A look at whether spite pays -- and if it even exists. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Aug 14, 2014•39 min
It's awkward, random, confusing -- and probably discriminatory too. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Aug 07, 2014•41 min
A kid's name can tell us something about his parents -- their race, social standing, even their politics. But is your name really your destiny? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Jul 31, 2014•52 min
It’s a hard question to answer, but we do our best. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Jul 24, 2014•29 min•Ep. 176
Educational messaging looks good on paper but kids don’t respond to it -- and adults aren’t much better. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Jul 17, 2014•28 min•Ep. 175
It isn’t easy to separate the guilty from the innocent, but a clever bit of game theory can help. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Jul 10, 2014•33 min•Ep. 174
Takeru Kobayashi revolutionized the sport of competitive eating. What can the rest of us learn from his breakthrough? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Jul 03, 2014•26 min•Ep. 173
Dubner and Levitt answer reader questions in this first installment of the “Think Like a Freak” Book Club. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Jun 26, 2014•26 min•Ep. 172
Is it really in a restaurant’s best interest to give customers free bread or chips before they even order? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Jun 19, 2014•36 min•Ep. 171
Every four years, the U.S. takes a look at the World Cup and develops a slight crush. What would it take to really fall in love? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Jun 12, 2014•37 min•Ep. 170
In which we argue that failure should not only be tolerated but celebrated. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Jun 05, 2014•31 min•Ep. 169
You know the saying: a winner never quits and a quitter never wins. To which Freakonomics Radio says ... Are you sure? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
May 29, 2014•58 min
When it comes to generating ideas and asking questions it can be really fruitful to have the mentality of an eight year old. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
May 22, 2014•28 min•Ep. 168
Why learning to say “I don’t know” is one of the best things you can do. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
May 15, 2014•29 min•Ep. 167
Stephen Dubner and Steve Levitt talk about their new book and field questions about prestige, university life, and (yum yum) bacon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
May 08, 2014•27 min•Ep. 166
If you are driving and kill a pedestrian, there's a good chance you'll barely be punished. Why? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
May 01, 2014•28 min•Ep. 165
When it comes to exercising outrage, people tend to be very selective. Could it be that humans are our least favorite animal? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Apr 24, 2014•29 min•Ep. 164
Imagine that both substances were undiscovered until today. How would we think about their relative risks? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Apr 17, 2014•25 min•Ep. 163
Unlike certain elected officials in Washington, mayors all over the country actually get stuff done. So maybe we should ask them to do more? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Apr 10, 2014•31 min•Ep. 162
The war on cigarettes has been fairly successful in some places. But 1 billion humans still smoke -- so what comes next? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Apr 03, 2014•33 min•Ep. 161
Thinking of Bitcoin as just a digital currency is like thinking about the Internet as just e-mail. Its potential is much more exciting than that. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Mar 27, 2014•35 min•Ep. 160
In many ways, the gender gap is closing. In others, not so much. And that's not always a bad thing. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Mar 20, 2014•37 min
A psychology professor argues that the brain's greatest attribute is knowing what other people are thinking. And that a Queen song, played backwards, can improve your mind-reading skills. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Mar 13, 2014•23 min•Ep. 159
Yes, it expands the mind but we usually don't retain much -- and then there's the opportunity cost. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Mar 06, 2014•21 min•Ep. 158
In most countries, houses get more valuable over time. In Japan, a new buyer will often bulldoze the home. We'll tell you why. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Feb 27, 2014•23 min•Ep. 157
The consequences of our low marriage rate -- and if the old model is less attractive, how about a new one? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Feb 20, 2014•23 min•Ep. 156
The myths of modern marriage. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Feb 13, 2014•20 min•Ep. 155
Thick markets, thin markets, and the triumph of attributes over compatibility. This episode is included in the Freakonomics #smartbinge podcast playlist at wnyc.org/smartbinge Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Feb 06, 2014•36 min•Ep. 154
The "beauty premium" is real, for everyone from babies to NFL quarterbacks. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Jan 30, 2014•25 min•Ep. 153
The benefits of rumor-mongering Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Jan 23, 2014•35 min•Ep. 152