No Stupid Questions

89. How Valuable Is Enthusiasm? Aug 23, 2026 00:28:34 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? Aug 16, 2026 00:34:17 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 adver

87. What’s So Great About Retirement? Aug 9, 2026 00:30:54 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? Aug 2, 2026 00:31:43 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? Jul 26, 2026 00:31:07 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? Jul 19, 2026 00:28:09 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? Jul 12, 2026 00:32:55 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? Jul 5, 2026 00:27:29 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? Jun 28, 2026 00:28:58 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? Jun 21, 2026 00:29:00 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? Jun 14, 2026 00:35:14 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? Jun 7, 2026 00:38:09 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? May 31, 2026 00:37:50 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? May 24, 2026 00:38:08 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? May 17, 2026 00:38:51 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? May 10, 2026 00:37:03 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”? May 3, 2026 00:32:23 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? Apr 26, 2026 00:37:57 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? Apr 19, 2026 00:28:11 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? Apr 12, 2026 00:35:35 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? Apr 5, 2026 00:37:23 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? Mar 29, 2026 00:35:41 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? Mar 22, 2026 00:38:36 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? Mar 15, 2026 00:39:42 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? Mar 8, 2026 00:37:41 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) Mar 1, 2026 00:36:23 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? Feb 22, 2026 00:39:44 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? Feb 15, 2026 00:33:35 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? Feb 8, 2026 00:31:45 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? Feb 1, 2026 00:38:35 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? Jan 25, 2026 00:37:04 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? Jan 18, 2026 00:36:24 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.

56. Why Is Academic Writing So Bad? Jan 11, 2026 00:39:13 Also: what does your perfect day look like? This episode originally aired on June 13th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

55. What Changes Will Stick When the Pandemic Is Gone? Jan 4, 2026 00:37:33 Also: would you take a confirmation-bias vaccine? This episode originally aired on June 6th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

54. Do You Really Need a Muse to Be Creative? Dec 28, 2025 00:36:52 Also: is shortsightedness part of human nature? This episode originally aired on May 30th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

53. What’s the Secret to Making a Great Prediction? Dec 21, 2025 00:34:42 Also: how do you recover from a bad day? This episode originally aired on May 23rd, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

52. How Much Should We Be Able to Customize Our World? Dec 14, 2025 00:38:52 Also: does multitasking actually increase productivity? This episode originally aired on May 16th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

51. What Separates Humans From Other Animals? Dec 7, 2025 00:37:15 Also: why do people pace while talking on the phone? This episode originally aired May 9th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

50. Are You as Observant as You Think? Nov 30, 2025 00:34:30 Also: Angela accidentally discovers the secret to a good night’s sleep. This episode originally aired on May 2, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

49. How Does Facing Death Change Your Life? Nov 23, 2025 00:39:01 Also: why are we so bad at assessing risk? This episode originally aired on April 25, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

48. Do Good Deeds Invite More Bad Ones? Nov 16, 2025 00:33:58 Also: what is the most significant choice you will ever make? This episode originally aired on April 18, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

47. Is Laziness Real? Nov 9, 2025 00:32:35 Also: why do we dislike being alone in public? This episode originally aired on April 11, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

46. How Can You Stop Feeling So Irritable? Nov 2, 2025 00:38:06 Also: what’s wrong with being impatient? This episode originally aired on April 2, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

45. How Much Better Do You Really Want to Be? Oct 26, 2025 00:37:37 Also: why do we pad our speech with so much filler language? This episode originally aired on March 28, 2021 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

44. Is Empathy in Fact Immoral? Oct 19, 2025 00:36:06 Also: is it better to “go with the wind” or to “be the wind”? This episode originally aired on March 21, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

43. What Do We Really Learn From Failure? Oct 12, 2025 00:36:45 Also: what is teasing supposed to accomplish? This episode originally aired on March 14, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

42. How Does When You Are Born Affect Who You Are? Oct 5, 2025 00:38:35 Also: how did Angela do with her no-sugar challenge? This episode originally aired on March 7, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

41. Why Are We So Attracted to Fame? Sep 28, 2025 00:35:41 Also: do we subconsciously lie about our major influences? This episode originally aired on February 28, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

40. Have We All Lost Our Ability to Compromise? Sep 21, 2025 00:36:15 Also: is it better to be right or “not wrong”? This episode originally aired on February 21, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

39. Is Everybody Cheating These Days? Sep 14, 2025 00:37:15 Also, what's better: to learn new skills or go deep on what you're good at? This episode originally aired on February 14, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

38. What Does It Mean to Be a “Good” Man? Sep 7, 2025 00:34:27 Also: how can you stop ruminating? This episode originally aired on February 7, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

37. How Do You Know if People Don’t Like You? Aug 31, 2025 00:39:38 Also: do self-help books really help? This episode originally aired on January 31, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

