No Stupid Questions
- Episodes
- 347
- Released
- weekly
- Latest episode
- Nov 8, 2026
About the podcast
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.
Episodes 347
100. Is It Weird for Adults to Have Imaginary Friends?
Why does listening to No Stupid Questions feel like you’re hanging out with your best friends? Why did the whole world take it personally when Princess Diana died? And how do “parasocial relationships” affect …
Show notes
Why does listening to No Stupid Questions feel like you’re hanging out with your best friends? Why did the whole world take it personally when Princess Diana died? And how do “parasocial relationships” affect your mental health? This episode originally aired on May 22nd, 2022.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
99. Do You Mind if I Borrow Your Personality?
Are there downsides to “personality plagiarism”? Why did no one buy the Crayola Crayon Carver? And should Stephen feel bad for copying Angela’s email signature? This episode originally aired on May 15th, 2022 …
Show notes
Are there downsides to “personality plagiarism”? Why did no one buy the Crayola Crayon Carver? And should Stephen feel bad for copying Angela’s email signature? This episode originally aired on May 15th, 2022.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
All the Lonely People | Corner Piece
From group chats to video calls, technology should make social connection easier than ever. So, why is everyone so lonely? In this episode, Sabrina sets out to investigate the "loneliness epidemic" that is …
Show notes
From group chats to video calls, technology should make social connection easier than ever. So, why is everyone so lonely? In this episode, Sabrina sets out to investigate the "loneliness epidemic" that is sweeping the globe and impacting her friends and cohosts. She interviews Professor Fay Bound-Alberti, author of "A Biography of Loneliness: The History of an Emotion" to understand what loneliness is, where it comes from, and whether there is a "cure". In the process, Taha and Melissa challenge Sabrina to tackle her own loneliness through a sidequest that reveals just how hard connection can be in modern life.
You can find more episodes of Corner Piece here.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
98. Is Having Children Worth It?
Why have fertility rates dropped so dramatically? Do fathers or mothers get more happiness from parenting? And how does birth order affect a child’s future? This episode originally aired on May 8th, 2022 …
Show notes
Why have fertility rates dropped so dramatically? Do fathers or mothers get more happiness from parenting? And how does birth order affect a child’s future? This episode originally aired on May 8th, 2022.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
97. Are Women Really Less Happy Than Men?
Why are women unhappier than men? What can we do to move the needle? And is it better to be happy or to be good? This episode originally aired on May 1st, 2022. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See …
Show notes
Why are women unhappier than men? What can we do to move the needle? And is it better to be happy or to be good? This episode originally aired on May 1st, 2022.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
96. Why is Chick-fil-A Such a Big Deal?
How did Chick-fil-A become the third-largest restaurant chain in the U.S.? Why does it serve salad? And can Angie’s moral compass override her craving for a chicken sandwich? This episode originally aired on …
Show notes
How did Chick-fil-A become the third-largest restaurant chain in the U.S.? Why does it serve salad? And can Angie’s moral compass override her craving for a chicken sandwich? This episode originally aired on April 24th, 2022.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
95. What’s So Bad About Denial?
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 …
Show notes
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.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
94. What to Do When Everything Looks Like a Catastrophe?
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 …
Show notes
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.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
93. Does the Early Bird Really Catch the Worm? Or Could the Night Owl Get There First?
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 …
Show notes
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.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
92. Is Poor Nutrition a Supply Problem or a Demand Problem?
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. Hosted by …
Show notes
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.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
How Gary Gulman Turned Depression Into Comedy Gold | Better in Person
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 …
Show notes
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.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
91. Do You Savor or Gobble?
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 …
Show notes
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.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
90. If America Is a Train Wreck, Why Am I Doing Fine?
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 …
Show notes
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.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
89. How Valuable Is Enthusiasm?
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. Hosted by …
Show notes
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.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
88. Is Self-Improvement Too Selfish?
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 …
Show notes
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.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
87. What’s So Great About Retirement?
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 …
Show notes
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.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
86. Should We All Be Taking More Long Shots?
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 …
Show notes
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.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
85. Is Emotional Intelligence Really So Important?
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 …
Show notes
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.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
84. Why Do We Find So Much Meaning in Meaningless Coincidences?
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 …
Show notes
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.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
83. Can You Change Your Mind Without Losing Face?
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 …
Show notes
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.
Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
82. Which Is More Powerful: Reward or Punishment?
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 …
Show notes
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?
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 …
Show notes
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 advertising.
80. Is a “Success Hangover” Real?
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 …
Show notes
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?
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 …
Show notes
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?
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 …
Show notes
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?
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 …
Show notes
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?
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 …
Show notes
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?
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 …
Show notes
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?
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 …
Show notes
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”?
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 …
Show notes
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.
These are the latest 40 of 347 episodes. You’ll find older episodes in the podcast’s feed.
Similar podcasts
More Society & Culture podcasts
Is this your podcast?
Confirm it with an entry in your feed: you get a code here, add it as podcast:txt to the channel of your feed, and we check it. Your podcast is then shown as “verified” on SoundNode.