Many call for us to meet in the middle, but that's a tough ask. In this week's episode, the Drs. tackle the distinction between Persian vs. Arab and the problematic "Middle East" phrasing. They then move on to the Target boycott that rages on despite a male declaration that accomplishing 3 of 4 goals is enough. Lastly, a recent NYT Op Ed queries whether American politics can ever meet in the middle. Our discourse is currently understood as a binary, win-lose "blood sport." Dehumanization prevails over logical discourse – are we at the end?

This episode reviews the legal fight between Anthropic and the Pentagon. Then we take a quick detour through the LA Marathon controversy -- all against the backdrop of the war, conflict, military exercises (or whatever you want to call it) that rages on.

Anthropic's insistence on red lines forced a confrontation that blends legal, ethical, commercial, and national-security stakes. The juxtaposition of a marathon against a war, attempts to remind us to keep the main thing the main thing, and then we call you to keep watching these developing stories.

Ambiguous grief is the quiet ache that has no funeral, no casserole, no tidy closure—missing someone who’s still breathing but feels like a stranger at the Thanksgiving table. But how does it show up when you miss an entire country's past or potential? In this episode, the Drs hold this grief with care, and then they pivot to lighter, sharper cultural critique with a retro recap of America’s Next Top Model on Netflix—Tyra’s detachment, Ken Mok’s allergic‑to‑ownership energy, and the small moments that still sting and teach. Finally, they review new state rules limiting what SNAP recipients can buy, the baffling loopholes that let expensive protein bars through but ban cheaper chocolate‑covered nuts, and what these policy choices reveal about taxation, stigma, and who gets to decide what counts as food.

Channeling the spirit of Mr. Rogers, this episode discusses three moments that reveal how we show up as neighbors. We start with Adam Serwer’s new framing of “neighborism,” the Twin Cities’ ethic of protecting neighbors regardless of origin, and what that stance teaches organizers about solidarity and civic courage. Then we turn to a fraught media moment at the BAFTAs where an audible racial slur, involuntary tics, and editorial choices by broadcasters collide. Finally, we widen the lens with Peter Beinart’s critique of American exceptionalism, testing whether the standards we apply to other nations are the same ones we apply to U.S. political moves.

This episode explores what it means to refuse compliance -- from a Ukrainian Olympian disqualified for honoring fallen compatriots to America's growing unease with #AI. The Drs. look at the IOC's crackdown on athlete expression, the politics of memory, and why conscientious objection still matters far beyond the battlefield. Then, they discuss AI's rapid expansion, the lack of guardrails (pun intended and you'll learn why), and what happens when a country that ties identity to labor fears becoming obsolete.

Disgust isn't a strong enough word to describe what we saw come out of the White House during the first week of Black History Month. This week, the Drs provide the history of ape imagery and how this adds to the list of rac*st behavior by 45/47. They also circle back to the SAVE Act which grapples AGAIN with voter access and rules regarding ID that affect Americans on the margins. Oh, and they WON'T entertain the Super Bowl conversations about Benito, but do talk about language privilege. Quizás a partir de ahora traduciremos las notas del programa al español. ¿Qué te parece? 

This week is a sharp look at the rise of the "reactionary centrist" -- folks who drift from the left toward the political center while loudly critiquing the left and quietly validating right-wing narratives. As we attempt to avoid the echo chambers that all forms of media help to create, how often do we intentionally engage with ideas that challenge our values regardless of one's political leaning? The current events of the day call us to engage in a circumspect way as some stories are systematically silenced. 

Tuck the kids away and listen to this one with adults only! Ahhh, it is p*rn, but it isn't exactly what you think. This week, we have a sharp, curious conversation about beauty standards through looksmaxxing, self-designed learning through personal curricula, and competency p*rn as a reprieve from the real world. Watch The Pitt, The Diplomat, Abbott Elementary, or the new Matlock? There may be some science behind why we binge competent characters on the small screen.

Referring back to Havel's 1978 essay, "The Power of the Powerless," Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's World Economic Forum remarks explore how individual integrity and institutional honesty shape global power in the face of hegemons. (Don't worry, we'll define hegemons for you!). Carney used a surgical approach in advocating for moral courage. Small acts of non-participation in false rituals can erode authoritarian systems. In other words, there is not -- and has NEVER been -- a neutral moral ground.

Processing the loss of Renee Good was so important that we settled on a one-phase episode. From the cold impact on immigration policy (read between the lines, ya'll!) to the true cost of allyship, Renee's story overlaps with this year's MLK Week, leaving us with important lessons on grace and kindness, even in her last moments.

In this week's episode, the Drs. tackle grief and egalitarian relationships -- especially when they collide with gender. Then they move onto new political realities including NEW Mayor Mamdani, the ideal of Bernie Sanders, and the reality of U.S. involvement in Venezuela.

Season 5 begins by (hopefully) blowing your minds. Have you imagined what you're wearing to special occasion? Have you imagined what you're eating for dinner? Have you imagined what a just world could look like? Join the Drs in the New Year as they move from resistance to imagination. We work through AI slop, revisit freedom dreaming in a new way, and discuss the new U.S. visa restrictions prohibiting five Europeans who work on ending mis and disinformation from coming to the USA in the name of protecting free speech.

 In the closing episode of 2025, [un]phased unedited holds up the mirror to a year of reckoning. The doctors unpack cultural flashpoints—from executive orders galore, through trans (kids) rights and immigration policy to Jan 6 pardons—that forced us to confront our values around equity and justice.

As usual...it's not as simple as you think! This week, we pull back the layered concept of transparency in organizations. Leaders navigate the tension between disclosure and discretion, knowing that transparency is never as simple as a binary choice. We also revisit the ongoing assault of transgender people’s rights – the federal pressure continues to erase their existence.

This week's conversation maps three currents: a new organizational model that favors distributed intelligence, recent U.S. visa guidance that expands restrictions to common health considerations, and a cultural critique of individualism.

This episode spots the sludge -- every day fictions that block help and information. Recent reports of U.S. strikes on alleged drug boats require us to questions the legal, ethical, and political justifications. The pressure points around Thanksgiving travel, retail spin, and who pays the price during holiday logistics cannot be ignored this week, either.

In this week's episode, the hosts discuss the concept of Surplus Powerlessness, wade into a discussion of the (now) paramilitary, secret police style ICE agency, and end with an uplift from social media influencers who teach us new skills to get by when times are tough.

This week, despite the hosts’ denial that summer is over, they dive into a discussion of safe parking programs in California to provide overnight housing options to unhoused students, which is especially important in winter. And, it couldn’t be avoided, they also unpack the effects of the (now longest in U.S. history) government shutdown. The Haves don’t seem to care all that much for the Have Nots.

This week, The Drs discuss the growing use of AI to produce distorted and offensive depictions of important historical figures. It raises ethical questions of who is responsible for managing representations of person’s likeness and what can be done when those representations cross a line. The hosts also ponder how federalizing the National Guard for pretextual reasons such as managing crime is putting us one step closer to authoritarianism.

This week, the Drs discuss [ridiculous] reactions to the NFL’s announcement that Bad Bunny will be performing at its 2026 Super Bowl Halftime Show and recap a few cases recently argued in front of SCOTUS. The cases at issue could have profound effects for LGBTQIA minors and the voting rights of racial minority groups in the U.S.