521. I’m Your Biggest Fan!
It’s fun to obsess over pop stars and racecar drivers — but is fandom making our politics even more toxic?
Nov 03, 2022•44 min•Ep. 521
Freakonomics Radio
Freakonomics co-author Stephen J. Dubner uncovers the hidden side of everything. Why is it safer to fly in an airplane than drive a car? How do we decide whom to marry? Why is the media so full of bad news? Also: things you never knew you wanted to know about wolves, bananas, pollution, search engines, and the quirks of human behavior.
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Episodes
The Unintended Consequences of Working from Home
The last two years have radically changed the way we work — producing winners, losers, and a lot of surprises.
Oct 27, 2022•40 min•Ep. 520
519. Has Globalization Failed?
It was supposed to boost prosperity and democracy at the same time. What really happened? According to the legal scholar Anthea Roberts, it depends which story you believe.
Oct 20, 2022•46 min•Ep. 519
518. Are Personal Finance Gurus Giving You Bad Advice?
One Yale economist certainly thinks so. But even if he’s right, are economists any better?
Oct 13, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep. 518
517. Are M.B.A.s to Blame for Wage Stagnation?
New research finds that bosses who went to business school pay their workers less. So what are M.B.A. programs teaching — and should they stop?
Oct 06, 2022•48 min•Ep. 517
Please Get Your Noise Out of My Ears (Ep. 439 Update)
The pandemic provided city dwellers with a break from the din of the modern world. Now the noise is coming back. What does that mean for our productivity, health, and basic sanity?
Sep 29, 2022•52 min
516. Nuclear Power Isn’t Perfect. Is It Good Enough?
Liberals endorse harm reduction when it comes to the opioid epidemic. Are they ready to take the same approach to climate change?
Sep 22, 2022•54 min•Ep. 516
Extra: Ken Burns | People I (Mostly) Admire
The documentary filmmaker, known for The Civil War , Jazz , and Baseball , turns his attention to the Holocaust, and asks what we can learn from the evils of the past.
Sep 19, 2022•46 min
515. When You Pray to God Online, Who Else Is Listening?
The pandemic moved a lot of religious activity onto the internet. With faith-based apps, Silicon Valley is turning virtual prayers into earthly rewards. Does this mean sharing user data? Dear God, let’s hope not …
Sep 15, 2022•45 min•Ep. 515
This Is Your Brain on Pollution (Ep. 472 Update)
As the Biden administration rushes to address climate change, Stephen Dubner looks at another, hidden cost of air pollution — one that’s affecting how we think.
Sep 08, 2022•48 min
514. Roland Fryer Refuses to Lie to Black America
The controversial Harvard economist, recently back from a suspension, “broke a lot of glass early in my career,” he says. His research on school incentives and police brutality won him acclaim — but also enemies. Now he’s taking a hard look at corporate diversity programs. The common thread in his work? “I refuse to not tell the truth.”
Sep 01, 2022•1 hr•Ep. 514
513. Should Public Transit Be Free?
It boosts economic opportunity and social mobility. It’s good for the environment. So why do we charge people to use it? The short answer: it’s complicated.
Aug 25, 2022•46 min•Ep. 513
Why Is U.S. Media So Negative? (Ep. 477 Replay)
Breaking news! Sources say American journalism exploits our negativity bias to maximize profits, and social media algorithms add fuel to the fire. Stephen Dubner investigates.
Aug 18, 2022•48 min
The Pros and Cons of America’s (Extreme) Individualism (Ep. 470 Replay)
According to a decades-long research project, the U.S. is not only the most individualistic country on earth; we’re also high on indulgence, short-term thinking, and masculinity (but low on “uncertainty avoidance,” if that makes you feel better). We look at how these traits affect our daily lives and why we couldn’t change them even if we wanted to.
Aug 11, 2022•48 min
The U.S. Is Just Different — So Let’s Stop Pretending We’re Not (Ep. 469 Replay)
We often look to other countries for smart policies on education, healthcare, infrastructure, etc. But can a smart policy be simply transplanted into a country as culturally unusual (and as supremely WEIRD) as America?
Aug 04, 2022•52 min
512. Does Philosophy Still Matter?
It used to be at the center of our conversations about politics and society. Scott Hershovitz (author of Nasty, Brutish, and Short ) argues that philosophy still has a lot to say about work, justice, and parenthood. Our latest installment of the Freakonomics Radio Book Club.
