33. Is Optimism a Luxury Good?

FromNo Stupid Questions

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33. Is Optimism a Luxury Good?

FromNo Stupid Questions

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Length:

39 minutes

Released:

Jan 3, 2021

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

Also: why is public speaking so terrifying?

Released:

Jan 3, 2021

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

Stephen Dubner (co-author of the Freakonomics book series) and research psychologist Angela Duckworth (author of Grit) really like to ask people questions, and came to believe there’s no such thing as a stupid one. So they made 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.

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Introducing "No Stupid Questions": Stephen Dubner, the host of Freakonomics Radio, and Angela Duckworth, the psychologist and author of Grit, explore the weird and wonderful ways in which humans behave. In each episode, they take turns asking each other questions, with conversations ranging from friendship and parenting to immortality and whether dogs are better than people. No Stupid Questions premieres May 18th. by No Stupid Questions
2 min listen
18. How Do You Raise a “Likable” Kid?: Also: what’s so great about friendship? by No Stupid Questions
30 min listen
12. Does “As If” Thinking Really Work?: Also: how effective is the placebo effect? by No Stupid Questions
33 min listen
3. What Does It Mean to Be a “Hard Worker”?: Also: how does age affect happiness? by No Stupid Questions
27 min listen
1. Did Covid-19 Kill the Handshake?: Also: why can't humans handle uncertainty already? by No Stupid Questions
38 min listen
6. Is Incompetence a Form of Dishonesty?: Also: should we all have personal mission statements? by No Stupid Questions
39 min listen
14. Are You a Maximizer or a Satisficer?: Also: what is the best question you’ve ever been asked in a job interview? by No Stupid Questions
24 min listen
23. Is It Wrong to Crave Praise?: Also: should everyone have their own trauma score? by No Stupid Questions
39 min listen
2. What is the Optimal Way to Be Angry?: Also: why do we treat pets better than people? by No Stupid Questions
35 min listen
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? by No Stupid Questions
30 min listen
11. Are Ambitious People Inherently Selfish?: Also: why do we habituate to life’s greatest pleasures? by No Stupid Questions
36 min listen
16. What’s the Downside to Being Goal-Oriented?: Also: how does a cook become a chef? With Gabrielle Hamilton. by No Stupid Questions
32 min listen
4. Does All Creativity Come From Pain?: Also: is life precious because it’s finite? by No Stupid Questions
32 min listen
28. Why Do We Hoard?: Also: do you spend more time thinking about the past, the present, or the future? by No Stupid Questions
29 min listen
5. What Do Tom Sawyer and the Founder of Duolingo Have in Common?: Also: is there such a thing as too much science? With special guest Luis von Ahn. by No Stupid Questions
29 min listen
21. How Can You Identify Hidden Talent? With Eric Schmidt.: Also: is there a downside to billionaire philanthropy? by No Stupid Questions
35 min listen
10. Why Are Stories Stickier Than Statistics?: Also: are the most memorable stories less likely to be true? by No Stupid Questions
30 min listen
25. Is Hedonism Better Than Self-Control?: Also: is it wrong to feel inured to the pandemic? by No Stupid Questions
31 min listen
17. How Can We Get More Virtue and Less ‘Virtue Signaling’?: Also: is it better to be a thinker, a doer, or a charmer? by No Stupid Questions
32 min listen
26. Do Checklists Make People Stupid?: Also: what’s so great about New York City anyway? by No Stupid Questions
34 min listen
27. How Should You Ask for Forgiveness?: Also: why is behavior change so darn hard? by No Stupid Questions
38 min listen
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. by No Stupid Questions
36 min listen
35. Does Psychotherapy Actually Work?: Also: how many “selves” is it OK to have? by No Stupid Questions
33 min listen
13. How Can You Stop Comparing Yourself With Other People?: Also: how can we stop confusing correlation with causation? by No Stupid Questions
34 min listen
33. Is Optimism a Luxury Good?: Also: why is public speaking so terrifying? by No Stupid Questions
39 min listen
19. Is There Such a Thing as Good Estrangement?: Also: how do you know if you have a “bad personality”? by No Stupid Questions
34 min listen
15. How Much of Your Life Do You Actually Control?: Also: why do we procrastinate? by No Stupid Questions
36 min listen
9. Why Is It So Hard to Be Alone With Our Thoughts?: Also: how do you avoid screwing up your kids? by No Stupid Questions
33 min listen
How Much of Your Life Do You Actually Control? (Ep. 15 Rebroadcast): Also: why do we procrastinate? by No Stupid Questions
37 min listen
22. Why Do We Buy Things We’ll Never Use?: Also: how is social media like a knife? by No Stupid Questions
31 min listen

