Introducing Against the Rules Season 2

Journalist and bestselling author Michael Lewis (Liar's Poker, Moneyball) takes a searing look at what’s happened to fairness. It feels like there's less of it every day—whether it comes to lending practices, college admissions, professional sports, or psychological well-being. Who are the people trying to level the playing field, and are they making an impact? In the second season, Lewis looks at the rise in coaching in American life, bringing his trademark insight and wry humor to their stories of (in)equality today.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:15):
Pushkin. It's Michael Lewis here. I'm back with Against the Rules.
Last season I talked about the attack on referees and

(00:37):
the idea of fairness. This season is all about the
rise of coaches in American life. Yeah, what are you doing?
It wasn't that long ago that we only had coaches
in sports. You need to stop being a lazy piece
and work for your picture or I'm going to kick
your ass. Got it now? Coaches are everywhere. Shut up,

(00:57):
so I'll give you positivity. There are people who call
themselves life coaches and other people who call themselves death coaches.
It's a saying which is therapy is apoth of tears,
and coaching is the laughter. You can hire a coach
to improve your executive skills, your online dating performance, and

(01:20):
even your charisma. I am here to guide you and
making sure you grow as a person. But the rise
of coaching is connected to unfairness. The richest, best performing
people in the world have the most coaching. That guy
would never have gotten into Yale, but this guy who
got all this coaching did get into Yale. It just
seems like anyone who can answer these questions has got

(01:42):
to be coached. Who's coaching the uber driver. Coaching just
ends up making the rich richer. Yeah, join me for
season two of Against the Rules from Pushkin Industries. I
might even get a little coaching myself. So, Michael, if
you had something you wanted to be coached on, what

(02:02):
would that be? I'm not telling at least yet. Against
the Rules is back May fifth. Subscribe wherever you get
your podcasts.