DiscoverNo Stupid Questions
No Stupid Questions
Claim Ownership

No Stupid Questions

Author: Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Subscribed: 21,605Played: 887,269
Share

Description

Research psychologist Angela Duckworth (author of "Grit") and tech and sports executive Mike Maughan really like to ask people questions, and they believe there’s no such thing as a stupid one. So they have 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.
176 Episodes
Reverse
How much control do you really have over your body? Could understanding genetics help combat fat-shaming? And why is Mike’s life coach so happy all the time?
How do you practice self-care if you don’t have time for a break? Is it weird to talk to yourself? And does Mike need a bag of Doritos — or just a hug?
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?
Why would a successful person feel the need to stick it to the little guy? Is Angela a name-dropper? And why do rappers grab their crotches?
How do you deal with a close talker? Is Angela drinking too much water? And why can’t Mike keep his phone out of his bedroom?
Is it better to be the best player on the worst team or the worst player on the best team? How did Angela cope with her extremely impressive freshman dorm mates? And why won’t Shaquille O'Neal let Charles Barkley have an onion ring?
How well do you know the people in your life, really? Are you stuck having surface-level conversations? And should we all be in couples therapy?
How vulnerable should you get with your coworkers? What’s the benefit of telling strangers about your relationship with your mother? And why did Mike’s childhood home burn down — twice?
What’s more stressful, divorce or jail? Are you in the middle of a “lifequake”? And should we all be taking notes from Martha Stewart?
Why do people drink? Why do people not drink? And why specifically do Angela and Mike not drink?
Is a walk through the city as good as a walk through the woods? Who’s most likely to die while taking a selfie? And how does Angela protect herself from the beer cans falling onto her deck? 
Is it worse to regret something you’ve done, or something you haven’t done? What’s the upside of rejection? And which great American short-story writer convinced Angela to quit driving?
Must one always strive for excellence? Is perfectionism a good thing? And can Mike have two bad days in a row? 
What makes a con succeed? Does snake oil actually work? And just how gullible is Angela?
How do friendships change as we get older? Should you join a bowling league? And is Angela more important to Mike than Mike is to Angela?
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?
Why does time fly when you’re having fun? How do you teach rats to play hide and seek? And what does all this have to do with Anne Boleyn?
147. Is Nudging Enough?

147. Is Nudging Enough?

2023-05-2141:574

Is it enough to toss a soda can in the recycling? Why is Maria obsessed with Nobel Prize lectures? And wait — is that a news alert or a tiger?
Should you visualize success or failure? How do you bounce back from a mistake? And will Maria hustle Angela into a poker game? 
Are highly effective people quicker to share credit? What does poverty do to your brain? And how did Stephen's mother teach him about opportunity costs? Plus: an announcement about the future of the show.
loading
Comments (76)

payam kohan

my closest experience of talking to myself is when i repeat the lyrics of music. they unconsciously become relevant most of the time.

Sep 11th
Reply

nazanin

I became envious when you mentioned having more than ten close friends. Even the thought of hiking with ten close friends gives me a good feeling, let alone experiencing it. thank you for this episode 🤍

Aug 27th
Reply

Joe Beauchamp

it's pretty hard to take seriously someone who thinks cherry Hill nj is the same as Philadelphia PA. if he can't tell the diff, his ability to judge anything seems awfully suspect, no?

Aug 21st
Reply

Rachel

nooooooooo!!!!!

Aug 18th
Reply

ID19619055

Maybe being skinny is just not so important and shouldn’t be emphasized so much?

Jul 24th
Reply

Márcia Paiva

The English song is not universal. For example in Portuguese is very different, same melody but different and varied lyrics.

Jul 4th
Reply

Joe Beauchamp

2 people, 1 opinion. seems 1 person too many? I miss diverse voices and a discussion deeper than 2 QVC women talking about the wonderful blueness of their product. Sorry.

May 23rd
Reply

Patrick Hendry

i was surprised during your 7 Deadly Sins series you didn't mention the story by Frank McCourt, I think in Angela's Ashes, where he gets in trouble at Catholic school for pointing out Sloth is best deadly sin, since if you have the Sloth you can't commit the other deadly sins

Apr 24th
Reply

Joe A. Finley II

Big nope with the Qatar example. To paraphrase MLK, Jr., "Injustice anywhere is injustice everywhere."

Apr 15th
Reply

Biem Ai

I really don't like it when people are this arrogant. You really didn't need to be this much sarcastic. Anyways, I don't like celebrating birthdays too, but for me it's just a reunion with my parents and siblings.

Mar 4th
Reply

Joe A. Finley II

Angela is my spirit animal when it comes to understanding Scandinavian socialism. Indeed, despite the need to do post-commentary fact-checking, she presented the case for it without rose-colored glasses: yes, the majority of business is privately owned in a traditional capitalist environment, but the degree to which government social services assist the average citizen cannot be overlooked.

Feb 4th
Reply

Joe A. Finley II

The commentary at the end about charities drumming up more repeat interest by being more forthcoming about the physical/financial impact that one's donations are having kind of contradicts the beginning commentary about how charities frequently BS the "cost" of NOT donating: "X number of people starving in [insert 3rd World Country," "Y number of [insert animal species] put to death in shelters."

Feb 1st
Reply

Benjamin Ray Troyer

why are people dumb enough to still talk about tiger? f hoes

Jan 13th
Reply

Jennifer Johnson

I worked for WSU Extension and we used the same process for camps with at risk youth and to help classrom teachers develop a sense of belonging in the classroom. It was amazing! I learned so much about myself and human behavior while going through the ropes course training. I still apply aspects in my life and work now, even though it is not the focus in my current work. It has been over 15 years and I still have relationships with former students who are now in college or have begun their families and professional work life. Everything in this episode resonates with me for sure! Thank you for always sharing awesome information.

Dec 19th
Reply

mademoiselle

winter + polluted air = suicide

Dec 12th
Reply

Donna Stevens

Anyone who lives above the polar circle knows that for some part of the winter (how much depends on the latitude) they won't see any daylight, just the polar night. In Norway, the weather reporter indicates a clear sky at that time with a symbol showing a half sun below a straight line. During the summer, above the polar circle, people experience the polar day, or midnight sun.

Oct 10th
Reply

Lenapa 1000

hi I'm new here

Jul 28th
Reply

Dave Taheri

on this episode they talk about anger and how should we face it💭

Jul 26th
Reply

Dave Taheri

amazing episode ❤️👌

Jul 26th
Reply

Mahdiyeh Hn

Psychological subjects have always been interesting to follow and this one as well was quite amusing. And I also loved the challenging way the conversation was being continued.

Jul 21st
Reply
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store