More Episodes from No Stupid Questions

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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? by No Stupid Questions
39 min listen
195. Can You Be Too Nice?: Where is the line between a good guy and a doormat? Do people with sharp elbows make more money? And why did Angela’s mother give away her birthday present? Take the Big Five inventory: freakonomics.com/bigfive by No Stupid Questions
39 min listen
194. Is It Okay to Be an Introvert?: What’s the difference between being introverted and being shy? What are extroverts so cheerful about? And does Angela’s social battery ever run out? Take the Big Five inventory: freakonomics.com/bigfive by No Stupid Questions
36 min listen
193. Are You as Conscientious as You Think You Are?: Is it really that important to make your bed? What’s the benefit of hiring a lazy person? And how many cups of spinach can Mike fit in a red Solo cup? Take the Big Five inventory: freakonomics.com/bigfive by No Stupid Questions
39 min listen
192. Should You Get Out of Your Comfort Zone?: What do the most creative people have in common? How open-minded are you, really? And what’s wrong with ordering eggs Benedict? Take the Big Five inventory: freakonomics.com/bigfive by No Stupid Questions
40 min listen
191. Can You Change Your Personality?: Are you the same person you were a decade ago? Do we get better as we age? And is your sixth-grade class clown still funny? by No Stupid Questions
39 min listen
190. What’s the Point of Nostalgia?: Is it dangerous to live in the past? Why is Disney remaking all of its classic movies? And why does Angela get sentimental over a cup of soup and a free roll? by No Stupid Questions
35 min listen
189. When Should You Trust Your Gut?: Does instinct trump expertise? Can playing poker improve your intuition? And why did Angela jump off of a moving trolley car? by No Stupid Questions
40 min listen
188. Why Do Kids Today Get So Many A’s?: Is grade inflation on the rise? How much does your G.P.A. matter in the long run? And when did M.I.T., of all places, become “the cool university”? by No Stupid Questions
42 min listen
187. Is Fear Running Your Life?: How can you summon courage when you’re terrified? Is hiking more dangerous than skiing? And what is the stupidest thing that Mike has ever done? by No Stupid Questions
39 min listen
186. Do You Need a Routine?: Would you be more adventurous if you had more structure? Do you multitask while brushing your teeth? And what would Mike’s perfect brother Peter do? by No Stupid Questions
39 min listen
185. Do You Need Closure?: What’s the best way to carry out random acts of kindness? What’s wrong with making an “Irish exit”? And why is Mike secretly buying lottery tickets? by No Stupid Questions
38 min listen
184. Are You Doing Too Much?: How can you strive for excellence without overworking yourself? Why is perfectionism on the rise? And is Angela part of the problem? by No Stupid Questions
41 min listen
183. Does Free Will Exist, and Does It Matter?: Does anyone have any real agency? What do McDonald’s and Oxford University have in common? And why did Angela give up on philosophy? by No Stupid Questions
41 min listen
182. Is It Good or Bad to Keep Secrets?: Should you shout your sins from the rooftops? How many skeletons are in the average person’s closet? And what has Angela been hiding? by No Stupid Questions
40 min listen
181. What’s So Great About Meritocracy?: Do you really deserve the credit for your accomplishments? Should college admissions be determined by lottery? And how did Mike’s contribution to a charity auction change his life? by No Stupid Questions
34 min listen
180. What Makes Some Objects Feel Special?: Where does sentimental value come from? Why did Angela throw out her childhood journals? And would Mike wear Hitler’s sweater? by No Stupid Questions
38 min listen
179. Can You Really “Manifest” Success Through Positive Visualization?: Is there any scientific basis for the law of attraction? Are people who believe in “cosmic collaboration” more successful? And what happens when you write yourself a check for $10 million? by No Stupid Questions
36 min listen
178. Do Kids Need More Independence?: Are modern parents too protective? Why do we worry so much about things that almost never happen? And how did Mike learn about bus stops? by No Stupid Questions
37 min listen
177. What Does Success Look Like?: What matters more: meeting our own ambitions, or winning fame and glory? What’s it like to earn a gold medal at the Olympics? And why didn’t Mike’s grandfather get a watch? by No Stupid Questions
38 min listen
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? by No Stupid Questions
37 min listen
176. Why Is It So Hard to Make Decisions?: Why do we get overwhelmed when we have too many choices? Should we make our own decisions or copy other people's? And how can Angela manage her sock inventory? by No Stupid Questions
40 min listen
175. Why Is Astrology So Popular?: Why does your horoscope seem so accurate? Is it possible to believe and not believe in something at the same time? And is Mike a classic Gemini? by No Stupid Questions
38 min listen
174. What’s the Point of I.Q. Testing?: Are gifted and talented programs discriminatory? Why do so many adults still remember their SAT scores? And how did Angela transform from a party girl to an Ivy League psychologist? by No Stupid Questions
36 min listen
173. How Important Is Your Choice of Words?: What happens when three psychologists walk into a magic show? What’s Angela’s problem with the word “talent”? And why does LeBron James refer to himself in the third person? by No Stupid Questions
35 min listen
149. Is It Harder to Make Friends as an Adult? (Replay): How do friendships change as we get older? Should you join a bowling league? And also: how does a cook become a chef? by No Stupid Questions
53 min listen
172. Is Marriage Worth It?: Can long-term relationships do more harm than good? Where is the line between intimacy and codependence? And should we all try to be more like Mike’s parents? by No Stupid Questions
37 min listen
171. Where Is the Line Between Exaggeration and Lying?: Why do we use “literally” figuratively? Does conveying an "emotional truth" justify making things up? And are Angela’s kids really starving or just hungry? by No Stupid Questions
35 min listen
170. Are We Getting Lonelier?: How can you be lonely when so many people showed up at your birthday party? Can you fight loneliness by managing expectations? And where can you find company while enjoying the best garlic cheeseburger in the greater Salt Lake City metro area? by No Stupid Questions
30 min listen
169. Can We Disagree Better?: Do you suffer from the sin of certainty? How did Angela react when a grad student challenged her research? And can a Heineken commercial strengthen our democracy? by No Stupid Questions
39 min listen

Discover this podcast and so much more

33. Is Optimism a Luxury Good?

33. Is Optimism a Luxury Good?

Description

Titles in the series (100)

More Episodes from No Stupid Questions