Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Freakonomics Radio

Society EN ↓ 918 episodes

Freakonomics co-author Stephen J. Dubner uncovers the hidden side of everything. Why is it safer to fly in an airplane than drive a car? How do we decide whom to marry? Why is the media so full of bad news? Also: things you never knew you wanted to know about wolves, bananas, pollution, search engines, and the quirks of human behavior. 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.

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Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Episodes

Is America’s Education Problem Really Just a Teacher Problem? (Rebroadcast) 28.01.2016 36:39

If U.S. schoolteachers are indeed "just a little bit below average," it's not really their fault. So what should be done about it? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

234. Do Boycotts Work? 21.01.2016 37:26

The Montgomery Bus Boycott, the South African divestment campaign, Chick-fil-A! Almost anyone can launch a boycott, and the media loves to cover them. But do boycotts actually produce the change they're fighting for? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

233. How to Be Less Terrible at Predicting the Future 14.01.2016 46:56

Experts and pundits are notoriously bad at forecasting, in part because they aren't punished for bad predictions. Also, they tend to be deeply unscientific. The psychologist Philip Tetlock is finally turning prediction into a science -- and now even you could become a superforecaster. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of pers...

232. The True Story of the Gender Pay Gap 07.01.2016 43:27

Discrimination can't explain why women earn so much less than men. If only it were that easy. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When Willpower Isn’t Enough (Rebroadcast) 31.12.2015 31:02

Sure, we all want to make good personal decisions, but it doesn't always work out. That's where "temptation bundling" comes in. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Fixing the World, Bang-for-the-Buck Edition (Rebroadcast) 24.12.2015 41:59

A team of economists has been running the numbers on the U.N.'s development goals. They have a different view of how those billions of dollars should be spent. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

231. Is Migration a Basic Human Right? 17.12.2015 1:00:58

The argument for open borders is compelling -- and deeply problematic. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

230. The Cheeseburger Diet 10.12.2015 32:07

One woman's quest to find the best burger in town can teach all of us to eat smarter. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

229. Ben Bernanke Gives Himself a Grade 03.12.2015 47:05

He was handed the keys to the global economy just as it started heading off a cliff. Fortunately, he'd seen this movie before. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Why Do People Keep Having Children? (Rebroadcast) 26.11.2015 40:03

Even a brutal natural disaster doesn't diminish our appetite for procreating. This surely means we're heading toward massive overpopulation, right? Probably not. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

228. Does “Early Education” Come Way Too Late? 19.11.2015 45:56

In our collective zeal to reform schools and close the achievement gap, we may have lost sight of where most learning really happens -- at home. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

227. Should Everyone Be in a Rock Band? 12.11.2015 45:31

Lessons from Tom Petty's rise and another rocker's fall. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

226. Food + Science = Victory! 05.11.2015 38:23

A kitchen wizard and a nutrition detective talk about the perfect hamburger, getting the most out of garlic, and why you should use vodka in just about everything. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

225. Am I Boring You? 29.10.2015 39:32

Researchers are trying to figure out who gets bored - and why - and what it means for ourselves and the economy. But maybe there's an upside to boredom? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How to Save $1 Billion Without Even Trying (Rebroadcast) 22.10.2015 36:27

Doctors, chefs, and other experts are much more likely than the rest of us to buy store-brand products. What do they know that we don't? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

224. How To Win A Nobel Prize 15.10.2015 45:27

The process is famously secretive (and conducted in Swedish!) but we pry the lid off at least a little bit. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

223. Should Kids Pay Back Their Parents for Raising Them? 08.10.2015 47:22

When one athlete turned pro, his mom asked him for $1 million. Our modern sensibilities tell us she doesn't have a case. But should she? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

222. Meet the Woman Who Said Women Can’t Have It All 01.10.2015 42:10

Anne-Marie Slaughter was best known for her adamant views on Syria when she accidentally became a poster girl for modern feminism. As it turns out, she can be pretty adamant in that realm as well. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

221. How Did the Belt Win? 24.09.2015 30:56

Suspenders may work better, but the dork factor is too high. How did an organ-squeezing belly tourniquet become part of our everyday wardrobe -- and what other suboptimal solutions do we routinely put up with? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

220. “I Don't Know What You've Done With My Husband, But He's a Changed Man.” 17.09.2015 46:53

From domestic abusers to former child soldiers, there is increasing evidence that behavioral therapy can turn them around. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

219. Preventing Crime for Pennies on the Dollar 10.09.2015 41:33

Conventional programs tend to be expensive, onerous, and ineffective. Could something as simple (and cheap) as cognitive behavioral therapy do the trick? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

218. The Harvard President Will See You Now 03.09.2015 38:52

How a pain-in-the-neck girl from rural Virginia came to run the most powerful university in the world. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

217. Are You Ready for a Glorious Sunset? 27.08.2015 36:55

We spend billions on end-of-life healthcare that doesn't do much good. So what if a patient could forego the standard treatment and get a cash rebate instead? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

216. How to Make a Smart TV Ad 20.08.2015 30:34

Step 1: Hire a Harvard psych professor as the pitchman. Step 2: Have him help write the script ... Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Dangers of Safety (Rebroadcast) 13.08.2015 30:57

What do NASCAR drivers, Glenn Beck and the hit men of the NFL have in common? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.