No Stupid Questions

In this episode of Stephen Dubner’s new TV talk show, Gary and Stephen talk about creativity, recovery, getting fired, and holding grudges. They also get outside and play basketball, which is a big part of how Gary stays well. If you'd like to see the video version of Better in Person, watch it on YouTube or Apple Podcasts.

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? This episode originally aired on March 20th, 2022.

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 what do horror movies have in common with Coca-Cola enemas? This episode originally aired on March 13th, 2022.

What’s the difference between willpower and eagerness? Is there a lifehack that can make you zestier? And could it help Stephen improve his golf game? This episode originally aired on March 6th, 2022.

Is it more important to help society or to help yourself? Does the self-improvement movement do any good for the world? And which podcast episode does Stephen cling to as proof that he’s doing something valuable? This episode originally aired on February 27th, 2022.

How do you know when it’s the right time to retire? What does a “good” retirement look like? And will Stephen and Angela ever really hang up their hats? This episode originally aired on February 20nd, 2022.

What’s the difference between dispositional optimism and agentic hope? Are there benefits to taking a long shot, even if it turns out to be an air ball? And how is Angela like an N.F.L. quarterback? This episode originally aired on February 13th, 2022.

Can you quantify emotional intelligence? Who should you hire — someone smart, or someone good with people? And how did Angie do on an online emotional intelligence test? This episode originally aired on February 6th, 2022.

Why are humans so fascinated by coincidences? What do Carl Jung and an album by The Police have in common? And what did Stephen win in a bar mitzvah limbo contest? This episode originally aired on January 30th, 2022.

What is the cost of admitting you’re wrong? How can intellectual humility make you more open minded? And will Stephen finally persuade Angela that rum-raisin is the best flavor of ice cream? This episode originally aired on January 23rd, 2022.

How is “negative reinforcement” different from punishment? Could positive reinforcement encourage prosocial behavior on a national scale? And what’s the deal with Taiwan’s dog-poop lottery? This episode originally aired on Jan 16th, 2022.

What’s the connection between conversations about money and financial literacy? Could the taboo against talking about your salary be fading? And why did Angie’s teenage daughter call Vanguard to learn about I.R.A.s? This episode originally aired on January 9th, 2022.

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? This episode originally aired on January 2nd, 2022.

Also: Angela proposes an upgrade to the show. This episode originally aired on December 26th, 2021.

Also: what does your name say about who you are? This episode originally aired on December 19th, 2021.

Also: are we getting any better at assessing COVID risk? This episode originally aired on December 12, 2021.

Also: how do phone cameras affect the way we experience live events? This episode originally aired on December 5th, 2021.

Also: how much does confidence really matter? This episode originally aired on November 21st, 2021.

Also: does knowing your family history affect your identity? This episode originally aired on November 14th, 2021.

Also: why is it so great to be part of a team, even when you lose? This episode originally aired on November 7th, 2021.

Also: why do so many people feel lost in their 20s? This episode originally aired on October 31st, 2021.

Also: what’s a food you love that seems disgusting to everyone else? This episode originally aired on October 24th, 2021.

Also: why is it smart to ignore what your podcast hosts look like? This episode originally aired on October 10th, 2021.

Also: what’s the best way to handle rejection? This episode originally aired on October 3, 2021.

Also: why are humans still so tribal? This episode originally aired on September 26th, 2021.

Also: why is it so satisfying to find a bargain? This episode originally aired on September 19th, 2021.

Also: why don’t you need a license to become a parent? This episode originally aired on August 29th, 2021.

Also: should you feel guilty if you don’t read books? This episode originally aired on August 15th, 2021.

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? This episode originally aired on August 8th, 2021.

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?