Vox

How the war in Iran could end affordable air travel - June 3, 2026 - Vox
Since the conflict in the Middle East led to the closing of the Strait of Hormuz, about 20 percent of global oil supply has been choked off, sending prices sky-high, especially for jet fuel. So far, the war may already be costing the airline industry an additional $15 billion. Airlines have responded by raising ticket prices, charging more for bag fees, and cutting flights that they’ve deemed unprofitable because of higher fuel costs.
This price shock was a deciding factor in the May 2026 closure of Spirit Airlines. When a low-cost airline like Spirit goes under, it has a ripple effect through the entire industry, canceling flight routes and raising ticket prices all around.
But even if the war were to end and fuel costs stabilize, major airlines might not be willing to bring their prices back down. In fact, corporations seem all but guaranteed to take advantage of pressuring consumers to pay more to fly.
For over 40 years, flying has been an affordable way to travel. We’ve been living in an era of cheap flights that has shifted air travel from a luxury experience to a globalized mode of public transportation. This video explains how that era might be coming to an end.
Read more about the state of the airline industry and the impact of the war in Iran:
Changes in airfare in the US: https://onemileatatime.com/news/airline-fares-skyrocketing-data/
Reuters’ analysis of how the war is costing airlines: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/iran-war-saddles-global-companies-with-25-billion-bill-counting-2026-05-18/
Bill McGee on NPR discussing the state of the airline industry: https://www.npr.org/2026/04/26/nx-s1-5795931/how-the-iran-war-is-impacting-the-airline-industry
Peter Campbell’s piece on the Iran war and the future of cheap flights: https://www.ft.com/content/a8f9aa9b-94f7-4188-8c53-e18b614c373f
The Today, Explained newsletter covers the Spirit Airlines shutdown: https://www.vox.com/today-explained-newsletter/487758/spirit-airlines-shutdown
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Americans don’t know how to stop working | The Gray Area - June 1, 2026 - Vox
Americans have absorbed the Protestant work ethic: the idea that our value as human beings – and our eventual salvation – is determined by how hard we work. Political philosopher Elizabeth Anderson explains how this evolved, why it pervades everything, and why it’s no longer serving us.
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This episode originally aired in January of 2024.
Host: Sean Illing (@SeanIlling)
Guest: Elizabeth Anderson, professor of public philosophy at the University of Michigan.
00:00 Intro
04:21 Why the Protestant work ethic still controls us
12:32 Why do treat wealth as a virtue and poverty as a vice
23:51 When making money becomes the point of life
30:40 Why can’t we have a better work-life balance?
32:35 How workers can reclaim their freedom
36:27 How to build support for a progressive work ethic
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The myth of "one person, one vote" | America, Actually - May 30, 2026 - Vox
Democrats talk a lot about protecting democracy, but for most Americans, the system was written to exclude them a long time ago. Cook Political Report’s Amy Walter joins Vox’s Astead Herndon this week to break down the current redistricting wars. They explore the fallout of recent Supreme Court decisions, the GOP’s short-term tactical gains, and the uncomfortable question facing Democrats: do they prioritize minority representation or raw seat counts?
00:00 The myth of “one person, one vote”
01:42 Electoral College imbalance
02:36 Why 1 voter in Wyoming = 68 in California
04:36 Gerrymandering as a tool of political power
05:23 Who wins the maps fight
09:47 The nationalization of local redistricting
11:45 SCOTUS and the future of Black representation
16:36 How to fix the broken primary system
20:17 The California paradox: why reform doesn't always feel like progress
21:46 Changing the incentive structure in D.C.
Sources and further reading:
This year’s U.S. House elections will be least competitive on record: https://www.gelliottmorris.com/p/2026-05-12-uncompetitive-seats
How Much Voting Power Does Each US State Have?: https://www.maps.com/how-much-voting-power-does-each-us-state-have/
The hidden biases at play in the U.S. Senate: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/interactive/2023/us-senate-bias-white-rural-voters/
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