EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

Part of journalism is integrating voices and thoughts that are not your own; it's about talking to people.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

I treat my voice as a responsibility and I strive to be honest and authentic in my writing.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

I used to be good at writing short pieces, but now I feel the need to justify what I write, making it harder to be concise.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

The most important thing for a writer is to trust their editor's judgment on what is good and what isn't.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

Taste is the hardest thing to measure in writing and editing; it's about having an intuitive sense of what is good.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

The challenge of writing a book is finding the time and energy to dedicate to it, which is often limited.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

I believe that the integration of granular reporting with broader generalizations makes for effective journalism.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

My book 'Abundance' represents a shift to a more prescriptive style, contrasting with my earlier descriptive work.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

I think the tempo of writing can influence how ideas spread and resonate with audiences.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

Vox was built on the idea of explanatory journalism, and I trusted that we needed more of that in the media.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

I didn't trust my editorial voice at the beginning of my career, which made it hard for others to understand what I wanted from them.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

I don't think there's a single best way to understand government and policy; different people have different effective methods.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

Reading is the foundation of my work; if I could only choose one, I'd choose reading over reporting.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

When I read for extended periods, my mind enters a meditative state that fosters deep thinking and connection-making.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

I need to dedicate time to reading without distractions to maintain my intellectual productivity.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

I don't focus on sharpening my voice over years; instead, I connect deeply with the ideas in my pieces and improve through repetition.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

At Vox, I felt pressured to be involved in everything, but now I focus on what I believe I'm best at, which has improved my hit rate.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

The New York Times has a strong institutional voice that hasn't disappeared, contrary to the belief that big institutions are crumbling.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

I value institutions and believe we need more of them, as they play a crucial role in journalism.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

Journalism is in worse shape now than it was 10 or 15 years ago, with many once-great publications now hollowed out.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

The rise of platforms like Substack hasn't created a sustainable journalistic middle class; it's limited to a few successful individuals.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

ChatGPT is dangerous for serious writing because it won't tell you if you're fundamentally wrong; it only suggests tweaks.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

The core of good writing is having something important to communicate, not just focusing on style or embellishment.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

Writing a book reveals gaps in your knowledge; it forces you to confront what you thought you knew but didn't. Communication should be looser and more open than writing, which is a technology of rigor that requires deeper engagement.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

In conversation, I can glide past gaps in my knowledge, but in writing, I can't hide from the rigor required to address those gaps.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

The key to generating good ideas is consuming a lot of information; when you're stuck, it often means you lack a deep enough well of knowledge to draw from.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

Writing is not the core of my work; if you remove the research and reporting, my writing loses its value.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

Many journalists take shortcuts by not doing the reading, which creates an opportunity for those willing to put in the work.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

The quality of a podcast conversation is largely determined by the preparation and thought that goes into it before the recording.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

AI can be useful for tasks like Google searches, but it fails when it comes to summarizing complex materials, as it misses the nuances I seek.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

Knowledge is more embodied than just looking something up; it requires engagement and connection to truly change you.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

I believe the time spent grappling with a text is crucial for true understanding; shortcuts in knowledge acquisition can be misleading.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

Writing often pressures authors to present a definitive answer, which can lead to over-persuasion of oneself and a lack of uncertainty.

EK

Ezra Klein

05/28/25

@ David Perell

It's challenging for writers to express uncertainty without feeling the need to resolve it prematurely, which can limit the depth of exploration.

Meet the Founder of Vox, NYT Journalist — Ezra Klein

Takeaways