No Stupid Questions

How can you summon courage when you’re terrified? Is hiking more dangerous than skiing? And what is the stupidest thing that Mike has ever done?   SOURCES: Albert Bandura , professor of psychology at Stanford University. Marc Brackett , founding director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and professor in the Child Study Center at Yale School of Medicine. Lisa Damour , clinical psycholo...

Would you be more adventurous if you had more structure? Do you multitask while brushing your teeth? And what would Mike’s perfect brother Peter do?    SOURCES: David Brooks , opinion columnist for The New York Times. Colin Camerer , professor of economics at the California Institute of Technology. James Clear , writer. Mason Currey , author. David Goggins , ultra-endurance athlete and retired U.S...

What’s the best way to carry out random acts of kindness? What’s wrong with making an “Irish exit”? And why is Mike secretly buying lottery tickets?   SOURCES: Roy Baumeister , social psychologist and visiting scholar at Harvard University. Daniel Gilbert , professor of psychology at Harvard University. John Gottman , professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Washington. Kurt Lewin , 2...

How can you strive for excellence without overworking yourself? Why is perfectionism on the rise? And is Angela part of the problem?   SOURCES: Kristin Andrus , philanthropist. Aaron (Tim) Beck , professor emeritus of psychiatry at the University of Pennsylvania. Thomas Curran , professor of psychological and behavioral science at the London School of Economics. Julia DiGangi , neuropsychologist....

Does anyone have any real agency? What do McDonald’s and Oxford University have in common? And why did Angela give up on philosophy?   SOURCES Sam Harris , neuroscientist, philosopher, author, and podcast host. Brian Galla , associate professor of health and human development at University of Pittsburgh. Robert Sapolsky , professor of biology at Stanford University. Harry Emerson Fosdick , foundin...

Should you shout your sins from the rooftops? How many skeletons are in the average person’s closet? And what has Angela been hiding?   SOURCES: Maya Angelou , memoirist, poet, and civil rights activist. Stephen Baum , postdoctoral researcher at Olin Business School at Washington University. Clayton Critcher , professor of marketing, cognitive science, and psychology at Berkeley Haas School of Bus...

Do you really deserve the credit for your accomplishments? Should college admissions be determined by lottery? And how did Mike’s contribution to a charity auction change his life?    SOURCES: Warren Buffett , investor and philanthropist. James Flynn , political philosopher at the University of Otago. Robert Frank , professor emeritus of management at Cornell SC Johnson College of Business. Rogé K...

Where does sentimental value come from? Why did Angela throw out her childhood journals? And would Mike wear Hitler’s sweater?    SOURCES: Jeffrey Galak , professor of marketing at Carnegie Mellon University. John Irving , author. Marie Kondo , professional organizer and consultant. Paul Rozin , professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Yang Yang , research scientist at the Instit...

Is there any scientific basis for the law of attraction? Are people who believe in “cosmic collaboration” more successful? And what happens when you write yourself a check for $10 million?   SOURCES: Rhonda Byrne , writer and TV producer. Jim Carrey , actor. Christopher Clarey , sports journalist and author. Peter Gollwitzer , professor of psychology at New York University. Dave Levin , co-founder...

Are modern parents too protective? Why do we worry so much about things that almost never happen? And how did Mike learn about bus stops?   SOURCES: David Bjorklund , professor of psychology at Florida Atlantic University. Peter Gray , professor of psychology at Boston College. David Lancy , professor emeritus of anthropology at Utah State University. Lenore Skenazy , president of Let Grow and fou...

What matters more: meeting our own ambitions, or winning fame and glory? What’s it like to earn a gold medal at the Olympics? And why didn’t Mike’s grandfather get a watch?   SOURCES: Alain de Botton , writer and founder of The School of Life. Kirk Flatow , head coach of co-ed varsity track and field at Monta Vista High School. Katie Ledecky , competitive swimmer. Diana Nyad , long-distance swimme...

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?   SOURCES: Albert Bandura , professor emeritus of psychology at Stanford University. John Bargh , professor of psychology and cognitive science at Yale University. Tanya Chartrand , professor of marketing at Duke University. Clay Cockrell , psychotherapist and founder of...

Why do we get overwhelmed when we have too many choices? Should we make our own decisions or copy other people's? And how can Angela manage her sock inventory?   SOURCES: Arie Kruglanski , professor of psychology at the University of Maryland, College Park. Katy Milkman , professor of operations, information, and decisions at the University of Pennsylvania. Sylvia Plath , 20th-century American nov...

