Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes Podcast

Happy New Year! Given the holidays, we're re-sharing one of our most memorable conversations. You’ve probably come across content online that seems real but is actually fake. And that experience is becoming more common with the proliferation of AI generated content. Our guest this week points out that the mental gymnastics of this starts to take a toll. Jia Tolentino, a staff writer at The New Yorker, wrote a piece all about this aptly titled, “My Brain Finally Broke.”  She joins WITHpod to discuss how AI is changing our perception of the world, how online content can make us more likely to detach from reality and more. Note: this episode was recorded on 6/11/25.  Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content from this and other shows. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We’re approaching the fourth anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2026. There’s been a few inflection points recently, including talks of a peace deal amidst the gruesome conflict. Tim Mak is a journalist and the founder of The Counteroffensive, which covers the war in Ukraine from a human interest perspective. He joins WITHpod to discuss what life has been like for him living in Kyiv, what he sees as a possible way forward politically and more.   Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content from this and other shows. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Saudi Arabia has executed more than 335 people this year, according to a tally by international news agency AFP. It’s something that hasn’t gotten much coverage in the U.S. What’s behind this killing spree? Ebtihal Mubarak is a journalist from Saudi Arabia, who now lives in the U.S. She joins WITHpod to discuss what’s been driving this trend, relations with the U.S., the role that Saudi Arabia’s entertainment industry plays in perceptions of the country and more. Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content from this and other shows. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Political violence has become an increasingly urgent issue in Trump 2.0. Elected officials continue to grapple with what’s driving this. Why does it flummox officials from both parties so much? That’s the subject of a recent piece, “In The Line of Fire,” written by Benjamin Wallace-Wells, a staff writer at The New Yorker. He joins WITHpod to discuss the marked rise of political violence in the U.S., what it means for the way politicians engage with constituents and more.   Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content from this and other shows. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Senator Chuck Schumer posted this week in part, “Trump’s only principles are hypocrisy and corruption. Bombing unmarked boats in the Caribbean one day, pardoning notorious drug traffickers the next.” How can such high levels of corruption happen and what has led us to this point? Journalist and author David Sirota points out that the staggering levels of corruption that we’re seeing within U.S. politics right now is the result of a decades long agenda to essentially make anti-bribery laws unenforceable. Sirota is a co-author of “Master Plan: The Hidden Plot To Legalize Corruption In America” and the founder and editor-in-chief of The Lever. He joins WITHpod to discuss historical parallels to the present moment, corruption being normalized and more. Sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts to listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads. You'll also get exclusive bonus content from this and other shows. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.