Vox

Prediction markets and the greater good | The Gray Area - October 16, 2026 - Vox
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In today’s episode, guest host Miles Bryan speaks with professor Finn Brunton in a conversation based on his recent Harper’s article, “The Chaos Machine: Prediction Markets and the Triumph of Crypto-Anarchy.” The two explore alternative visions for prediction markets: as tools for gathering collective knowledge, or as a way to undermine the institutions we rely on. They discuss whether putting money on the line brings us closer to the truth, how betting can create incentives to manipulate events, and what we risk when more of our shared reality becomes something to wager on.
Host: Miles Bryan, Vox Senior Producer and Reporter
Guest: Finn Brunton, Professor at the University of California, Davis
00:00 Intro
03:45 The potential of prediction markets vs the reality
08:57 Who uses prediction markets?
13:51 A utopic vision of prediction markets
17:56 The inspiration for Polymarket
21:57 A darker vision for prediction markets
39:34 How could prediction markets work in the future?
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Are young men and women giving up on each other? | The Gray Area - October 12, 2026 - Vox
What happens to a society when its members become increasingly wary of one another, and relationships break down based on gender lines?
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In today’s episode, guest host Christine Emba speaks with pollster and writer Dan Cox about his new book Generation Uncoupled: America's New Gender Divide and the Crisis of Human Connection. They consider how and why men and women in America are growing apart, rising safety concerns among young women, and the widening political divide on gender lines.
Host: Christine Emba, columnist and author
Guest: Dan Cox, Director of the Survey Center on American Life at the American Enterprise Institute and author of Generation Uncoupled.
00:00 Intro
04:34 Smartphones and the crisis of connection
09:38 When the gap between men and women opened
26:25 The erosion of our social connections
35:52 Our changing social awareness
40:21 How to make a change
We would love to hear from you. To tell us what you thought of this episode, email us at [email protected] or leave us a voicemail at 1-800-214-5749. Your comments and questions help us make a better show.
And you can watch new episodes of The Gray Area on YouTube. New episodes drop every Monday and Friday.
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Vox.com is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Check out http://www.vox.com.
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Wisconsin is a test of the blue wave | America, Actually - October 10, 2026 - Vox
Most of the focus in this year’s midterms is naturally on Congress. But the battle for control of state legislatures matters just as much, if not more.
Currently, Republicans hold a trifecta — control of the governorship, state senate, and state house — in 23 states, while Democrats hold 16.
Flipping just a handful of state seats can change who holds the majority of power nationwide. That has major policy implications. On this week’s episode of America, Actually, Vox’s Astead Herndon travels to Wisconsin to dig into the national strategy behind state-level trifectas, what’s at stake for working-class voters, and what it takes to flip rural districts.
00:00 A blue wave beyond Congress
01:50 Wisconsin: The perfect case study
04:48 What a Wisconsin trifecta could deliver
06:09 Winning back rural voters
07:07 Wisconsin’s gerrymandering legacy
08:17 The growth of data centers
10:41 Francesca Hong’s narrow primary loss
12:43 The electability debate
16:17 Wisconsin’s national stakes
18:45 Rallying to flip the legislature
20:40 The issues that matter most to rural Democrats
29:00 Takeaways
America, Actually publishes video episodes every Saturday tackling key issues in politics, culture, and the economy. Subscribe to Vox’s YouTube channel to get them. Listen to episodes of America, Actually on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite app.
If you enjoy our reporting and want to learn more, sign up for Astead’s weekly newsletter, Midterms, Actually. Just go to www.vox.com/midtermsactually to learn more, and get in-depth analysis about this year’s election right to your inbox.
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