The Permanent Problem

Essays and conversations on capitalism's economic, social and political crises AI summary

Brink Lindsey Visit website › Government · EN · 20 episodes · latest 2026-11-06

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What it is about

In dozens of provocative essays published on his Substack and cross-posted here, Brink Lindsey has explored what John Maynard Keynes called humanity’s “permanent problem:” the quest to “live wisely and agreeably and well” with the vast resources and powers that capitalist prosperity has bestowed upon us. That quest, unfortunately, has gone awry in the 21st century. In Lindsey’s analysis, capitalism is now experiencing a “triple crisis”: a crisis of dynamism, as economic and technological progress had slowed; a crisis of inclusion, as a deep new class divide has opened up along educational lines; and a crisis of politics, our best hope for addressing the other two crises, as the values, norms, and institutions of liberal democracy are now embattled around the world. Beginning in January 2024, Lindsey started the Permanent Problem podcast to supplement his ongoing essay series. The podcast focuses on capitalism’s triple crisis – and especially on the prospects for defusing the crisis and revitalizing social progress. Brink Lindsey, the podcast host, is a senior vice president at the Niskanen Center. You can access his essays on “The Permanent Problem” on his Substack and here. You can find all episodes of the podcast on his Substack, here, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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Latest episodes

Fragile neighborhoods and spiritual poverty, with Seth Kaplan

2026-11-06 · 1 hr 5 min · Episode 22

Seth Kaplan had built a career as an expert on "fragile states," countries plagued by dysfunction and institutional disrepair. But as politics here in the United States plunged into its current time of troubles, Kaplan…
Responding to the crisis of liberalism, Jonathan Rauch

2026-08-12 · 1 hr 11 min · Episode 20

Liberal values and institutions now face aggressive challenges from both right and left extremism, so how should defenders of the embattled liberal center respond?
Everyday ambition, everyday abundance, with Virginia Postrel

2026-08-05 · 1 hr 7 min · Episode 19

Postrel joins host Brink Lindsey to discuss how the unleashing of everyday ambition has given us a world of everyday abundance -- and why that world, for all its material blessings, still fails to satisfy.
Living near friends and family, with Phil Levin

2026-07-23 · 1 hr 0 min · Episode 18

America is experiencing an epidemic of loneliness: marriage and birth rates, the number of close friendships, time spent with friends, and community involvement more broadly are all in decline.
Liberalism's cycles of crisis and renewal, with Adrian Wooldridge

2026-07-15 · 1 hr 4 min · Episode 17

In the heady days after the collapse of the Soviet Union, many imagined that we had arrived at the “end of history” now that liberal democratic capitalism had chased all ideological competitors from the field.
Modern faith with Ryan Avent

2026-04-30 · 56 min · Episode 16

All of the blessings of modernity, Ryan Avent argues in a fascinating new book, rest on faith. It is our faith in others, our ability to trust strangers we will never meet, that makes possible the large-scale…
AI "psychology," with Jack Lindsey

2026-04-23 · 1 hr 8 min · Episode 14

Any attempt to anticipate how social change will unfold in the coming years has to confront a major unknown: how much better is artificial intelligence going to get, and how quickly?
The future of innovation, with Andrew McAfee

2026-03-26 · 1 hr 4 min · Episode 13

After years of disappointing productivity growth, are we about to experience an AI-powered breakout?
MAGA intellectuals with Laura Field

2026-03-19 · 1 hr 6 min · Episode 12

Laura Field joins host Brink Lindsey to discuss their new books.
Defending liberalism (and how not to), with Damon Linker

2026-03-11 · 1 hr 4 min · Episode 11

Brink Lindsey and Damon Linker discuss the challenge of right-wing populism and how liberals should respond to it.

Episode details from the publisher’s feed. Playback happens at the publisher.

Publisher details

Owner: Niskanen Center
Oldest episode in feed: 01/2024 · over 2 years
Typical length: 1 hr 3 min
Format: Episodic Newest first, episodes stand alone

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