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Society & Culture
Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher
Research psychologist Angela Duckworth (author of "Grit") and tech and sports executive Mike Maughan really like to ask people questions, and they believe there’s no such thing as a stupid one. So they have a podcast where they can ask each other as many “stupid questions” as they want. New episodes each week. "No Stupid Questions" is a production of the Freakonomics Radio Network.
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131. Why Do We Cry?
Is sobbing a survival tactic? What happened when Angela wept in front of her boss? And what do sauerkraut and sadness have in common?
35:3922/01/2023
130. Why Is It So Hard to Resist Temptation?
Why are people so inconsistent? Is there such a thing as character? And did Stephen once have the world's longest chain of gum wrappers?
30:3415/01/2023
129. Why Do We Cheat, and Why Shouldn’t We?
Is there such a thing as a victimless crime? In an unfair system, is dishonesty okay? And are adolescent vandals out of ideas?
39:4208/01/2023
What’s So Great About Retirement? (Ep. 87 Replay)
How do you know when it’s the right time to retire? What does a “good” retirement look like? And will Stephen and Angela ever really hang up their hats?
33:1001/01/2023
128. How Can You Give Better Gifts?
How many bottles of wine are regifted? What’s wrong with giving cash? And should Angela give her husband a subscription to the Sausage of the Month Club?
39:3825/12/2022
127. How Can You Be a Better Communicator?
How do you express yourself when you're not sure what you want to say? What’s the number one way to get people to listen to you? And why are letters to advice columns always well-written? Plus: An update to the NSQ drinking game.
38:1218/12/2022
126. Why Do People Love Horror Movies?
When are negative emotions enjoyable? Are we all a little masochistic? And do pigs like hot sauce?
36:3611/12/2022
125. Should We Replace Umpires With Robots?
What do gamblers and referees have in common? When do machines make better decisions than people? And has Stephen been replaced by a computer?
39:5304/12/2022
124. How Do You Stop Grinding Your Teeth?
How can you break a bad habit if you’re not aware that you’re doing it? Does Barack Obama grind his teeth? And is Angela’s dentist a crook?
38:2027/11/2022
123. What’s Wrong With Coveting?
What’s the difference between schadenfreude and sadism? Can envy be put to good use? And how do you teach a kid to punch a clown?
37:4820/11/2022
When Is It OK to Tell a Lie? (Replay from Ep. 66)
Can a little dishonesty be a good thing? How many fibs does Angela tell every day? And why does Stephen have a forehead?
22:1313/11/2022
122. Is Family Overrated?
If you’re frustrated with your family, should you cut ties with them? Who’s more likely to break with relatives over politics, liberals or conservatives? And what would it take for Stephen to buy a baby elephant?
34:0606/11/2022
121. How Good Are Your Snap Judgments?
How much can you tell about someone from the first few seconds of a Zoom call? What did Stephen think of Angie when he first met her? And: a special message to babies from the future.
37:3830/10/2022
120. Why Are Rich Countries So Unhappy?
How does comparing yourself to others affect your well-being? What do you do when there’s no one left to blame? And should we all just move to Finland?
37:2523/10/2022
119. J***s C****t, Angela, Why Are You Such a F***ing Potty-Mouth?
What’s the purpose of profanity? Why is cursing on the rise? And will Angela finally swear off swearing?
37:3516/10/2022
118. How Do You Keep Winter From Getting You Down?
How should you treat Seasonal Affective Disorder? Would we all be happier if we hibernated? And why does Stephen think football fans have an easier time?
34:0209/10/2022
117. What’s Wrong With Holding a Grudge?
How do you let go of resentment? Do apologies even work? And what grievances have Stephen and Angela been nursing for years?
37:2702/10/2022
116. Do People Pay Attention to Signs?
Do highway warnings save lives or cost lives? How do you keep men from peeing on the floor? And what’s Angela’s plan to get more people washing their hands?
37:2825/09/2022
115. Are You Having a Midlife Crisis?
How is aging different today than it was in the past? What do young people get wrong about happiness? And what does it mean if you impulsively decide to get your ear pierced in an unusual place?
39:0618/09/2022
114. Can You Learn to Love Hard Work?
Can exercising your body boost your brain's stamina? Are some people just born lazy? And why did Angela stop reading “Us Weekly”?
36:3211/09/2022
113. How Can You Improve Your Mental Endurance?
Why do some activities tire your brain more than others? How exhausting is poverty? And could most of the world’s problems be solved with a sandwich?
34:4404/09/2022
112. Is It Okay to Hate Highbrow Culture?
Are Europeans more sophisticated than Americans? What’s wrong with preferring Taylor Swift to Puccini? And is Steve Levitt “Team Edward” or “Team Jacob”?
35:3228/08/2022
111. Would You Be Happier if You Lived Someplace Else?
Will Angela finally break up with Philadelphia? Is New York really the unhappiest city in the U.S.? And are there trash tornadoes in the metaverse?
33:3121/08/2022
110. Why Is Angela Stepping Down as C.E.O. of the Nonprofit She Founded?
Are you a problem solver or an opportunity seeker? Why is it so hard to find a good leader these days? And could you be Angela’s next boss?
33:3214/08/2022
What’s the Best Advice You’ve Ever Received? (Replay from Ep. 65)
What risks are worth taking? When should you ignore feedback and go with your gut? And what did Stephen learn on a fishing trip with the town barber?
