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Episode No.
Date
Length
No. 220

Is Your Attention Span Shrinking?

Does a surplus of information create a shortage of attention? Are today’s young people really unable to focus? And do goldfish need better PR?

11/16/24
37:11
No. 219

How Do You Identify a Narcissist?

What’s the difference between narcissism and high self-esteem? Does social media fuel arrogance or self-consciousness? And do people get less toxic with age?

11/9/24
40:48
EXTRA

How Can You Give Better Gifts? (Replay)

How many bottles of wine are regifted? What’s wrong with giving cash? And should Angela give her husband a subscription to the Sausage of the Month Club?

11/7/24
38:06
No. 218

Why Do Parents Overshare on Social Media?

How does social media exploit our evolutionary instincts? How dangerous is it to post about your children online? And does Angela regret talking about her daughters on the podcast?

11/2/24
34:48
No. 217

What Happens When You Put on a Costume?

Would you steal Halloween candy? Should people be required to identify themselves online? And why did Angela go trick-or-treating in a trash bag?

10/26/24
46:36
No. 216

Why Do We Make Excuses?

Is it better to explain a mistake or just accept responsibility? What’s the difference between an excuse and a justification? And why is it important to remember that you’re not a pizzeria on the Jersey Shore?

10/19/24
43:30
No. 215

Is It Okay to Do the Right Thing for the Wrong Reason?

What’s wrong with donating to charity for the tax write-off? Should we think less of people who do volunteer work to pad their resumes? And why is Angela stopping women in public parks to compliment them?

10/12/24
35:02
No. 214

What Does It Take to Survive a Scandal?

How do you come back from being “canceled”? Are we more likely to forgive someone if they cry? And what makes a successful public apology?

10/5/24
38:09
EXTRA

Why Do People Love Horror Movies? (Replay)

When are negative emotions enjoyable? Are we all a little masochistic? And do pigs like hot sauce?

10/3/24
33:10
No. 213

What Is Evil?

What makes normal people do terrible things? Are there really bad apples — or just bad barrels? And how should you deal with a nefarious next-door neighbor?

9/28/24
38:58
No. 212

When Do You Become an Adult?

Who decided that we’re fully mature at 18? Should 16-year-olds have the right to vote? And why are young people bringing their parents to job interviews?

9/21/24
38:56
No. 211

Why Do We Listen to Sad Songs?

What are Mike and Angela’s favorite songs to cry to? Can upbeat music lift you out of a bad mood? And what is Angela going to sing the next time she does karaoke?

9/14/24
36:44
No. 210

What Makes a Good Sense of Humor?

What is the evolutionary purpose of laughter? What’s the difference between Swedish depression and American depression? And why aren’t aliens interested in abducting Mike?

9/7/24
38:14
EXTRA

Why Are Stories Stickier Than Statistics? (Replay)

Also: are the most memorable stories less likely to be true? Stephen Dubner chats with Angela Duckworth in this classic episode from July 2020.

9/5/24
31:10
No. 209

Why Do We Settle?

Why does the U.S. use Fahrenheit when Celsius is better? Would you quit your job if a coin flip told you to? And how do you get an entire country to drive on the other side of the road?

8/31/24
35:12
No. 208

Can A.I. Companions Replace Human Connection?

What happens when machines become funnier, kinder, and more empathetic than humans? Do robot therapists save lives? And should Angela credit her virtual assistant as a co-author of her book?

8/24/24
35:31
No. 207

How Clearly Do You See Yourself?

Do you see yourself the same way others see you? What’s the difference between self-perception and self-awareness? And why do Mike and Angela both hate fishing?

8/17/24
36:23
No. 150

Why Do People Get Scammed? (Replay)

What makes a con succeed? Does snake oil actually work? And just how gullible is Angela?

8/10/24
35:23
No. 206

When Is It Time to Step Aside?

Should government jobs have mandatory retirement ages? Is it foolish to care about your legacy? And why did Jason always call Angela’s father “Dr. Lee”?

8/3/24
44:37
No. 205

Where Do Values Come From?

Do you get your principles from your parents — or in spite of them? Is there anything wrong with valuing conformity? And why doesn’t McDonald’s sell salads?

7/27/24
46:58
No. 204

What Happens When You’re Cut Off From All Human Contact?

How is the brain affected by solitary confinement? How would you deal with being stranded on a deserted island? And do baby monkeys make the best therapists?

7/20/24
44:12
No. 203

Do You Need a Hug?

Do humans need touch to survive? Do any of us get enough touch throughout our lives? And why doesn’t Angela want to hug anyone for eight seconds?

7/13/24
43:20
No. 161

How Effective Are Ultimatums? (Replay)

How final is a final offer, really? Does anonymity turn nice people into jerks? And should you tell your crush that you dreamed about marrying them?

7/6/24
41:45
No. 202

Why Can’t We Tolerate Discomfort?

Are we using technology to make ourselves numb? What’s the downside of air conditioning? And was Angela the most annoying person in her college classes?

6/29/24
44:45
No. 201

Are You Dreaming Too Big?

Are fantasies helpful or harmful? How is daydreaming like a drug? And what did Angela fantasize about during ninth-grade English class?

6/22/24
46:46
No. 200

What’s the Difference Between Empathy and Sympathy?

Can you ever really know how another person feels? What’s the best way to support a grieving person? And why doesn’t Hallmark sell empathy cards?

6/15/24
45:52
No. 199

What Makes a Good Gathering?

Why do so many book clubs fall apart? Do the best parties have rules? And does Angela’s husband want to date you?

6/8/24
42:42
No. 198

What Does It Mean to Be “Cool”?

What’s the difference between being popular and being cool? How has social media changed the trend cycle? And what do Taylor Swift and Walmart have in common?

6/1/24
46:17
No. 197

Is It Wrong to Lie to Children?

Why do we tell kids that a fairy will give them cash in exchange for their teeth? How should we talk to them about scary things in the world? And is Mike one of the greatest operatic tenors of all time?

5/25/24
42:49
No. 196

What’s Wrong With Being a Little Neurotic?

Is there any upside to negative emotions? What can comedians teach us about dealing with pain? And why did Angela eat off of a stranger’s plate at a sushi bar?

5/18/24
42:43
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