160. How Do You Like Me Now?
Why would a successful person feel the need to stick it to the little guy? Is Angela a name-dropper? And why do rappers grab their crotches?
Aug 27, 2023•40 min•Ep. 160
No Stupid Questions
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.
Episodes
159. How Much Personal Space Do You Need?
How do you deal with a close talker? Is Angela drinking too much water? And why can’t Mike keep his phone out of his bedroom?
Aug 20, 2023•34 min•Ep. 159
158. Bigger Fish, or Bigger Pond?
Is it better to be the best player on the worst team or the worst player on the best team? How did Angela cope with her extremely impressive freshman dorm mates? And why won’t Shaquille O'Neal let Charles Barkley have an onion ring?
Aug 13, 2023•29 min•Ep. 158
157. How Can You Get Closer to the People You Care About?
How well do you know the people in your life, really? Are you stuck having surface-level conversations? And should we all be in couples therapy?
Aug 06, 2023•39 min•Ep. 157
156. How Do You Connect With Someone You Just Met?
How vulnerable should you get with your coworkers? What’s the benefit of telling strangers about your relationship with your mother? And why did Mike’s childhood home burn down — twice?
Jul 30, 2023•41 min•Ep. 156
155. How Do You Deal With Big Life Changes?
What’s more stressful, divorce or jail? Are you in the middle of a “lifequake”? And should we all be taking notes from Martha Stewart?
Jul 23, 2023•44 min•Ep. 155
154. Why Is There So Much Social Pressure Around Alcohol?
Why do people drink? Why do people not drink? And why specifically do Angela and Mike not drink?
Jul 16, 2023•30 min•Ep. 154
153. Should You Spend More Time in Nature?
Is a walk through the city as good as a walk through the woods? Who’s most likely to die while taking a selfie? And how does Angela protect herself from the beer cans falling onto her deck?
Jul 09, 2023•32 min•Ep. 153
152. What’s the Worst Kind of Regret?
Is it worse to regret something you’ve done, or something you haven’t done? What’s the upside of rejection? And which great American short-story writer convinced Angela to quit driving?
Jul 02, 2023•33 min•Ep. 152
151. Is It Okay to Be Average?
Must one always strive for excellence? Is perfectionism a good thing? And can Mike have two bad days in a row?
Jun 25, 2023•46 min•Ep. 151
150. Why Do People Get Scammed?
What makes a con succeed? Does snake oil actually work? And just how gullible is Angela?
Jun 18, 2023•38 min•Ep. 150
149. Is It Harder to Make Friends as an Adult?
How do friendships change as we get older? Should you join a bowling league? And is Angela more important to Mike than Mike is to Angela?
Jun 11, 2023•40 min•Ep. 149
Do You Savor or Gobble? (Ep. 91 Replay)
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?
Jun 04, 2023•40 min
148. What Is Fun, Exactly?
Why does time fly when you’re having fun? How do you teach rats to play hide and seek? And what does all this have to do with Anne Boleyn?
May 28, 2023•35 min•Ep. 148
147. Is Nudging Enough?
Is it enough to toss a soda can in the recycling? Why is Maria obsessed with Nobel Prize lectures? And wait — is that a news alert or a tiger?
May 21, 2023•40 min•Ep. 147
146. How Do You Avoid Freezing Under Pressure?
Should you visualize success or failure? How do you bounce back from a mistake? And will Maria hustle Angela into a poker game?
May 14, 2023•39 min•Ep. 146
145. Do You Have a Scarcity Mindset or an Abundance Mindset?
Are highly effective people quicker to share credit? What does poverty do to your brain? And how did Stephen's mother teach him about opportunity costs? Plus: an announcement about the future of the show.
May 07, 2023•49 min•Ep. 145
144. What Should Be the Eighth Deadly Sin?
We asked you to nominate the worst sins of the modern age. Which one do Stephen and Angela think belongs on the list? And which does Angie struggle with the most?
Apr 30, 2023•44 min•Ep. 144
143. How Sinful Are "No Stupid Questions" Listeners?
What does the Seven Deadly Sins survey tell us about the people who listen to this podcast? Are we more afflicted by sloth or by lust? And what does Angela mutter under her breath? Take the Seven Deadly Sins survey: freakonomics.com/nsq-sins/
Apr 23, 2023•42 min•Ep. 143
142. Is Pride the Worst Sin?
Is pride an emotion? Where’s the line between self-esteem and hubris? And what does Stephen have against peacocks? Take the Seven Deadly Sins survey: freakonomics.com/nsq-sins/
Apr 16, 2023•44 min•Ep. 142
141. Is Greed Good?
Who’s greedier — gamblers or casinos? What’s the difference between betting on sports and entering a charity raffle? And does Angela know the name of her city’s football team? Take the Seven Deadly Sins survey: freakonomics.com/nsq-sins/
Apr 09, 2023•43 min•Ep. 141
140. Is Envy Healthy?
What does social media do to our self-esteem? How is envy affecting our politics? And should you go to your high school reunion? Take the Seven Deadly Sins survey: freakonomics.com/nsq-sins/
Apr 02, 2023•41 min•Ep. 140
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/
Mar 26, 2023•41 min•Ep. 139
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/
Mar 19, 2023•30 min•Ep. 138
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/
Mar 12, 2023•37 min•Ep. 137
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/
Mar 05, 2023•39 min•Ep. 136
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?
Feb 26, 2023•33 min•Ep. 135
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?
Feb 19, 2023•36 min•Ep. 134
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?
Feb 12, 2023•32 min
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?
Feb 05, 2023•38 min•Ep. 133