No Stupid Questions
Stephen Dubner (co-author of the Freakonomics book series) and research psychologist Angela Duckworth (author of Grit) really like to ask people questions, and came to believe there’s no such thing as a stupid one. So they made 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.
Episodes
139. Why Do We Get Angry?
What’s the difference between anger and indignation? What’s Angela’s problem with turkey sandwiches? And why wasn’t a No Stupid Questions listener angry at the men who assaulted him? Take the Seven Deadly Sins survey: freakonomics.com/nsq-sins/
26/03/23·40m 53s
138. Why is Everyone Having Less Sex?
Are we too busy watching Friends? Is porn driving us apart? And why did New Yorkers stop vacationing in the Catskills?Take the Seven Deadly Sins survey: freakonomics.com/nsq-sins/
19/03/23·29m 53s
137. Are We All Addicted to Ultra-Processed Foods?
Is your favorite treat changing your brain? Why do so many snacks melt in your mouth? And why can’t Stephen replicate his favorite salad dressing? Take the Seven Deadly Sins survey: freakonomics.com/nsq-sins/
12/03/23·36m 59s
136. Is Sloth a Sin or a Virtue?
How can we distinguish between laziness and patience? Why do people do crossword puzzles? And how is Angie like a combination of a quantum computer and a Sherman tank? Take the Seven Deadly Sins survey: freakonomics.com/nsq-sins/
05/03/23·38m 48s
135. What Should You Do on Your Birthday?
Birthdays! Why do Americans prefer Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July to theirs? Why do they make Stephen think of molasses and chicken feed? And is “Happy Birthday” the worst song ever written?
26/02/23·32m 33s
134. Will You Live to Be 100?
How far would you go to extend your life? What’s the best way to stay sharp as your brain ages? And does Keith Richards deserve a Nobel Prize?
19/02/23·35m 39s
Why Is It So Hard to Talk About Money? (Ep. 81 Replay)
What’s the connection between conversations about money and financial literacy? Could the taboo against talking about your salary be fading? And why did Angie’s teenage daughter call Vanguard to learn about I.R.A.s?
12/02/23·31m 54s
133. Can You Really Work on an Airplane?
Are those travelers on their laptops just showing off? Why does V8 taste better at 35,000 feet? And why won't Angela chat with her seatmate?
05/02/23·37m 36s
132. Is It Wrong to Enjoy Yourself While the World Is Burning?
Are things as dire as they seem? How big is your moral circle? And should Angela spend time with her kids or answer her emails?
29/01/23·39m 52s
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?
22/01/23·35m 39s
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?
15/01/23·30m 34s
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?
08/01/23·39m 42s
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?
01/01/23·33m 10s
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?
25/12/22·39m 38s
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.
18/12/22·38m 12s
126. Why Do People Love Horror Movies?
When are negative emotions enjoyable? Are we all a little masochistic? And do pigs like hot sauce?
11/12/22·36m 36s
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?
04/12/22·39m 53s
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?
27/11/22·38m 20s
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?
20/11/22·37m 48s
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?
13/11/22·22m 13s
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?
06/11/22·34m 6s
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.
30/10/22·37m 38s
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?
23/10/22·37m 25s
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?
16/10/22·37m 35s
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?
09/10/22·34m 2s
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?
02/10/22·37m 27s
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?
25/09/22·37m 28s
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?
18/09/22·39m 6s
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”?
11/09/22·36m 32s
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?
04/09/22·34m 44s
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”?
28/08/22·35m 32s
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?
21/08/22·33m 31s
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?
14/08/22·33m 32s
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?
07/08/22·24m 5s
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?
31/07/22·34m 41s
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?
24/07/22·37m 27s
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?
17/07/22·37m 10s
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?
10/07/22·37m 52s
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?
03/07/22·27m 54s
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?"
26/06/22·34m 47s
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”?
19/06/22·34m 58s
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?
12/06/22·33m 49s
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?
05/06/22·37m 37s
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?
29/05/22·38m 36s
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?
22/05/22·36m 29s
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?
15/05/22·36m 3s
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?
08/05/22·41m 57s
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?
01/05/22·37m 42s
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?
24/04/22·29m 4s
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?
17/04/22·32m 42s
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?
10/04/22·32m 58s
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?
03/04/22·31m 20s
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?
27/03/22·33m 38s
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?
20/03/22·40m 53s
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?
13/03/22·31m 56s
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?
06/03/22·29m 48s
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?
27/02/22·35m 25s
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?
20/02/22·32m 10s
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?
13/02/22·33m 2s
85. Is Emotional Intelligence Really So Important?
Can you quantify emotional intelligence? Who should you hire — someone smart, or someone good with people? And how did Angie do on an online emotional intelligence test?
06/02/22·32m 27s
84. Why Do We Find So Much Meaning in Meaningless Coincidences?
Why are humans so fascinated by coincidences? What do Carl Jung and an album by The Police have in common? And what did Stephen win in a bar mitzvah limbo contest?
30/01/22·29m 36s
83. Can You Change Your Mind Without Losing Face?
What is the cost of admitting you’re wrong? How can intellectual humility make you more open minded? And will Stephen finally persuade Angela that rum-raisin is the best flavor of ice cream?
23/01/22·33m 59s
82. Which Is More Powerful: Reward or Punishment?
How is “negative reinforcement” different from punishment? Could positive reinforcement encourage prosocial behavior on a national scale? And what’s the deal with Taiwan’s dog-poop lottery?
16/01/22·28m 25s
81. Why Is It So Hard to Talk About Money?
What’s the connection between conversations about money and financial literacy? Could the taboo against talking about your salary be fading? And why did Angie’s teenage daughter call Vanguard to learn about I.R.A.s?
09/01/22·29m 28s
80. Is a “Success Hangover” Real?
Why are great accomplishments often followed by disappointment? Is it better to win and feel bummed out than to never have won at all? And where was ping-pong invented?
02/01/22·29m 34s
78. Why Do We Put Things Off Until the Very Last Minute?
Also: what does your name say about who you are?
19/12/21·38m 28s
77. How Can You Avoid Boredom?
Also: are we getting any better at assessing COVID risk?
12/12/21·38m 11s
76. Why Can’t Baby Boomers and Millennials Just Get Along?
Also: how do phone cameras affect the way we experience live events?
05/12/21·38m 33s
Why Do We Seek Comfort in the Familiar? (NSQ Ep. 30 Replay)
Also: is a little knowledge truly a dangerous thing?
28/11/21·35m 59s
75. How Do You Deal With Intrusive Thoughts?
Also: how much does confidence really matter?
21/11/21·39m 10s
74. Does Reverse Psychology Really Work?
Also: does knowing your family history affect your identity?
14/11/21·37m 25s
73. Is It Okay to Engage in “Social Loafing”?
Also: why is it so great to be part of a team, even when you lose?
07/11/21·32m 50s
72. If Everyone Hates Meetings, Why Do We Have So Many of Them?
Also: why do so many people feel lost in their 20s?
31/10/21·38m 21s
71. Why Is Pig Milk the One Milk We Don’t Drink?
Also: what’s a food you love that seems disgusting to everyone else?
24/10/21·28m 34s
How Much Do Your Friends Affect Your Future? (NSQ Ep. 31 Replay)
Also: which professions have the happiest people?
17/10/21·37m 19s
70. In a Job Interview, How Much Does Timing Matter?
Also: why is it smart to ignore what your podcast hosts look like?
10/10/21·35m 58s
69. How Can You Convince Someone They’re Wrong?
Also: what’s the best way to handle rejection?
03/10/21·37m 49s
67. How Can You Escape Binary Thinking?
Also: why is it so satisfying to find a bargain?
19/09/21·38m 55s
66. When Is It OK to Tell a Lie?
Also: is obsessing over your mental health bad for your mental health?
12/09/21·36m 56s
Why Do We Forget So Much of What We’ve Read? (Ep. 24 Rebroadcast)
Also: do we overestimate or underestimate our significance in other people’s lives?
05/09/21·34m 42s
65. What’s the Best Advice You’ve Ever Received?
Also: why don’t you need a license to become a parent?
29/08/21·40m 9s
Why Do We Buy Things We Never Use? (Rebroadcast From Ep.22)
Also: why do we hoard? (Rebroadcast From Ep. 28)
22/08/21·32m 37s
64. Are Women Required to Be Nicer Than Men?
Also: should you feel guilty if you don’t read books?
15/08/21·37m 57s
63. How Contagious Is Behavior? With Laurie Santos of “The Happiness Lab.”
Also: life is good — so why aren’t you happy?
08/08/21·39m 12s
60. Why Do We Complain?
Also: what do you really mean when you say you “don’t have time”?
18/07/21·32m 0s
How Can You Stop Comparing Yourself With Other People? (Ep. 13 Rebroadcast)
Also: how can we stop confusing correlation with causation?
04/07/21·34m 38s
57. Which Incentives Are Best at Boosting Vaccination, and Why?
Also: what does your desired superpower say about you?
20/06/21·36m 40s
55. What Changes Will Stick When the Pandemic Is Gone?
Also: would you take a confirmation-bias vaccine?
06/06/21·37m 37s
54. Do You Really Need a Muse to Be Creative?
Also: is shortsightedness part of human nature?
30/05/21·36m 55s
53. What’s the Secret to Making a Great Prediction?
Also: how do you recover from a bad day?
23/05/21·34m 45s
52. How Much Should We Be Able to Customize Our World?
Also: does multitasking actually increase productivity?
16/05/21·38m 56s
51. What Separates Humans From Other Animals?
Also: why do people pace while talking on the phone?
09/05/21·37m 22s
50. Are You as Observant as You Think?
Angela accidentally discovers the secret to a good night’s sleep
02/05/21·34m 35s
49. How Does Facing Death Change Your Life?
Also: why are we so bad at assessing risk?
25/04/21·39m 5s
48. Do Good Deeds Invite More Bad Ones?
Also: what is the most significant choice you will ever make?
18/04/21·38m 45s
45. How Much Better Do You Really Want to Be?
Also: why do we pad our speech with so much filler language?
28/03/21·37m 43s
44. Is Empathy in Fact Immoral?
Also: is it better to “go with the wind” or to “be the wind”?
21/03/21·36m 11s
43. What Do We Really Learn From Failure?
Also: what is teasing supposed to accomplish?
14/03/21·36m 51s
42. How Does When You Are Born Affect Who You Are?
Also: how did Angela do with her no-sugar challenge?
07/03/21·38m 32s
41. Why Are We So Attracted to Fame?
Also: do we subconsciously lie about our major influences?
28/02/21·35m 38s
40. Have We All Lost Our Ability to Compromise?
Also: is it better to be right or “not wrong”?
21/02/21·36m 8s
39. Is Everybody Cheating These Days?
Also, what's better: to learn new skills or go deep on what you're good at?
14/02/21·37m 11s
36. Which Matters More, a First or Last Impression?
Also: does wisdom really come with age?
24/01/21·36m 38s
34. Are Humans Smarter or Stupider Than We Used to Be?
Also: how can you become a more curious person?
10/01/21·35m 39s
How Much of Your Life Do You Actually Control? (Ep. 15 Rebroadcast)
Also: why do we procrastinate?
27/12/20·37m 9s
32. Which Gets You Further: Talent or Effort?
Also: where is the line between acronyms, initialisms, and gibberish?
20/12/20·33m 36s
31. How Much Do Your Friends Affect Your Future?
Also: which professions have the happiest people?
13/12/20·36m 38s
30. Why Do We Seek Comfort in the Familiar?
Also: is a little knowledge truly a dangerous thing?
06/12/20·35m 12s
29. How Do You Know When It’s Time to Quit?
Also: why is it so hard to predict success?
29/11/20·31m 39s
28. Why Do We Hoard?
Also: do you spend more time thinking about the past, the present, or the future?
22/11/20·29m 14s
26. Do Checklists Make People Stupid?
Also: what’s so great about New York City anyway?
08/11/20·34m 17s
25. Is Hedonism Better Than Self-Control?
Also: is it wrong to feel inured to the pandemic?
01/11/20·30m 43s
24. Why Do We Forget So Much of What We’ve Read?
Also: do we overestimate or underestimate our significance in other people’s lives?
25/10/20·33m 53s
21. How Can You Identify Hidden Talent? With Eric Schmidt.
Also: is there a downside to billionaire philanthropy?
04/10/20·35m 3s
19. Is There Such a Thing as Good Estrangement?
Also: how do you know if you have a “bad personality”?
20/09/20·34m 19s
17. How Can We Get More Virtue and Less ‘Virtue Signaling’?
Also: is it better to be a thinker, a doer, or a charmer?
06/09/20·32m 23s
16. What’s the Downside to Being Goal-Oriented?
Also: how does a cook become a chef? With Gabrielle Hamilton.
30/08/20·31m 36s
14. Are You a Maximizer or a Satisficer?
Also: what is the best question you’ve ever been asked in a job interview?
16/08/20·24m 0s
13. How Can You Stop Comparing Yourself With Other People?
Also: how can we stop confusing correlation with causation?
09/08/20·33m 50s
11. Are Ambitious People Inherently Selfish?
Also: why do we habituate to life’s greatest pleasures?
27/07/20·35m 53s
10. Why Are Stories Stickier Than Statistics?
Also: are the most memorable stories less likely to be true?
20/07/20·30m 20s
9. Why Is It So Hard to Be Alone With Our Thoughts?
Also: how do you avoid screwing up your kids?
13/07/20·33m 28s
8. Wouldn’t It Be Better to Hear Your Eulogy Before You’re Dead?
Also: how does a comedian cope with tragedy? With Eugene Mirman.
06/07/20·36m 2s
7. How Do You Handle Criticism?
Also: is it better to send a congratulatory note to someone who deserves it or a condolence note to someone who needs it?
29/06/20·30m 15s
6. Is Incompetence a Form of Dishonesty?
Also: should we all have personal mission statements?
22/06/20·39m 9s
5. What Do Tom Sawyer and the Founder of Duolingo Have in Common?
Also: is there such a thing as too much science? With special guest Luis von Ahn.
15/06/20·29m 21s
2. What is the Optimal Way to Be Angry?
Also: why do we treat pets better than people?
25/05/20·34m 43s
1. Did Covid-19 Kill the Handshake?
Also: why can't humans handle uncertainty already?
18/05/20·37m 31s
Introducing "No Stupid Questions"
Stephen Dubner, the host of Freakonomics Radio, and Angela Duckworth, the psychologist and author of Grit, explore the weird and wonderful ways in which humans behave. In each episode, they take turns asking each other questions, with conversations ranging from friendship and parenting to immortality and whether dogs are better than people. No Stupid Questions premieres May 18th.
24/04/20·2m 15s
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Heart UK