24:0507/08/2022
109. What Is the Purpose of Embarrassment?
What’s worse: shame, guilt, or humiliation? Does Angela have psychopathic tendencies? And where’s the worst place to sit at a magic show?
34:4131/07/2022
108. Should You Try to Be Less Angry?
What is the purpose of negative emotions? Why do we engage with things we know will upset us? And how does Angie deal with rejection?
37:2724/07/2022
107. Is It Worth It for Charities to Harass Their Donors?
Is it O.K. to bother people for a good cause? Why do people donate to charity in the first place? And do those personalized address labels actually make people get out their checkbooks?
37:1017/07/2022
106. Did Your Early Childhood Determine the Course of Your Life?
Are we all either secure, avoidant, or anxious? How does your relationship with your parents shape your romantic partnerships? And what is Stephen’s attachment style?
37:5210/07/2022
How Does Facing Death Change Your Life? (Replay from Ep. 49)
Are you more likely to experience post-traumatic stress or post-traumatic growth? How does belief in the afterlife affect how you view death? And why did Angela hike a deadly gorge with her ex-boyfriend?
27:5403/07/2022
105. Should You Give Kids an Allowance or Make Them Get Jobs?
How do kids learn about money? What’s the big problem with education? And who made "Raiders of the Lost Ark?"
34:4726/06/2022
104. How Simple Is Too Simple?
Why are humans so eager for magic-bullet solutions? Can you explain how a pen works? And how does Angela feel about being forever branded “the grit lady”?
34:5819/06/2022
103. Should Toilets Be Free?
Why do Americans tip so much? What happened when Angie eliminated grading in a college course? And why did almost every pay toilet in the U.S.A. vanish between 1970 and 1980?
33:4912/06/2022
102. What’s So Bad About Nepotism?
How does the profitability of family firms stack up against the rest? Has nepotism become more taboo over time? And why are 90 percent of adoptees in Japan not children but adults?
37:3705/06/2022
101. Are You Really "Addicted" to Diet Coke?
Where’s the line between an addiction and a bad habit? Why do definitions of mental illnesses change over time? And what’s the most addictive thing in the world?
38:3629/05/2022
100. Is It Weird for Adults to Have Imaginary Friends?
Why does listening to No Stupid Questions feel like you’re hanging out with your best friends? Why did the whole world take it personally when Princess Diana died? And how do “parasocial relationships” affect your mental health?
36:2922/05/2022
99. Do You Mind if I Borrow Your Personality?
Are there downsides to “personality plagiarism”? Why did no one buy the Crayola Crayon Carver? And should Stephen feel bad for copying Angela’s email signature?
36:0315/05/2022
98. Is Having Children Worth It?
Why have fertility rates dropped so dramatically? Do fathers or mothers get more happiness from parenting? And how does birth order affect a child’s future?
41:5708/05/2022
97. Are Women Really Less Happy Than Men?
Why are women unhappier than men? What can we do to move the needle? And is it better to be happy or to be good?
37:4201/05/2022
96. Why Is Chick-fil-A Such a Big Deal?
How did Chick-fil-A become the third-largest restaurant chain in the U.S.? Why does it serve salad? And can Angie’s moral compass override her craving for a chicken sandwich?
29:0424/04/2022
95. What’s So Bad About Denial?
Can denial be a healthy way of dealing with the death of a loved one? What do the five stages of grief misrepresent about mourning? And why does Angie cover her eyes when she watches the Rocky movies?
32:4217/04/2022
94. What to Do When Everything Looks Like a Catastrophe?
What is the relationship between “catastrophizing” and anxiety? How did Angela react when her mother came close to drowning? And how can you gain perspective when the worst-case scenario is all you can visualize?
32:5810/04/2022
93. Does the Early Bird Really Catch the Worm? Or Could the Night Owl Get There First?
How have Angie’s views on sleep changed since she wrote her Harvard application essay? Would starting high school later in the day be worth $8.6 billion? And what should you do if your chronotype doesn’t fit the way society is structured?
31:2003/04/2022
92. Is Poor Nutrition a Supply Problem or a Demand Problem?
Is evolution stacked against healthy eating? What policies could increase demand for nutritious food? And does Popeyes count as a cultural icon?
33:3827/03/2022
91. Do You Savor or Gobble?
What’s the difference between people who preserve special things and people who devour them right away? Why do we love to binge-watch? And did Adam really eat an apple?
40:5320/03/2022
90. If America Is a Train Wreck, Why Am I Doing Fine?
Why do so many Americans say they’re satisfied with their own lives but upset about the way the country is going? Why don’t other countries experience the same gap? And what do horror movies have in common with Coca-Cola enemas?
31:5613/03/2022
89. How Valuable Is Enthusiasm?
What’s the difference between willpower and eagerness? Is there a lifehack that can make you zestier? And could it help Stephen improve his golf game?
29:4806/03/2022
88. Is Self-Improvement Too Selfish?
Is it more important to help society or to help yourself? Does the self-improvement movement do any good for the world? And which podcast episode does Stephen cling to as proof that he’s doing something valuable?
35:2527/02/2022
87. What’s So Great About Retirement?
How do you know when it’s the right time to retire? What does a “good” retirement look like? And will Stephen and Angela ever really hang up their hats?
32:1020/02/2022
86. Should We All Be Taking More Long Shots?
What’s the difference between dispositional optimism and agentic hope? Are there benefits to taking a long shot, even if it turns out to be an air ball? And how is Angela like an N.F.L. quarterback?
33:0213/02/2022