The Business of Life

Compared with the rest of the world, Americans work notoriously hard. But as income inequality increases, the growing millennial workforce is redefining what they want out of a job. To unpack the issue, we've enlisted Planet Money's Adam Davidson, journalist Megan McArdle, and Jamelle Bouie of Slate.

The idea of the American family has changed dramatically over the past few decades: Young Americans are marrying later, finding marriage and parenthood to be less central concerns. But what does the structure of the modern American family mean for us, and how much is it costing us? To unpack the issue, we've enlisted author Ty Tashiro, New York Magazine's Maureen O'Connor, and Mona Chalabi of FiveThirtyEight.

This episode of 'The Business of Life' looks at two creative industries going in seemingly opposite trajectories: the fine art world, where the sky is seemingly the limit for the prices collectors are willing to pay; and the music industry, where the free-fall of record company profits has only recently begun to slow. But at the root of each sector’s rising or declining fortunes is the underlying question: How should we compensate artists? And what value do cultural products create in a society? To get to the bottom of the issue, we’ve tapped the former New Yorker pop critic Sasha Frere-Jones, award-winning artist Ryder Ripps, and Glenn O’Brien, the founder of TV Party, original editor of Interview Magazine, and a former member of Andy Warhol’s Factory.

The AUMF (The “Authorization of the Use of Military Force”) was a bill passed in the immediate wake of 9/11 and authorized the President of the United States to use all “necessary and appropriate force” against those who had aided the terrorists responsible for the attacks. In the nearly 15 years since its passage, the US has found itself involved in a never-ending war on terror, which presents increasingly complex ethical, legal, and strategic challenges. To unpack the issue, we’ve enlisted journalist Spencer Ackerman, head of the Service Women’s Action Network and former marine Anu Bhagwati, and Sebastian Junger, the journalist and filmmaker responsible for the award-winning documentary Restrepo.

What would your life look like if the millions of undocumented immigrants working in the US were deported tomorrow? Depending on who you trust, immigrants are either a drag on the economy, or a net positive. So what are the costs and benefits of immigration? This week, we’re joined by NPR's Adam Davidson, United We Dream’s managing director Cristina Jiménez, and former George W. Bush speechwriter David Frum.

The average college graduate is saddled with thousands of dollars of debt. That’s because the average cost of a four-year college degree in this country has exploded over the last two decades. Is the crippling debt accrued by students a smart financial decision? And, compared to the rest of the world, why do Americans pay so much for higher education? To unpack this issue, we’ve enlisted Student Voice’s Zak Malamed, Allison Schrager from Quartz, and Dale J. Stephens, an elementary school dropout who founded his own business in his late teens.

As we inch closer to the 2016 election, presidential candidates and politicians have begun to phase out the term “middle class” from their vocabulary. Terms like “everyday Americans” and “hard-working taxpayers” are replacing the once-common term. “Middle Class,” a phrase that once evoked a sense of optimism, shared wealth, and the American Dream, now invokes a sense of anxiety, and an uncertain future. Why? Because, as automation replaces jobs and the income gap widens, the middle class is in a catastrophic state of decline. On this episode of the Business of Life, we'll get to the bottom of just what the "middle class” is: how to get in, how to stay in, and why so many Americans are falling out. Joined by David Madland of the Center for American Progress, national correspondent for Fox Television stations Charlie LeDuff, and Shikha Dalmia of the Reason Foundation.

In the span of just a few generations, Americans have become obsessed with the way we eat. But while some of us are surrounded by farmers markets and Whole Foods outlets, some experts argue that a large percentage of the population is unable to afford or access healthy food. Can organic foods, GMOs, and greater access to fresh food save us? For the answer, we turn to a panel of experts, featuring Frederick Kaufman, Danielle Nierenberg, and Katherine Mangu-Ward.

The American tax code is one of the most impenetrable elements of our society. Surprising, considering how it affects your life every single day. On this episode of the Business of Life, we will show you exactly how your taxes are distributed—and what happens if you try to evade them. To unpack the issue, we are joined by panelists Lee Sheppard of Tax Notes, Ben Casselman of FiveThirtyEight, and Emory University Professor Dorothy Brown.

With streaming services, video games, and advances in consumer video, the movie business is changing. With a myriad of new threats to the Hollywood hegemony, will the film industry survive, or morph into something unrecognizable? This week on the Business of Life we're joined by producer Randall Emmett, director and actor Adam Davidson, and Matthew Belloni of the Hollywood Reporter, who will break down the issue using facts, figures, dollars, and cents.

A new generation of so-called tech companies have glutted the media spotlight, promising new services to connected young people while disrupting old models. But are they putting a new spin on classic ideas? And are they really changing the way we live, or merely helping the one-percent feel a bit more like the .01 percent? This week, we are joined by Farhad Manjoo of the New York Times, HealthTap's Ron Gutman, and Alice Truong of Quartz who will break down everything you need to know about the startup economy.