The way Americans talk about money is changing. Economic commentator Kyla Scanlon has emerged as a fresh, influential voice in that conversation. Recently named one of TIME’s 100 Creators, her New York Times bestseller, In This Economy? How Money & Markets Really Work, has been hailed as “essential reading” by Jon Stewart. She joins us this week to offer her “boots-on-the-ground” understanding of the economy, ahead of the midterms.

We discuss the top-line concerns she’s hearing from young Americans (2:20), the affordability crisis (4:02), why a booming stock market doesn’t reflect the broader economy (6:04), President Trump’s closing message to voters ahead of Tuesday (9:34), a stagnant labor market where companies are reluctant to hire or fire (15:03), and why traditional career advice no longer applies to today’s workplace—a subject she explores on her new Vox podcast Best of Luck (16:35).

On the back-half, Scanlon reflects on her imaginative childhood in Kentucky (25:30), what she learned from working at a Hyundai dealership (32:29), and the leap of faith that brought her to Los Angeles (35:50). To close, she explains how she found her audience explaining economics on social media during the pandemic (37:35), Gen Z’s changing relationship to work (41:07), the rise of speculative investing (43:43), the economic implications of AI (53:15), and the ‘duty’ we have to hold onto to optimism (1:07:06).

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