Jul 28, 2022•50 min•Ep. 512
511. Why Did You Marry That Person?
Sure, you were “in love.” But economists — using evidence from Bridgerton to Tinder — point to what’s called “assortative mating.” And it has some unpleasant consequences for society.
Jul 21, 2022•46 min•Ep. 511
The Economist’s Guide to Parenting: 10 Years Later (Ep. 479 Replay)
In one of the earliest Freakonomics Radio episodes, we asked a bunch of economists with young kids how they approached child-rearing. Now the kids are old enough to talk — and they have a lot to say. We hear about nature vs. nurture, capitalism vs. Marxism, and why you don’t tell your friends that your father is an economist.
Jul 14, 2022•51 min
510. What Problems Does Crypto Solve, Anyway?
Boosters say blockchain technology will usher in a brave new era of decentralization. Are they right — and would it be a dream or a nightmare? (Part 3 of "What Can Blockchain Do for You?")
Jul 07, 2022•52 min•Ep. 510
509. Are N.F.T.s All Scams?
Some of them are. With others, it’s more complicated (and more promising). We try to get past the Bored Apes and the ripoffs to see if we can find art on the blockchain. (Part 2 of " What Can Blockchain Do for You? ")
Jun 30, 2022•48 min•Ep. 509
508. Does the Crypto Crash Mean the Blockchain Is Over?
No. But now is a good time to sort out the potential from the hype. Whether you’re bullish, bearish, or just confused, we’re here to explain what the blockchain can do for you. (Part 1 of a series .)
Jun 23, 2022•50 min•Ep. 508
507. 103 Pieces of Advice That May or May Not Work
Kevin Kelly calls himself “the most optimistic person in the world.” And he has a lot to say about parenting, travel, A.I., being luckier — and why we should spend way more time on YouTube.
Jun 16, 2022•40 min•Ep. 507
506. What Is Sportswashing (and Does It Work)?
In ancient Rome, it was bread and circuses. Today, it’s a World Cup, an Olympics, and a new Saudi-backed golf league that’s challenging the P.G.A. Tour. Can a sporting event really repair a country’s reputation — or will it trigger the dreaded Streisand Effect?
Jun 09, 2022•50 min•Ep. 506
505. Did Domestic Violence Really Spike During the Pandemic?
When the world went into lockdown, experts predicted a rise in intimate-partner assaults. What actually happened was more complicated.
Jun 02, 2022•51 min•Ep. 505
504. Introducing “Off Leash”
In this new podcast from the Freakonomics Radio Network, dog-cognition expert and bestselling author Alexandra Horowitz ( Inside of a Dog ) takes us inside the scruffy, curious, joyful world of dogs. This is the first episode of Off Leash ; you can find more episodes in your podcast app now.
May 26, 2022•39 min•Ep. 504
503. What Is the Future of College — and Does It Have Room for Men?
Educators and economists tell us all the reasons college enrollment has been dropping, especially for men, and how to stop the bleeding. (Part 4 of “ Freakonomics Radio Goes Back to School.”)
May 19, 2022•48 min•Ep. 503
Abortion and Crime, Revisited (Ep. 384 Update)
As the Supreme Court considers overturning Roe v. Wade , we look back at Steve Levitt’s controversial research on an unintended consequence of the 1973 ruling.
May 12, 2022•58 min
502. “I Don’t Think the Country Is Turning Away From College.”
Enrollment is down for the first time in memory, and critics complain college is too expensive, too elitist, and too politicized. The economist Chris Paxson — who happens to be the president of Brown University — does not agree. (Part 3 of “ Freakonomics Radio Goes Back to School.”)
May 05, 2022•44 min•Ep. 502
501. The University of Impossible-to-Get-Into
America’s top colleges are facing record demand. So why don’t they increase supply? (Part 2 of “ Freakonomics Radio Goes Back to School.”)
Apr 28, 2022•59 min•Ep. 501
500. What Exactly Is College For?
We think of them as intellectual enclaves and the surest route to a better life. But U.S. colleges also operate like firms, trying to differentiate their products to win market share and prestige points. In the first episode of a special series, we ask what our chaotic system gets right — and wrong. (Part 1 of “ Freakonomics Radio Goes Back to School.”)
Apr 21, 2022•46 min•Ep. 500
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