Radio and PodcastRadio and PodcastLive Radio & Podcasts
The myth of absolute freedom artwork
Society & Culture

The myth of absolute freedom

Vox Conversations by Vox Media Podcast Network

May 18, 202650:00Society & Culture

Sean talks with writer David Epstein about why unlimited freedom and endless choice often make us less creative, less focused, and less fulfilled. They discuss the hidden power of constraints, the psychology of attention...

About This Episode

The myth of absolute freedom is an episode from Vox Conversations by Vox Media Podcast Network. Sean talks with writer David Epstein about why unlimited freedom and endless choice often make us less creative, less focused, and less fulfille...

Podcast

This episode belongs to Vox Conversations.

Listen Online

Use the player on this page to stream the episode online.

Episode Details

Published May 18, 2026, 50:00 long, audio available.

Related Episodes

Continue listening to more episodes from Vox Conversations.

The “real” America at 250

Jul 3, 2026 - 46:33

Who are America’s heroes? Who deserves our admiration and a place in our nation’s story? In today’s episo...

The end of the human internet

Jun 26, 2026 - 41:24

Sean talks with Atlantic writer Charlie Warzel about the increasingly weird experience of being online. T...

The expectations on men

Jun 22, 2026 - 49:29

Sean talks with journalist Jordan Ritter Conn about his book “American Men,” an intimate look at four men...

Canceling Plato

Jun 19, 2026 - 40:08

Who gets to decide what’s taught in college classrooms? And should the answer be different at private col...

How to feel more secure

Jun 15, 2026 - 50:06

Sean talks with psychiatrist and neuroscientist Amir Levine about attachment, insecurity, and why our rel...

Understanding our dreams

Jun 8, 2026 - 47:57

Sean talks with dream scientist Michelle Carr about what dreams are, why we have them, and what they migh...