No Stupid Questions - podcast cover

No Stupid Questions

Freakonomics Radio + Stitcherfreakonomics.com
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. To get every show in the Freakonomics Radio Network without ads and a monthly bonus episode of Freakonomics Radio, start a free trial for SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.
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Episodes

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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jun 07, 202638 minEp. 78

77. How Can You Avoid Boredom?

Also: are we getting any better at assessing COVID risk? This episode originally aired on December 12, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 31, 202638 minEp. 77

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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 24, 202638 minEp. 76

75. How Do You Deal With Intrusive Thoughts?

Also: how much does confidence really matter? This episode originally aired on November 21st, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 17, 202639 minEp. 75

74. Does Reverse Psychology Really Work?

Also: does knowing your family history affect your identity? This episode originally aired on November 14th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 10, 202637 minEp. 74

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? This episode originally aired on November 7th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 03, 202632 minEp. 73

72. If Everyone Hates Meetings, Why Do We Have So Many of Them?

Also: why do so many people feel lost in their 20s? This episode originally aired on October 31st, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Apr 26, 202638 minEp. 72

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? This episode originally aired on October 24th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Apr 19, 202628 minEp. 71

70. In a Job Interview, How Much Does Timing Matter?

Also: why is it smart to ignore what your podcast hosts look like? This episode originally aired on October 10th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Apr 12, 202636 minEp. 70

69. How Can You Convince Someone They’re Wrong?

Hosts Angela Duckworth and Stephen Dubner delve into the complexities of human persuasion and emotional resilience. They discuss Blaise Pascal's advice on convincing others by acknowledging their viewpoints and the 'illusion of explanatory depth' that prevents humility. The conversation then shifts to the deeply personal nature of rejection, exploring rejection sensitivity, Stoic philosophies on interpretation, and practical strategies for rejecting others kindly while minimizing the emotional blow.

Apr 05, 202637 minEp. 69

68. Why Do We Want What We Can’t Have?

Also: why are humans still so tribal? This episode originally aired on September 26th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 29, 202636 minEp. 68

67. How Can You Escape Binary Thinking?

Also: why is it so satisfying to find a bargain? This episode originally aired on September 19th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 22, 202639 minEp. 67

65. What’s the Best Advice You’ve Ever Received?

Also: why don’t you need a license to become a parent? This episode originally aired on August 29th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 15, 202640 minEp. 65

64. Are Women Required to Be Nicer Than Men?

Also: should you feel guilty if you don’t read books? This episode originally aired on August 15th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 08, 202638 minEp. 64

63. How Contagious Is Behavior? With Laurie Santos of “The Happiness Lab.” (Replay)

Why do we mirror other people’s accents? Does DJ Khaled get tired of winning? And also: life is good — so why aren’t you happy? This episode originally aired on August 8th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 01, 202636 minEp. 63

62. How Can You Escape a Drama Triangle?

Stephen and Angela discuss the "drama triangle," a social dynamic involving a victim, persecutor, and rescuer, offering strategies to avoid or resolve such conflicts. They also explore the contentious topic of awards, from participation trophies to Nobel Prizes, analyzing whether external recognition truly motivates or if it diminishes intrinsic drive, drawing on psychological research and personal anecdotes.

Feb 22, 202640 minEp. 62

61. Should We Just Ignore Our Weaknesses?

Angela Duckworth and Stephen Dubner tackle the fundamental question of whether to invest in strengths or remediate weaknesses, drawing on psychological theories like positive psychology and expertise research. They also investigate the mystery of evolving preferences, using the example of smooth jazz, and discuss the "mere exposure effect" and how social and cognitive factors shape what we like and dislike, emphasizing the importance of understanding and embracing diverse tastes.

Feb 15, 202634 minEp. 61

60. Why Do We Complain?

Also: what do you really mean when you say you “don’t have time”? This episode originally aired on July 18th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 08, 202632 minEp. 60

59. Do Dreams Actually Mean Anything?

Also: why is music so memorable? This episode originally aired on July 11th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 01, 202639 minEp. 59

58. What’s So Gratifying About Gossip?

Also: why do people hate small talk? This episode originally aired on June 27th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jan 25, 202637 minEp. 58

57. Which Incentives Are Best at Boosting Vaccination, and Why?

Also: what does your desired superpower say about you? This episode originally aired on June 20th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jan 18, 202636 minEp. 57

56. Why Is Academic Writing So Bad?

Also: what does your perfect day look like? This episode originally aired on June 13th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jan 11, 202639 minEp. 56

55. What Changes Will Stick When the Pandemic Is Gone?

Also: would you take a confirmation-bias vaccine? This episode originally aired on June 6th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jan 04, 202638 minEp. 55

54. Do You Really Need a Muse to Be Creative?

Also: is shortsightedness part of human nature? This episode originally aired on May 30th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dec 28, 202537 minEp. 54

53. What’s the Secret to Making a Great Prediction?

Also: how do you recover from a bad day? This episode originally aired on May 23rd, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dec 21, 202535 minEp. 53

52. How Much Should We Be Able to Customize Our World?

Also: does multitasking actually increase productivity? This episode originally aired on May 16th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dec 14, 202539 minEp. 52

51. What Separates Humans From Other Animals?

Also: why do people pace while talking on the phone? This episode originally aired May 9th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dec 07, 202537 minEp. 51

50. Are You as Observant as You Think?

Also: Angela accidentally discovers the secret to a good night’s sleep. This episode originally aired on May 2, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nov 30, 202535 minEp. 50

49. How Does Facing Death Change Your Life?

Stephen recounts his near-fatal car accident and subsequent lack of a life-changing epiphany, prompting Angela to explain post-traumatic growth and common reactions to brushes with death. They contrast this with Angela's own harrowing hiking experience and delve into why humans are often bad at assessing risk, particularly when balancing low-probability, high-impact events against common, higher-probability dangers like traffic accidents and pollution, exploring implications for personal choices and public policy.

Nov 23, 202539 minEp. 49

48. Do Good Deeds Invite More Bad Ones?

Also: what is the most significant choice you will ever make? This episode originally aired on April 18, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Nov 16, 202534 minEp. 48
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