Also: would you take a confirmation-bias vaccine?…
In this interview, first heard on Freakonomics Radio last year, Steve talks with the former top adviser to presidents Clinton and Obama, about his record — and his reputation. And…
Also: is obsessing over your mental health bad for your mental health?…
Also: What’s the best way to handle rejection?…
Also: Is short-sightedness part of human nature?…
We all know the answer is yes. But the data — and Rudy Giuliani — say no.
…two rivals have more in common than we’d like to admit. It’s just that most American corruption is essentially legal. (This is part of the Freakonomics Radio American Culture series)….
Also: What’s a food you love that seems disgusting to everyone else?…
Do you think public bathrooms are too small, smartphones are too big, and public transit just wasn’t made for you? Then you’re probably a woman. In her book Invisible Women:…
Why are great accomplishments often followed by disappointment? Is it better to win and feel bummed out than to never have won at all? And where was ping-pong invented?…
Why do so many Americans say they’re satisfied with their own lives but upset about the way the country is going? Why don’t other countries experience the same gap? And…
Gene-editing pioneer Jennifer Doudna worries that humanity might not be ready for the technology she helped develop….
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?…
The political scientist Yuen Yuen Ang argues that different forms of government create different styles of corruption. The U.S. and China have more in common than we’d like to admit…
Can denial be a healthy way of dealing with the death of a loved one? What do the five stages of grief misrepresent about mourning? And why does Angie cover…
Why are women unhappier than men? What can we do to move the needle? And is it better to be happy or to be good?…
David Keith has spent his career studying ways to reflect sunlight away from the earth. It could reduce the risks of climate change — but it won’t save us.
How do kids learn about money? What’s the big problem with education? And who made Raiders of the Lost Ark?…
Is it O.K. to bother people for a good cause? Why do people donate to charity in the first place? And do those personalized address labels actually make people get…
What is the purpose of negative emotions? Why do we engage with things we know will upset us? And how does Angie deal with rejection?
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…
Why do some activities tire your brain more than others? How exhausting is poverty? And could most of the world’s problems be solved with a sandwich?…
The banana, once a luxury good, rose to become America’s favorite fruit. Now a deadly fungus threatens to wipe it out. Can it be saved?
Can a little dishonesty be a good thing? How many fibs does Angela tell every day? And why does Stephen have a forehead?…
How does America’s cutest sales force get billions of Thin Mints, Samoas, and Tagalongs into our hands every year? Zachary Crockett finds out in the second episode of our newest…
How does America’s cutest sales force get billions of Thin Mints, Samoas, and Tagalongs into our hands every year? Zachary Crockett digs in….
…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/…
Should you visualize success or failure? How do you bounce back from a mistake? And will Maria hustle Angela into a poker game?…
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?
