Tanya Mosley

Thinking back to the little bit we were talking about regarding romantic relationships and young people, there was this article a few weeks ago in the Times about a woman who who was in a full-fledged relationship with chat GPT. And, you know, of course, that made me think about the movie Her from 2013, where Joaquin Phoenix's character was in love with an operating system.

How are these AI companions maybe furthering this trend or stepping in to fill the void for people who are isolated?

How are these AI companions maybe furthering this trend or stepping in to fill the void for people who are isolated?

How are these AI companions maybe furthering this trend or stepping in to fill the void for people who are isolated?

Let's take a short break. If you're just joining us, I'm talking with Atlantic staff writer Derek Thompson about his recent article for The Atlantic, The Antisocial Century. We'll continue our conversation after a break. This is Fresh Air.

Let's take a short break. If you're just joining us, I'm talking with Atlantic staff writer Derek Thompson about his recent article for The Atlantic, The Antisocial Century. We'll continue our conversation after a break. This is Fresh Air.

Let's take a short break. If you're just joining us, I'm talking with Atlantic staff writer Derek Thompson about his recent article for The Atlantic, The Antisocial Century. We'll continue our conversation after a break. This is Fresh Air.

Okay, Derek, let's talk a little bit about political polarization. I love the subtitle of this section of your piece. It's called, This is Your Politics on Solitude. How has all of this isolation, how has it changed our politics?

Okay, Derek, let's talk a little bit about political polarization. I love the subtitle of this section of your piece. It's called, This is Your Politics on Solitude. How has all of this isolation, how has it changed our politics?

Okay, Derek, let's talk a little bit about political polarization. I love the subtitle of this section of your piece. It's called, This is Your Politics on Solitude. How has all of this isolation, how has it changed our politics?

You actually say that this kind of helps explain progressive stubborn inability to understand President Donald Trump's appeal. Say more about it.

You actually say that this kind of helps explain progressive stubborn inability to understand President Donald Trump's appeal. Say more about it.

You actually say that this kind of helps explain progressive stubborn inability to understand President Donald Trump's appeal. Say more about it.

You know what's so interesting about what you're saying, too, is that I feel like we were having this conversation in 2016 when there was this indictment on elite in mainstream media that like somehow the mainstream media missed this Trump wave. And from 2016 to now 2025, I mean, we're still here with this baffled, like people are baffled by the phenomenon that you're talking about.

You know what's so interesting about what you're saying, too, is that I feel like we were having this conversation in 2016 when there was this indictment on elite in mainstream media that like somehow the mainstream media missed this Trump wave. And from 2016 to now 2025, I mean, we're still here with this baffled, like people are baffled by the phenomenon that you're talking about.

You know what's so interesting about what you're saying, too, is that I feel like we were having this conversation in 2016 when there was this indictment on elite in mainstream media that like somehow the mainstream media missed this Trump wave. And from 2016 to now 2025, I mean, we're still here with this baffled, like people are baffled by the phenomenon that you're talking about.

How much of a role does media play in this issue as well?

How much of a role does media play in this issue as well?

How much of a role does media play in this issue as well?

Okay, Derek, short of some sort of apocalyptic ending of the internet that will force us to look up from our phones and at each other, what can we do to combat this?