Derek Thompson

Derek Thompson (born May 18, 1986) is an American journalist , author, and podcaster specializing in economics, labor markets, technology , and popular culture . He graduated from Northwestern University in 2008 with majors in journalism , political science , and legal studies, and began his career at The Atlantic as a staff writer , where he contributed articles on topics including the science of hits in media, the future of work, and policy barriers to economic abundance. After 17 years in that role, Thompson left The Atlantic in summer 2025 to pursue independent writing on Substack while continuing as a contributing writer for the magazine .

Thompson authored the national bestseller Hit Makers: How to Succeed in an Age of Distraction (2017), which examines the mechanisms behind cultural and commercial success, and On Work: Money, Meaning, Identity, and Abundance (2023), an anthology of his writings on labor and technology. He co-authored Abundance: What Progress Takes (2025) with Ezra Klein , advocating for deregulatory policies to increase housing, energy, and innovation supply amid critiques of scarcity-driven governance. Additionally, he hosts the podcast Plain English , featuring interviews on policy, science, and economics. His work has influenced discussions on remote work productivity, the "abundance agenda," and the social impacts of technological change , often drawing on data-driven analysis to challenge conventional progressive constraints on growth.

Derek Thompson was born in McLean, Virginia , in 1986.

He attended Northwestern University , graduating in 2008 with a triple major in journalism , political science , and legal studies from the Medill School of Journalism .

Thompson graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism in 2008 with majors in journalism , political science , and legal studies. Following graduation, he encountered rejections from numerous publications amid a challenging job market during the 2008 financial crisis . Despite these setbacks, Thompson entered professional journalism in 2009 by joining The Atlantic , initially concentrating on business and economic reporting—a field he had not anticipated pursuing.

His debut contributions at The Atlantic addressed topics such as shortcomings in economic journalism coverage, reflecting his early emphasis on analytical critiques of media and markets. This entry-level role marked the onset of his career trajectory, progressing from foundational reporting to editorial responsibilities in subsequent years.

Derek Thompson joined The Atlantic in 2009 as a staff writer, initially covering economics , technology , and culture amid the global financial crisis. His early contributions included analyses of labor markets, media trends, and policy impacts, drawing on data-driven reporting to examine shifts in employment and innovation. Over the years, Thompson advanced to senior editor, overseeing content on intersecting themes of economics and society, while maintaining a focus on empirical trends rather than ideological framing.

During his tenure, Thompson developed signature series such as the "Work in Progress" newsletter , launched in December 2021, which explored transformations in labor, technology , and productivity through weekly dispatches grounded in economic data and case studies. He produced in-depth features on topics including the evolution of remote work post-2020, the economics of popular culture , and critiques of productivity stagnation, often incorporating quantitative metrics like GDP growth rates and employment statistics to challenge prevailing narratives. His reporting emphasized causal links between policy decisions and economic outcomes, such as the effects of fiscal stimuli on job creation, supported by references to federal data from sources like the Bureau of Labor Statistics .