety than increased police budgets. They also tackle the harsh reality of modern prison labor and examine the unexpected data showing that the US might literally run out of inmates in the coming decades. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. 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 Subscribe to Zachary’s Substack: www.edgyoptimist.substack.com/
July 13 · 9 min
Average Joes Making Positive Change
Emma is on vacation! Which means this week, we’re doing something a little different. Before she left, she put together this roundup of stories about amateur do-gooders pitching in to make the world a better place: Wombat watchers in Australia helping to mitigate the spread of a deadly disease, stargazers contributing to NASA’s mission to find new planets outside our solar system, hikers carving new trails through Brazil’s sprawling wilderness, and randomly selected citizens compiling their neighbors’ concerns to pass on to lawmakers. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. 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/
July 8 · 53 min
The Case Against Cynicism | with Greg Jackson & Steven Johnson
Despite record highs in life expectancy and historic lows in violent crime, society remains convinced that everything is completely broken. Steven Johnson (The Infernal Machine) and historian Greg Jackson (host of History That Doesn’t Suck) join Zachary Karabell at the Aspen Ideas Festival to decode our cultural doom loop. Rather than fueling the panic of our daily newsfeeds, the panel zeroes in on the psychological and historical roots of our negative worldview, revealing that our current crisis of faith isn't nearly as unprecedented as it feels. In this episode, we explore: The Negativity Bias: How our natural survival instincts and modern algorithmic media team up to skew reality. The Origins of "Fake News": Why sensationalist journalism is actually a 19th-century invention. The Invisible Arc of Progress: Why true, incremental improvements rarely make the front page—and why choosing human agency over apocalyptic defeatism is our best path forward. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. 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 Subscribe to Zachary’s Substack: www.edgyoptimist.substack.com/
July 1 · 37 min
Can We Please Celebrate America's 250th Without Whitewashing the Past? | with Alexis Coe
Approaching the 250th anniversary of the United States brings up a familiar tension over whether we should celebrate our triumphs or relentlessly critique our failures. Most citizens tend to view the past with a thick lens of nostalgia, convincing themselves that earlier eras were inherently better than our current political moment. But this rigid binary between blind patriotism and total deconstruction leaves us trapped in endless arguments that prevent actual progress. Presidential historian Alexis Coe joins host Zachary Karabell to unpack why we struggle so deeply to accept the complexity of the nation's origins. Coe, the author of a bestselling George Washington biography, grounds this conversation in her own experiences confronting historical gatekeepers. She shares the story of having her book quietly pulled from the shelves at Mount Vernon after she publicly pointed out their lack of diverse leadership, and explains her accidental coinage of the term "thigh men" to describe male biographers who fetishize the physical attributes of the founders. Karabell and Coe explore how this tendency to romanticize figures like Washington or John F. Kennedy obscures the genuine, messy reality of American history. They discuss the current political landscape, noting how the modern electorate craves authenticity even in its most flawed forms, and why the emerging political divide is less about left versus right and more about the top versus the bottom. Acknowledging the shadows of our history does not mean abandoning pride in the American project. By learning to hold both our national achievements and our profound shortcomings at the exact same time, we can finally stop looking backward and start doing the hard work of building a more integrated future. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. 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 Subscribe to Zachary’s Substack: www.edgyoptimist.substack.com/ Follow him LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/zacharykarabell Follow Zachary on X @zacharykarabell
June 29 · 12 min
The Race to Catalogue Biodiversity + Brain Implants and Sweating Robots
On this week’s progress report, we're in the golden age of species discovery. We’ll also get into the incredible story of a paralyzed man who can continue to work and communicate thanks to a groundbreaking brain implant, and researchers at Arizona State University hope a shivering, breathing, sweating robot can help us better equip ourselves for extreme weather conditions. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. 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/
June 24 · 54 min
How to Read Economic News Without Spiraling | with Alex Mayyasi
Every time we open a news app, we are hit with a fresh wave of economic dread. But why does the financial forecast always sound like a pending apocalypse, even when the data tells a remarkably stable story? Longtime Planet Money contributor Alex Mayyasi joins host Zachary Karabell to offer a badly needed dose of fresh air to clear out the oppressive nature of recent economic news. Mayyasi and Karabell look at the very human reasons behind our financial panic. Mayyasi explains how Wall Street actively profits from keeping the average person confused, why working class wage increases get reported to the rest of us as frightening inflation, and the psychological strange magic of living through a growing economy with the consumer sentiment of the 2008 crash. They also break down the superstar effect, the true cost of service industries, and why the weekend is an artificial human invention worth protecting. Alex just launched a new podcast about food and economics called Gastronomics visit https://www.gastronomicspodcast.com/ to check it out! What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. 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 Subscribe to Zachary’s Substack: www.edgyoptimist.substack.com/
June 22 · 13 min
The Odds Favor Democracy + Safer Prenatal Screening and Good News for Disenfranchised Voters
A study covering 22 countries over almost three decades has some surprising news about democracy. Plus, a new blood test for pregnant women could eliminate the need for invasive screening. Several states are making progress on voting rights by rolling back Jim Crow-era bans. And Sweden becomes the latest country to attempt to limit screentime in the classroom. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. 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/
June 17 · 58 min
Is Free Expression Actually Under Attack? | with Dinaw Mengestu
We hear often that freedom of speech is under threat. And it’s easy to feel like things have never been worse in that regard. But is that really true? Dinaw Mengestu, an acclaimed novelist, MacArthur Genius grant recipient, and president of PEN America, joins host Zachary Karabell to examine the true state of free speech in the United States and abroad. Mengestu shares his personal journey of immigrating to the United States from Ethiopia in the early 1980s, and how his childhood shapes his view of the topic and his feeling of belonging in America and the world. Mengestu and Karabell also explore whether the current climate of government pressure and self censorship is a unique historical crisis or simply part of a long standing oscillation in American culture. While advocating for the protection of all speech, Mengestu highlights the very real fears felt by vulnerable populations, especially immigrants facing modern government scrutiny. And In the end both Karabell and Mengestu give their grade of how we are doing as a nation when it comes to the freedom to express ourselves. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. 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 Subscribe to Zachary’s Substack: www.edgyoptimist.substack.com/ Follow him LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/zacharykarabell Follow Zachary on X @zacharykarabell
June 15 · 15 min
The 30-Year Animation Problem Pixar Just Solved + Accessible Travel is Booming and AI-Designed Vaccines
This week’s progress report highlights a tiny detail in Toy Story 5 that is a game changer for representation and the future of animation. We’re also celebrating a major win for the LGBTQ community in Budapest that comes just in time for the end of Pride month. Plus, there is good news in the growing industry of accessible travel and an AI-created vaccine that could change how we protect ourselves from future pandemics. What Could Go Right? is produced by The Progress Network and Kaleidoscope. 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/

Showing 1–20 of 22 episodes