Podcast · Society & Culture
by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher · English · Society & Culture
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.
4 Oct 2026 · 32 min
Can denial be a healthy way of dealing with the death of a loved one? What do the five stages of grief misrepresent about mourning? And why does Angie cover her eyes when she watches the Rocky movies? This episode originally aired on April 17th, 2022.
E94 · 27 Sep 2026 · 32 min
What is the relationship between “catastrophizing” and anxiety? How did Angela react when her mother came close to drowning? And how can you gain perspective when the worst-case scenario is all you can visualize? This episode originally aired on April 10th, 2022.
E93 · 20 Sep 2026 · 30 min
How have Angie’s views on sleep changed since she wrote her Harvard application essay? Would starting high school later in the day be worth $8.6 billion? And what should you do if your chronotype doesn’t fit the way society is structured? This episode originally aired on April 3rd, 2022.
E92 · 13 Sep 2026 · 32 min
Is evolution stacked against healthy eating? What policies could increase demand for nutritious food? And does Popeyes count as a cultural icon? This episode originally aired on March 27th, 2022.
9 Sep 2026 · 48 min
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.
E91 · 6 Sep 2026 · 40 min
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.
E90 · 30 Aug 2026 · 30 min
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.
E89 · 23 Aug 2026 · 29 min
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.
E88 · 16 Aug 2026 · 34 min
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.
E87 · 9 Aug 2026 · 31 min
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.
E86 · 2 Aug 2026 · 32 min
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.
E85 · 26 Jul 2026 · 31 min
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.
E84 · 19 Jul 2026 · 28 min
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.
E83 · 12 Jul 2026 · 33 min
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.
E82 · 5 Jul 2026 · 27 min
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.
E81 · 28 Jun 2026 · 29 min
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.
E80 · 21 Jun 2026 · 29 min
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.
E79 · 14 Jun 2026 · 35 min
Also: Angela proposes an upgrade to the show. This episode originally aired on December 26th, 2021.
E78 · 7 Jun 2026 · 38 min
Also: what does your name say about who you are? This episode originally aired on December 19th, 2021.
E77 · 31 May 2026 · 38 min
Also: are we getting any better at assessing COVID risk? This episode originally aired on December 12, 2021.
E76 · 24 May 2026 · 38 min
Also: how do phone cameras affect the way we experience live events? This episode originally aired on December 5th, 2021.
E75 · 17 May 2026 · 39 min
Also: how much does confidence really matter? This episode originally aired on November 21st, 2021.
E74 · 10 May 2026 · 37 min
Also: does knowing your family history affect your identity? This episode originally aired on November 14th, 2021.
E73 · 3 May 2026 · 32 min
Also: why is it so great to be part of a team, even when you lose? This episode originally aired on November 7th, 2021.
E72 · 26 Apr 2026 · 38 min
Also: why do so many people feel lost in their 20s? This episode originally aired on October 31st, 2021.
E71 · 19 Apr 2026 · 28 min
Also: what’s a food you love that seems disgusting to everyone else? This episode originally aired on October 24th, 2021.
E70 · 12 Apr 2026 · 36 min
Also: why is it smart to ignore what your podcast hosts look like? This episode originally aired on October 10th, 2021.
E69 · 5 Apr 2026 · 37 min
Also: what’s the best way to handle rejection? This episode originally aired on October 3, 2021.
E68 · 29 Mar 2026 · 36 min
Also: why are humans still so tribal? This episode originally aired on September 26th, 2021.
E67 · 22 Mar 2026 · 39 min
Also: why is it so satisfying to find a bargain? This episode originally aired on September 19th, 2021.
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. To get every show in the Freakonomics Radio Network without ads and a monthly bonus episode of Freakonomics Radio, start a free trial for SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.
No Stupid Questions is a English society & culture podcast from Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.
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