No Stupid Questions

Also: how do awards affect motivation? This episode originally aired on August 1st, 2021.

Also: why do we like what we like? This episode originally aired on July 25th, 2021.

Also: what do you really mean when you say you “don’t have time”? This episode originally aired on July 18th, 2021.

Also: why is music so memorable? This episode originally aired on July 11th, 2021.

Also: why do people hate small talk? This episode originally aired on June 27th, 2021.

Also: what does your desired superpower say about you? This episode originally aired on June 20th, 2021.

Also: what does your perfect day look like? This episode originally aired on June 13th, 2021.

Also: would you take a confirmation-bias vaccine? This episode originally aired on June 6th, 2021.

Also: is shortsightedness part of human nature? This episode originally aired on May 30th, 2021.

Also: how do you recover from a bad day? This episode originally aired on May 23rd, 2021.

Also: does multitasking actually increase productivity? This episode originally aired on May 16th, 2021.

Also: why do people pace while talking on the phone? This episode originally aired May 9th, 2021.

Also: Angela accidentally discovers the secret to a good night’s sleep. This episode originally aired on May 2, 2021.

Also: why are we so bad at assessing risk? This episode originally aired on April 25, 2021.

Also: what is the most significant choice you will ever make? This episode originally aired on April 18, 2021.

Also: why do we dislike being alone in public? This episode originally aired on April 11, 2021.

Also: what’s wrong with being impatient? This episode originally aired on April 2, 2021.

Also: why do we pad our speech with so much filler language? This episode originally aired on March 28, 2021

Also: is it better to “go with the wind” or to “be the wind”? This episode originally aired on March 21, 2021.

Also: what is teasing supposed to accomplish? This episode originally aired on March 14, 2021.

Also: how did Angela do with her no-sugar challenge? This episode originally aired on March 7, 2021.

Also: do we subconsciously lie about our major influences? This episode originally aired on February 28, 2021.

Also: is it better to be right or “not wrong”? This episode originally aired on February 21, 2021.

Also, what's better: to learn new skills or go deep on what you're good at? This episode originally aired on February 14, 2021.

Also: how can you stop ruminating? This episode originally aired on February 7, 2021.

Also: do self-help books really help? This episode originally aired on January 31, 2021.

Also: does wisdom really come with age? This episode originally aired on January 14, 2021.

Also: how many “selves” is it OK to have? This episode originally aired on January 17, 2021.

Also: how can you become a more curious person? This episode originally aired on January 10, 2021.

Also: why is public speaking so terrifying? This episode originally aired on January 3, 2021.

Also: where is the line between acronyms, initialisms, and gibberish? This episode originally aired on December 20, 2020.

Also: which professions have the happiest people? This episode originally aired on December 13, 2020.

Also: is a little knowledge truly a dangerous thing? This episode originally aired on December 6, 2020.

Also: why is it so hard to predict success? This episode originally aired on November 29, 2020.

Also: do you spend more time thinking about the past, the present, or the future? This episode originally aired on November 22, 2020.

Also: why is behavior change so darn hard? This episode originally aired on November 15, 2020.

Also: what’s so great about New York City anyway? This episode originally aired on November 8, 2020.

Also: is it wrong to feel inured to the pandemic? This episode originally aired on November 1, 2020.

Also: do we overestimate or underestimate our significance in other people’s lives? This episode originally aired on October 25, 2020.

Also: should everyone have their own trauma score? This episode originally aired on October 18, 2020.

Also: how is social media like a knife? This episode originally aired on October 11, 2020.

Also: is there a downside to billionaire philanthropy? This episode originally aired on October 4, 2020.

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.

Also: what is the meaning of life? This episode originally aired on September 27, 2020.

Also: how do you know if you have a “bad personality”? This episode originally aired on September 20, 2020.

Also: what’s so great about friendship? This episode originally aired on September 13, 2020.

Also: is it better to be a thinker, a doer, or a charmer? This episode originally aired on September 6, 2020.

Also: how does a cook become a chef? With Gabrielle Hamilton. This episode originally aired on August 30, 2020.

Also: why do we procrastinate? This episode originally aired on August 23, 2020.

Also: what is the best question you’ve ever been asked in a job interview? This episode originally aired on August 16, 2020.

Also: how can we stop confusing correlation with causation? This episode originally aired on August 9, 2020.

Also: how effective is the placebo effect? This episode originally aired on August 2, 2020.

Also: why do we habituate to life’s greatest pleasures? This episode originally aired on July 26, 2020.

Also: are the most memorable stories less likely to be true? This episode originally aired on July 19, 2020.

Also: how do you avoid screwing up your kids? This episode originally aired on July 12, 2020.

Also: how does a comedian cope with tragedy? With Eugene Mirman. This episode originally aired on July 5, 2020.

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.

Also: should we all have personal mission statements? This episode originally aired on June 21, 2020.

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.

Also: is life precious because it’s finite? This episode originally aired on June 7, 2020.

Also: how does age affect happiness? This episode originally aired on May 31, 2020.

Also: why do we treat pets better than people? This episode originally aired on May 24, 2020.

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.

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?

What do Karl Marx, Sigmund Freud, and Malcolm Gladwell have in common? Are interesting theories more significant than true ones? And what has been keeping Angela up at night? Plus: an important announcement about the show.

Why does listening to No Stupid Questions feel like you’re hanging out with your best friends? Why did the whole world take it personally when Princess Diana died? And how do “parasocial relationships” affect your mental health?

Are things really as bad as they seem? Has Gen Z given up hope for the world? And why was the father of positive psychology a lifelong pessimist?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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

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?

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?

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?

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?

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

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?

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

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?

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

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”?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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?

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

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?

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

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?

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?

WaitWhat C.E.O. Jeff Berman interviews Angela about “grit-scaling” and her unlikely path to academic celebrity.

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?

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