28. Why Do We Hoard?
Also: do you spend more time thinking about the past, the present, or the future? This episode originally aired on November 22, 2020.
Jun 29, 2025•29 min•Ep. 28
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
27. How Should You Ask for Forgiveness?
Also: why is behavior change so darn hard? This episode originally aired on November 15, 2020.
Jun 22, 2025•38 min•Ep. 27
26. Do Checklists Make People Stupid?
Also: what’s so great about New York City anyway? This episode originally aired on November 8, 2020.
Jun 15, 2025•34 min•Ep. 26
25. Is Hedonism Better Than Self-Control?
Also: is it wrong to feel inured to the pandemic? This episode originally aired on November 1, 2020.
Jun 08, 2025•31 min•Ep. 25
24. Why Do We Forget So Much of What We’ve Read?
Also: do we overestimate or underestimate our significance in other people’s lives? This episode originally aired on October 25, 2020.
Jun 01, 2025•34 min•Ep. 24
23. Is It Wrong to Crave Praise?
Also: should everyone have their own trauma score? This episode originally aired on October 18, 2020.
May 25, 2025•39 min•Ep. 23
22. Why Do We Buy Things We’ll Never Use?
Also: how is social media like a knife? This episode originally aired on October 11, 2020.
May 18, 2025•32 min•Ep. 22
21. How Can You Identify Hidden Talent? With Eric Schmidt.
Also: is there a downside to billionaire philanthropy? This episode originally aired on October 4, 2020.
May 11, 2025•35 min•Ep. 21
Presenting “Smart Girl Dumb Questions”
Nayeema Raza describes her podcast as “a curiosity party.” In this episode of Smart Girl Dumb Questions , she asks chef and food writer J. Kenji López-Alt whether cooking is an art or a science — and whether brunch is a scam.
May 07, 2025•48 min
20. Should We Separate the Art From the Artist?
Also: what is the meaning of life? This episode originally aired on September 27, 2020.
May 04, 2025•33 min•Ep. 20
19. Is There Such a Thing as Good Estrangement?
Also: how do you know if you have a “bad personality”? This episode originally aired on September 20, 2020.
Apr 27, 2025•35 min•Ep. 19
18. How Do You Raise a “Likable” Kid?
Also: what’s so great about friendship? This episode originally aired on September 13, 2020.
Apr 20, 2025•30 min•Ep. 18
17. How Can We Get More Virtue and Less ‘Virtue Signaling’?
Also: is it better to be a thinker, a doer, or a charmer? This episode originally aired on September 6, 2020.
Apr 13, 2025•33 min•Ep. 17
16. What’s the Downside to Being Goal-Oriented?
Also: how does a cook become a chef? With Gabrielle Hamilton. This episode originally aired on August 30, 2020.
Apr 06, 2025•32 min•Ep. 16
15. How Much of Your Life Do You Actually Control?
Also: why do we procrastinate? This episode originally aired on August 23, 2020.
Mar 30, 2025•37 min•Ep. 15
14. Are You a Maximizer or a Satisficer?
Also: what is the best question you’ve ever been asked in a job interview? This episode originally aired on August 16, 2020.
Mar 23, 2025•24 min•Ep. 14
13. How Can You Stop Comparing Yourself With Other People?
Also: how can we stop confusing correlation with causation? This episode originally aired on August 9, 2020.
Mar 16, 2025•34 min•Ep. 13
12. Does “As If” Thinking Really Work?
Also: how effective is the placebo effect? This episode originally aired on August 2, 2020.
Mar 09, 2025•33 min•Ep. 12
11. Are Ambitious People Inherently Selfish?
Also: why do we habituate to life’s greatest pleasures? This episode originally aired on July 26, 2020.
Mar 02, 2025•36 min•Ep. 11
10. Why Are Stories Stickier Than Statistics?
Also: are the most memorable stories less likely to be true? This episode originally aired on July 19, 2020.
Feb 23, 2025•30 min•Ep. 10
9. Why Is It So Hard to Be Alone With Our Thoughts?
Also: how do you avoid screwing up your kids? This episode originally aired on July 12, 2020.
Feb 16, 2025•34 min•Ep. 9
8. Wouldn’t It Be Better to Hear Your Eulogy Before You’re Dead?
Also: how does a comedian cope with tragedy? With Eugene Mirman. This episode originally aired on July 5, 2020.
Feb 09, 2025•37 min•Ep. 8
7. How Do You Handle Criticism?
Also: is it better to send a congratulatory note to someone who deserves it or a condolence note to someone who needs it? This episode originally aired on June 28, 2020.
Feb 02, 2025•30 min•Ep. 7
6. Is Incompetence a Form of Dishonesty?
Also: should we all have personal mission statements? This episode originally aired on June 21, 2020.
Jan 26, 2025•39 min•Ep. 6
5. What Do Tom Sawyer and the Founder of Duolingo Have in Common?
Also: is there such a thing as too much science? Plus, our special guest, Luis von Ahn, an inventor of CAPTCHA and a pioneer of free online language learning. This episode originally aired on June 14, 2020.
Jan 19, 2025•30 min•Ep. 5
4. Does All Creativity Come From Pain?
Also: is life precious because it’s finite? This episode originally aired on June 7, 2020.
Jan 12, 2025•32 min•Ep. 4
3. What Does It Mean to Be a “Hard Worker”?
Also: how does age affect happiness? This episode originally aired on May 31, 2020.
Jan 05, 2025•27 min•Ep. 3
2. What is the Optimal Way to Be Angry?
Also: why do we treat pets better than people? This episode originally aired on May 24, 2020.
Dec 29, 2024•35 min•Ep. 2
1. Did Covid-19 Kill the Handshake?
Also: why can't humans handle uncertainty already? We’re replaying No Stupid Questions, starting here with the very first episode, from May 17, 2020.
Dec 22, 2024•39 min•Ep. 1
223. What About All the Questions We Haven’t Answered?
How can you learn to love uncertainty? Is it better to cultivate acceptance or strive for change? And, after 223 episodes, what is the meaning of life? SOURCES: Jessica Alquist , professor of psychology at Texas Tech University. Roy Baumeister , professor of psychology at The University of Queensland. Raymond Carver , 20th-century American short story writer and poet. Stephen Colbert , comedian and late-night TV host. Matt Damon , actor and film producer. Viktor Frankl , 20th-century Austrian ne...
Dec 15, 2024•44 min•Ep. 223
For the best experience, listen in Metacast app for iOS or Android
Open in Metacast