Why does your horoscope seem so accurate? Is it possible to believe and not believe in something at the same time? And is Mike a classic Gemini?   SOURCES: P. T. Barnum , 19th-century American showman and businessman. David Brooks , New York Times Opinion columnist. Bertram Forer , 20th-century American psychologist. Daniel Kahneman , professor emeritus of psychology and public affairs at Princeto...

Are gifted and talented programs discriminatory? Why do so many adults still remember their SAT scores? And how did Angela transform from a party girl to an Ivy League psychologist?   SOURCES: Alfred Binet , 19th-century French psychologist. Stefan Dombrowski , professor of psychology and director of the School Psychology Program at Rider University. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe , 18th- to 19th-cent...

What happens when three psychologists walk into a magic show? What’s Angela’s problem with the word “talent”?  And why does LeBron James refer to himself in the third person?   SOURCES: John Bargh , professor of psychology at Yale University. Derren Brown , mentalist. Carol Dweck , professor of psychology at Stanford University. Daniel Kahneman , professor emeritus of psychology and public affairs...

How do friendships change as we get older? Should you join a bowling league? And also: how does a cook become a chef?   RESOURCES: “ Social Support From Weak Ties: Insight From the Literature on Minimal Social Interactions ,” by Joshua Moreton, Caitlin S. Kelly, and Gillian Sandstrom ( Social and Personality Psychology Compass , 2023). Join or Die , documentary (2023). “ I Tried Bumble BFF for 30...

Can long-term relationships do more harm than good? Where is the line between intimacy and codependence? And should we all try to be more like Mike’s parents?   RESOURCES: " A Record-High Share of 40-Year-Olds in the U.S. Have Never Been Married ," by Richard Fry ( Pew Research Center, 2023). " Divorce Skyrocketing Among Aging Boomers ," by Sharon Jayson ( AARP, 2023). " Don’t Let Love Take Over Y...

Why do we use “literally” figuratively? Does conveying an "emotional truth" justify making things up? And are Angela’s kids really starving or just hungry?    RESOURCES: " My Response to The New Yorker Article ," by Hasan Minhaj (YouTube video, 2023). " Hasan Minhaj’s 'Emotional Truths ,'" by Clare Malone ( The New Yorker, 2023). " Lying to Spice up Life ," by Holly Cole ( Society for Personality...

How can you be lonely when so many people showed up at your birthday party? Can you fight loneliness by managing expectations? And where can you find company while enjoying the best garlic cheeseburger in the greater Salt Lake City metro area?   RESOURCES: " Surgeon General: We Have Become a Lonely Nation. It’s Time to Fix That ," by Vivek H. Murthy ( The New York Times, 2023). " Home Alone: More...

Do you suffer from the sin of certainty? How did Angela react when a grad student challenged her research? And can a Heineken commercial strengthen our democracy?   RESOURCES: " Disagree Better ," National Governors Association initiative led by Spencer Cox (2023-2024). " Cooling Heated Discourse: Conversational Receptiveness Boosts Interpersonal Evaluations and Willingness to Talk ," by Julia Min...

Should you become an artist or an accountant? Did Sylvia Plath have to be depressed to write The Bell Jar ? And what can Napoleon Dynamite teach us about the creative life?   RESOURCES: " The Science of Why You Have Great Ideas in the Shower ," by Stacey Colino ( National Geographic, 2022). " So, You Think You’re Not Creative? " by Duncan Wardle ( Harvard Business Review, 2021). " The Correlation...

Is it better to be an egocentric navigator or an allocentric navigator? Was the New York City Department of Education wrong to ban ChatGPT? And did Mike get ripped off by Michael Jackson’s cousin?   RESOURCES " Don’t Ban Chatbots in Classrooms — Use Them to Change How We Teach ," by Angela Duckworth and Lyle Ungar ( Los Angeles Times, 2023). " How GPS Weakens Memory — and What We Can Do about It ,...

What’s the difference between being busy and being productive? Would you be better at your job if you cared a little less? And can somebody get Mike a cup of coffee?    RESOURCES: " State of the Global Workplace: 2023 Report ," ( Gallup, 2023). " What’s Really So Wrong About Secretly Working Two Full-Time Jobs at Once? " by Alison Green ( Slate, 2023). " The Problem With Venting ," by Ethan Kross...

Do you get grittier as you age? What's worse for mental health: video games or social media? And do baby boomers make the best D.J.s?    RESOURCES: Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents — and What They Mean for America's Future , by Jean Twenge (2023). " 5 Things to Keep in Mind When You Hear About Gen Z, Millennials, Boomers and Other Generation...