// People

Derek Thompson

RoleJournalistSinceBorn 1986Based InWashington, D.C.Known ForPlain English Podcast

Derek Thompson is an American journalist, author, and podcaster, born on May 18, 1986. He specializes in covering economics, labor markets, technology, and popular culture. Thompson is a contributing writer at The Atlantic. After 17 years as a staff writer, he left the position in the summer of 2025 to write independently on Substack while remaining a contributing writer for the magazine.

Thompson is known for his data-driven analysis and exploration of a wide range of topics. He is the host of the podcast "Plain English", where he and guests discuss news, policy, science, and economics. Time magazine named "Plain English" as one of the 100 best podcasts of all time. He is the author of Hit Makers: How to Succeed in an Age of Distraction (2017), a national bestseller, and Derek Thompson On Work (2023), an anthology of his writings on labor and technology. Thompson co-authored Abundance: What Progress Takes (2025) with Ezra Klein, which argues for deregulatory policies to increase housing, energy, and innovation supply.

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last updated 2 days ago

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// The Prof G Pod – Scott Galloway
The Evolution of Value: Balancing Economics, Masculinity, and Modern Patriotism
The modern professional faces a crisis of identity, caught between outdated gender roles and an economic system that penalizes young families. How do we reconcile the need for career momentum with the biological and emotional demands of new parenthood? By shifting the focus from performative masculinity to protective strength and structural economic reform, we can navigate the friction of today's political and social landscape.
2 days ago
3 min read
// The Prof G Pod – Scott Galloway
The Great Paradox: Analyzing the Divergence of Economic Progress and Human Wellbeing
In this briefing, I examine the jarring gap between record-low crime and health statistics and the plummeting levels of American happiness. We dissect how algorithmic negativity and digital comparison act as a hidden tax on the economy, and why the next great fiscal shift might come from government-subsidized weight-loss technology. From the K-shaped AI labor market to the rise of the sovereign creator, we look at the structural forces reshaping the 2026 landscape.
Feb 5, 2026
6 min read

// Often Mentioned Together

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last updated 2 days ago

The Evolution of Value: Balancing Economics, Masculinity, and Modern Patriotism

The Great Paradox: Analyzing the Divergence of Economic Progress and Human Wellbeing