One more reason we can’t talk to strangers

There was a time when people gathered around the watercooler to gab about the hottest show, but these days it might be tough to find a coworker who’s watching the same thing as you are. Ben Fritz, entertainment industry reporter for The Wall Street Journal, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the end of an era in which Americans tuned into the same TV, movies and music and why hyper-individualized content is coming at the expense of culture. His article is “The Rise and Fall of the American Monoculture.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

For some kids, homeschooling provides them with the one-on-one attention they need. For others, though, it can feel isolating. Author Stefan Merrill Block joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why his mother, adoring but complicated, thought public school would kill his creativity, how his daily curriculum was left up to him as a small boy to craft, and how he thinks of homeschooling today. His book is “Homeschooled: A Memoir.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The balance of powers among the three branches of government is fading away, facilitated by the judicial branch. Duncan Hosie is a fellow at Stanford Law School, and he joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how the Supreme Court is stripping Congress of its influence, what we lose when we allow unelected judges to be the sole interpreters of the Constitution, and which branch is most powerful now. His article “How the Supreme Court Broke Congress” was published in The Atlantic. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The U.S. has always told the world it is a protector of peace — even if that meant through violence. Michael O’Hanlon, Philip H. Knight Chair in Defense and Strategy at the Brookings Institution, joins guest host John McCaa to discuss the evolution of how the nation approaches defense – from fledgling republic to global superpower. His book is “To Dare Mighty Things: U.S. Defense Strategy Since the Revolution.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

The suspension of Jimmy Kimmel sent shockwaves across the TV landscape — but there are many other ways the FCC is using pressure to shape the media. Jim Rutenberg, writer at large for The New York Times Magazine, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss the role of the FCC during President Trump’s time in office, the degree to which the agency is able to regulate programming it deems too partisan, and why local stations face the brunt of the punishment. His article is “The MAGA Plan to Take Over TV Is Just Beginning.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

For decades, treaties meant war could be avoided if everyone just followed the law. Oona A. Hathaway teaches law and political science at Yale and is a nonresident scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the president-elect of the American Society of International Law. She joins host Krys Boyd to discuss why a golden age of treaties seems to be tarnishing, how the legal basis for entering conflicts is being conflated and reinterpreted, and how aggressive U.S. tactics are upsetting the world order – even among allies. Her op-ed in The New York Times is “The Great Unraveling Has Begun.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

As the federal government deploys thousands of ICE agents across the country, activists are finding ways to push back. Molly Hennessy-Fiske, national reporter for The Washington Post, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how the killing of Renée Good has put new focus on the tactics protestors use, how tactics like tailing unmarked cars used by agents has put activists in murky legal territory, and what legal experts say about charges that could be brought against protestors. Her article is “They say they’re monitoring ICE arrests. Feds say they’re breaking the law.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

When was the last time you actually opened a dictionary and flipped through the pages to find the definition of a word? Journalist and author Stefan Fatsis joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how A.I. is changing the traditional dictionary, why dictionaries are more complicated and controversial than you might think, and how you might be able to get a word added to the record. His book is “Unabridged: The Thrill of (and Threat to) the Modern Dictionary.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Members of Gen X are famously overlooked – maybe we’re sleeping on them? Writer Amanda Fortini joins host Krys Boyd to discuss how being a latch-key generation fostered creativity, why this generation is (finally) having an influence, and why it’s significant that Gen Xers had the last fully analog childhood. Her article “Is Gen X Actually the Greatest Generation?” was published in T Magazine. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

One Democrat already seems to be priming himself for a presidential run against all things MAGA: Gavin Newsom. Helen Lewis, staff writer at The Atlantic, joins host Krys Boyd to discuss Newsom’s positioning as a leading candidate to run for president in 2028, his track record as governor of California and if Democrats are excited about his prospects. Her article is “The Front-Runner.” Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices