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...
Radio and PodcastLive Radio & PodcastsSociety & Culture
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 suc...
Episodes
20 of 340 episodes93. 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...
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 i...
How Gary Gulman Turned Depression Into Comedy Gold | Better in Person
In this episode of Stephen Dubner’s new TV talk show, Gary and Stephen talk about creativity, recovery, getting fired, and holding grudges....
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 d...
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...
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...
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 ep...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 Angel...
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? An...
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?...
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 w...
79. Why Do We Root for Underdogs?
Also: Angela proposes an upgrade to the show. This episode originally aired on December 26th, 2021.
78. Why Do We Put Things Off Until the Very Last Minute?
Also: what does your name say about who you are? This episode originally aired on December 19th, 2021.
77. How Can You Avoid Boredom?
Also: are we getting any better at assessing COVID risk? This episode originally aired on December 12, 2021.
76. Why Can’t Baby Boomers and Millennials Just Get Along?
Also: how do phone cameras affect the way we experience live events? This episode originally aired on December 5th, 2021.