36. Which Matters More, a First or Last Impression? Aug 24, 2025 00:36:41 Also: does wisdom really come with age? This episode originally aired on January 14, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

35. Does Psychotherapy Actually Work? Aug 17, 2025 00:32:42 Also: how many “selves” is it OK to have? This episode originally aired on January 17, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

34. Are Humans Smarter or Stupider Than We Used to Be? Aug 10, 2025 00:35:45 Also: how can you become a more curious person? This episode originally aired on January 10, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

33. Is Optimism a Luxury Good? Aug 3, 2025 00:38:43 Also: why is public speaking so terrifying? This episode originally aired on January 3, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

32. Which Gets You Further: Talent or Effort? Jul 27, 2025 00:33:42 Also: where is the line between acronyms, initialisms, and gibberish? This episode originally aired on December 20, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

31. How Much Do Your Friends Affect Your Future? Jul 20, 2025 00:36:40 Also: which professions have the happiest people? This episode originally aired on December 13, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

30. Why Do We Seek Comfort in the Familiar? Jul 13, 2025 00:35:25 Also: is a little knowledge truly a dangerous thing? This episode originally aired on December 6, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

29. How Do You Know When It’s Time to Quit? Jul 6, 2025 00:31:43 Also: why is it so hard to predict success? This episode originally aired on November 29, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

28. Why Do We Hoard? Jun 29, 2025 00:29:14 Also: do you spend more time thinking about the past, the present, or the future? This episode originally aired on November 22, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

27. How Should You Ask for Forgiveness? Jun 22, 2025 00:37:45 Also: why is behavior change so darn hard? This episode originally aired on November 15, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

26. Do Checklists Make People Stupid? Jun 15, 2025 00:34:19 Also: what’s so great about New York City anyway? This episode originally aired on November 8, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

25. Is Hedonism Better Than Self-Control? Jun 8, 2025 00:30:45 Also: is it wrong to feel inured to the pandemic? This episode originally aired on November 1, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

24. Why Do We Forget So Much of What We’ve Read? Jun 1, 2025 00:34:01 Also: do we overestimate or underestimate our significance in other people’s lives? This episode originally aired on October 25, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

23. Is It Wrong to Crave Praise? May 25, 2025 00:38:41 Also: should everyone have their own trauma score? This episode originally aired on October 18, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

22. Why Do We Buy Things We’ll Never Use? May 18, 2025 00:31:35 Also: how is social media like a knife? This episode originally aired on October 11, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

21. How Can You Identify Hidden Talent? With Eric Schmidt. May 11, 2025 00:35:14 Also: is there a downside to billionaire philanthropy? This episode originally aired on October 4, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Presenting “Smart Girl Dumb Questions” May 7, 2025 00:47:32 Nayeema Raza describes her podcast as “a curiosity party.” In this episode of Smart Girl Dumb Questions, she asks chef and food writer J. Kenji López-Alt whether cooking is an art or a science — and whether brunch is a scam. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

20. Should We Separate the Art From the Artist? May 4, 2025 00:32:44 Also: what is the meaning of life? This episode originally aired on September 27, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

19. Is There Such a Thing as Good Estrangement? Apr 27, 2025 00:34:31 Also: how do you know if you have a “bad personality”? This episode originally aired on September 20, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

18. How Do You Raise a “Likable” Kid? Apr 20, 2025 00:29:39 Also: what’s so great about friendship? This episode originally aired on September 13, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

17. How Can We Get More Virtue and Less ‘Virtue Signaling’? Apr 13, 2025 00:32:31 Also: is it better to be a thinker, a doer, or a charmer? This episode originally aired on September 6, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

16. What’s the Downside to Being Goal-Oriented? Apr 6, 2025 00:31:42 Also: how does a cook become a chef? With Gabrielle Hamilton. This episode originally aired on August 30, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

15. How Much of Your Life Do You Actually Control? Mar 30, 2025 00:36:37 Also: why do we procrastinate? This episode originally aired on August 23, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

14. Are You a Maximizer or a Satisficer? Mar 23, 2025 00:24:12 Also: what is the best question you’ve ever been asked in a job interview? This episode originally aired on August 16, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

13. How Can You Stop Comparing Yourself With Other People? Mar 16, 2025 00:33:57 Also: how can we stop confusing correlation with causation? This episode originally aired on August 9, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

12. Does “As If” Thinking Really Work? Mar 9, 2025 00:32:57 Also: how effective is the placebo effect? This episode originally aired on August 2, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

11. Are Ambitious People Inherently Selfish? Mar 2, 2025 00:36:03 Also: why do we habituate to life’s greatest pleasures? This episode originally aired on July 26, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

10. Why Are Stories Stickier Than Statistics? Feb 23, 2025 00:30:28 Also: are the most memorable stories less likely to be true? This episode originally aired on July 19, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Episodes

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