Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

No Stupid Questions

Society EN ↓ 327 episodes

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...

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Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Episodes

82. Which Is More Powerful: Reward or Punishment? 05.07.2026 27:29

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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

81. Why Is It So Hard to Talk About Money? 28.06.2026 28:58

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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for adve...

80. Is a “Success Hangover” Real? 21.06.2026 29:00

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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

79. Why Do We Root for Underdogs? 14.06.2026 35:14

Also: Angela proposes an upgrade to the show. This episode originally aired on December 26th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

78. Why Do We Put Things Off Until the Very Last Minute? 07.06.2026 38:09

Also: what does your name say about who you are? This episode originally aired on December 19th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

77. How Can You Avoid Boredom? 31.05.2026 37:50

Also: are we getting any better at assessing COVID risk? This episode originally aired on December 12, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

76. Why Can’t Baby Boomers and Millennials Just Get Along? 24.05.2026 38:08

Also: how do phone cameras affect the way we experience live events? This episode originally aired on December 5th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

75. How Do You Deal With Intrusive Thoughts? 17.05.2026 38:51

Also: how much does confidence really matter? This episode originally aired on November 21st, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

74. Does Reverse Psychology Really Work? 10.05.2026 37:03

Also: does knowing your family history affect your identity? This episode originally aired on November 14th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

73. Is It Okay to Engage in “Social Loafing”? 03.05.2026 32:23

Also: why is it so great to be part of a team, even when you lose? This episode originally aired on November 7th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

72. If Everyone Hates Meetings, Why Do We Have So Many of Them? 26.04.2026 37:57

Also: why do so many people feel lost in their 20s? This episode originally aired on October 31st, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

71. Why Is Pig Milk the One Milk We Don’t Drink? 19.04.2026 28:11

Also: what’s a food you love that seems disgusting to everyone else? This episode originally aired on October 24th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

70. In a Job Interview, How Much Does Timing Matter? 12.04.2026 35:35

Also: why is it smart to ignore what your podcast hosts look like? This episode originally aired on October 10th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

69. How Can You Convince Someone They’re Wrong? 05.04.2026 37:23

Also: what’s the best way to handle rejection? This episode originally aired on October 3, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

68. Why Do We Want What We Can’t Have? 29.03.2026 35:41

Also: why are humans still so tribal? This episode originally aired on September 26th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

67. How Can You Escape Binary Thinking? 22.03.2026 38:36

Also: why is it so satisfying to find a bargain? This episode originally aired on September 19th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

65. What’s the Best Advice You’ve Ever Received? 15.03.2026 39:42

Also: why don’t you need a license to become a parent? This episode originally aired on August 29th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

64. Are Women Required to Be Nicer Than Men? 08.03.2026 37:41

Also: should you feel guilty if you don’t read books? This episode originally aired on August 15th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

63. How Contagious Is Behavior? With Laurie Santos of “The Happiness Lab.” (Replay) 01.03.2026 36:23

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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

62. How Can You Escape a Drama Triangle? 22.02.2026 39:44

Also: how do awards affect motivation? This episode originally aired on August 1st, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

61. Should We Just Ignore Our Weaknesses? 15.02.2026 33:35

Also: why do we like what we like? This episode originally aired on July 25th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

60. Why Do We Complain? 08.02.2026 31:45

Also: what do you really mean when you say you “don’t have time”? This episode originally aired on July 18th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

59. Do Dreams Actually Mean Anything? 01.02.2026 38:35

Also: why is music so memorable? This episode originally aired on July 11th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

58. What’s So Gratifying About Gossip? 25.01.2026 37:04

Also: why do people hate small talk? This episode originally aired on June 27th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

57. Which Incentives Are Best at Boosting Vaccination, and Why? 18.01.2026 36:24

Also: what does your desired superpower say about you? This episode originally aired on June 20th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.