Ezra Klein & Derek Thompson - Abundance Is the Key to Fixing America | Prof G Conversations

This episode features a conversation with Ezra Klein, New York Times columnist and host of The Ezra Klein Show, and Derek Thompson, Atlantic staff writer, author, and host of the Plain English podcast. 

Scott discusses with Ezra and Derek their new book, “Abundance,” which is all about how America learned to fail at abundance — and how the left can fix it by embracing growth, progress, and the messy trade-offs of governing. 

Follow Ezra, @ezraklein.
Follow Derek, @DKThomp.

00:00 Introdiction
01:34 In Abundance, you say right-wing populism thrives on scarcity. What does abundance look like?
03:34 Does the idea of abundance mean 'drill, baby, drill'? How does it shape our energy policy?
07:30 Is the real issue how wealth is concentrated in the hands of the top 1%?
11:21Can you give another example of how pro-growth values might change things?
16:39 Isn't the conservative agenda more aligned with an abundance mindset?
20:41 How has the scarcity mindset infected higher education, and what policy changes would you recommend to address it?
24:46 Does addressing wealth inequality simply come down to restoring a progressive tax policy?
36:02 Do tariffs go against the idea of an abundance culture?
45:56 What strategies should Democrats deploy to address economic issues and regain consistency in messaging?
54:12 How can we design policies that help young people build families with the economic support to make it possible?

Want more Prof G? Check out everything we're up to at

#scottgalloway #abundance #housingmarket #housing #ecnomics #housingcrisis #tech #energy #trump # #tariffs #investing #infrastructure #trumpadministration #economy #podcastshow #practice #profg

[krispendleton]

My wife and I were married at 37 years old. We had a conversation about having kids and ultimately we decided against it for two reasons. 1) Even with two solid incomes (nurse and architect), it's too damn expensive and we wanted to have an opportunity to retire. That was literally the choice. And 2) we felt, and rightly so, that the government does not have our back in raising children and setting them up for a good life with affordable housing, food, healthcare, and education. These are the last things in their actionable items list.

We got a dog.

[SFDY]

Ezra hit the nail on the head. We have created a world where it is necessary (not optional) for spouses to both work to archive middle class status. 2 working parents + 1 child + child care is doable 2 working parents + 2 child + child care not doable without substantially lowering your standard of living or having a single high earner. Most people are not willing to do it.

[TheAmaye]

Bro i just watched them on lex friman and though I would love to see them talk to scott and then boom. Lets

[yomammaspoodle]

In Washington in 2023 or 2024, there was an initiative on the ballot that would allow small businesses to be built in residential areas. This is stuff like local coffee shops. I thought it was a great idea, and it would have made the neighborhoods more European-like and would have likely fostered more community. But of course, zoning won out once again. It sucks, I would have loved to build a coffee shop on my street, I have the property for it and the capital to do it.

[ponchupeechu]

Scotts right, you have to tax wealth. If we don't have a mechanism to offset the insanely overpowered effect of compounding interest, then the abundance will be bought and horded. Introduce more resource, tech or productivity into the system and it will eventually return to the hands of the 1%. The last several decades has proven it.

[Canigoback-vexp]

This was amazing and very well done. These are progressives I would vote for. What Ezra said at the end about how appreciating the existence of life compels one to have children to give others that same gift of existence, is a very powerful insight and one I hadn't thought of before in my own 6 decades of existence. Thank you.

[claytonmorada]

Amen on the coliving situation. My friends and I wish we could live in that situation to raise kids together. You just need each other. There is a balance between community and privacy that we didn't get right. We are way too close to isolation.

[stevebuscemi]

Let’s gooo I love these two. They are two people actually putting forward a real pathway for the democrats

[jettv]

Big Fan of Scott, and this Podcast!
This convo was so insightful!!!

[cielxtianceth]

Best 2 guests you have ever had. Love these 2 geniuses. They give us disgusted Kamala voters HOPE. I love to see solutions not just complaints.

[Sempai]

I’ve been paying attention to Ezra Klein since he came out in support of opening the democratic convention last year. Even though I lean conservative, if democrats can do 50% of what Ezra Klein talks about, then count me in.

[austingreen]

Here for Derek, The message about housing needs to spread like wildfire!

[Tom-sztu]

Big fan... but did Scott say TAX remote work?, and the objective is to encourage people to meet their spouse in the neighboring cubicle? what if you're already married? how does forcing employees to drive pointless commutes to sit at a laptop at a desk vs at home benefit their relationships with their spouse/kids?

[j.phinnaeusmorgan]

Soul Brothers, At 16 I took a seminar called “The Hunger Project” (in the late 70’s).

It challenged the preconceived notion that— there’s not enough food to go around for everyone.

The ugly underbelly of that belief was there were two humanities— one that mattered and the other that didn’t.

Then, we had to address the systematic issues; waste, distribution etc.

Bringing Integrity. Workability, Transparency and Wholeness.

This is how it’s done. First, Equanimity (Radical Honesty). Then, Paradigm Shift. Integrity.

[AvsFan]

These guys should REALLY look into all of the empty buildings these days. All of the land these spaces occupy throughout the country just sitting there not being used. Downtown areas where retail has closed up as well as financial buildings. All of the brick and mortar that is now functioning strictly online. They’ve done this with a lot of high rise banks in lower manhattan (Wall Street) and it’s worked great. Just as an example.

[rich]

I agree that most of the issues like housing and affordability needs to be solved at the state, county and city level.

[michaelarthurmusic]

Canadian here - excellent conversation, I agree with all of it. No mention of highly partisan right wing media though, which is from what I can see, a huge problem that must be dealt with. A significant percentage of Trump supporters are CONVINCED he never lies. It does not matter what your message or policies are if this is addressed.

[bigpurplepops]

I'm not American and hardly like any of your politicians, but Trump gloating about his NIMBY policies and tariffs make me wonder if he actually knows why people voted for him. 😂

[annettekearney]

Environmental uncertainties will be the biggest thing in the future. Often economists just wave it away as a trivial problem.

[cinnamonrollsailing]

30:01 I hypothesize that the figurative bone doesn’t exist in today’s ultra wealthy bc their wealth comes from stock and financial investments instead of companies that they build. The shift towards maximizing profits moved the focus on reducing costs instead of increasing value offered.