Lost Debate

Why is it so hard to fire bad teachers and bad cops? Ravi sits down with Robert Gordon and Nick Bagley to discuss the problems with public sector unions—how they use political influence, protect ineffective workers, and make it difficult to reward excellence. They explore how a small number of poor performers can have an outsized impact on schools, policing, and public trust, and examine what states that have successfully reformed these systems are doing differently.  –––––––– Nick and Robert's recent piece in The Argument:  https://www.theargumentmag.com/p/democrats-should-fire-bad-teachers Lost Debate ▪️Subscribe to our YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@LostDebate ▪️Get show notes and email updates - https://thelostdebate.substack.com/ ▪️Follow us - @thebranchmedia Ravi Gupta ◾ Pre-Order Ravi’s new book The Invisible List -  https://readinvisiblelist.com/ ◾Join the Invisible Posse -  https://readinvisiblelist.com/posse ◾Read Ravi’s Substack - https://realravigupta.substack.com  ◾Follow Ravi - https://www.instagram.com/ravimgupta/ Host: Ravi Gupta Guests: Nicholas Bagley and Robert Gordon

Andrew Tate became one of the most influential figures on the internet by selling young men a vision of power, wealth, and masculinity. But behind the viral clips, luxury cars, and billions of views lies a disturbing trail of allegations, court cases, leaked messages, and accusations of abuse spanning multiple countries. In this conversation, New Yorker reporter Heidi Blake takes us inside her months-long investigation into Tate's empire, the women who say they were harmed, and the political forces that helped elevate him. It's a chilling look at influence, accountability, and the question of who, if anyone, will stop him. Heidi Blake’s piece,  Andrew Tate’s Empire of Abuse (New Yorker, June 2026) _______ Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 201-305-0084⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@LostDebate Follow Ravi at @RaviMGupta Notes from this episode are also available on Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/ Read more from Ravi on Substack: https://realravigupta.substack.com  Follow The Branch at @thebranchmedia Listen to more episodes of Lost Debate on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785 Listen to more episodes of Lost Debate on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7xR9pch9DrQDiZfGB5oF0F Listen to Where the Schools Went: https://thebranchmedia.org/show/where-the-schools-went/ 

What happens when technology starts reshaping the human mind—and recording every moment of our lives? Ravi Gupta sits down with Atlantic staff writer Ross Andersen to explore two fascinating frontiers: the next generation of engineered psychedelics and the rise of AI-powered surveillance devices that can remember everything. They discuss whether scientists can design specific emotional states on demand, how psychedelics may transform medicine, and why a growing number of people are carrying AI assistants that record their daily lives. The conversation raises a deeper question: as technology gives us more control over our minds and memories, what might we lose in the process? –––––– Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 201-305-0084⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@LostDebate Follow Ravi at @RaviMGupta Notes from this episode are also available on Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/ Read more from Ravi on Substack: https://realravigupta.substack.com  Follow The Branch at @thebranchmedia Listen to more episodes of Lost Debate on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785 Listen to more episodes of Lost Debate on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7xR9pch9DrQDiZfGB5oF0F Listen to Where the Schools Went: https://thebranchmedia.org/show/where-the-schools-went/ 

Britain was once one of the world’s economic success stories. Today, parts of the UK are no richer than Mississippi. Atlantic staff writer Idrees Kahloon joins Ravi Gupta to unpack Britain's stunning decline: 18 years of wage stagnation, the fallout from austerity and Brexit, crumbling public services, sky-high housing costs, and the rise of Nigel Farage's Reform Party. They also discuss whether standardized testing is making a comeback in American higher education—and what that says about merit, inequality, and elite institutions. Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 201-305-0084⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@LostDebate Follow Ravi at @RaviMGupta Notes from this episode are also available on Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/ Read more from Ravi on Substack: https://realravigupta.substack.com  Follow The Branch at @thebranchmedia Listen to more episodes of Lost Debate on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785 Listen to more episodes of Lost Debate on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7xR9pch9DrQDiZfGB5oF0F Listen to Where the Schools Went: https://thebranchmedia.org/show/where-the-schools-went/ 

Why do constraints so often lead to better results? In this conversation, Ravi chats with bestselling author David Epstein, who explains how limitations can spark creativity, improve focus, strengthen decision-making, and drive innovation across writing, business, sports, and technology. Drawing on stories from Haruki Murakami, David Chang, Pixar, Amazon, and NASA, David argues that success comes from balancing exploration with focused execution. The lesson is counterintuitive but powerful: having fewer options is often what unlocks our greatest potential. ––––– Leave us a voicemail with your thoughts on the show! 201-305-0084⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@LostDebate Follow Ravi at @RaviMGupta Notes from this episode are also available on Substack: https://thelostdebate.substack.com/ Read more from Ravi on Substack: https://realravigupta.substack.com  Follow The Branch at @thebranchmedia Listen to more episodes of Lost Debate on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lost-debate/id1591300785 Listen to more episodes of Lost Debate on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7xR9pch9DrQDiZfGB5oF0F Listen to Where the Schools Went: https://thebranchmedia.org/show/where-the-schools-went/