No Stupid Questions
Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher
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.
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
Mentioned books
28 snips
Mar 29, 2026 • 36min
68. Why Do We Want What We Can’t Have?
They explore why people crave what they lack and how yearning drives behavior. They contrast self-improvement with envy and revisit the stonecutter parable about endless desire. They dig into tribalism: how subgroups form, experiments that unite rivals, and why the pandemic failed to create lasting unity. They discuss social identity, biases that exaggerate out-group hostility, and ideas to reduce exclusion.
100 snips
Mar 22, 2026 • 39min
67. How Can You Escape Binary Thinking?
Discussion of why humans default to black‑and‑white thinking and the functional reasons behind it. Examination of medical and psychological categories versus continuous measures. Conversation about political polarization and ways to practice more nuanced thinking. Shift to why bargain hunting feels rewarding, including transactional utility, coupons, and the psychology of perceived savings.
138 snips
Mar 15, 2026 • 40min
65. What’s the Best Advice You’ve Ever Received?
They debate whether advice can be improved and why people ignore good guidance. Personal stories about bold choices, risk-taking, and viewing life as a story come up. They unpack effects of solicited versus unsolicited advice and surprising wisdom from students. The conversation tackles parenting classes, evidence from Nurse-Family Partnership, and practical early-childhood strategies like scaffolding.
84 snips
Mar 8, 2026 • 38min
64. Are Women Required to Be Nicer Than Men?
They debate whether society expects women to be nicer than men and how warmth and competence interact in gendered judgments. Conversation covers strategies for reducing defensiveness in conversations and when niceness helps or hurts. They also pivot to whether reading books is morally superior to other media and how different formats demand different kinds of engagement.
56 snips
Mar 1, 2026 • 36min
63. How Contagious Is Behavior? With Laurie Santos of “The Happiness Lab.” (Replay)
Laurie Santos, Yale cognitive scientist and Happiness Lab creator, explores how people pick up accents and mannerisms and why behavior spreads. She discusses mirror neurons, human over-imitation versus primates, and why success can feel hollow. Topics include hedonic adaptation, diminishing returns, spacing rewards, gratitude and negative visualization as ways to sustain appreciation.
96 snips
Feb 22, 2026 • 40min
62. How Can You Escape a Drama Triangle?
They explain Karpman’s drama triangle and the roles that keep conflicts alive. They trace the model’s theatrical roots and why people find drama appealing. Practical tactics for stepping out of rescue cycles are offered. Conversation shifts to awards: participation trophies, how silver can sting, and when recognition helps or hurts motivation.
122 snips
Feb 15, 2026 • 34min
61. Should We Just Ignore Our Weaknesses?
A lively debate about whether people should build on strengths or fix weaknesses, with competing views from positive psychology, economics, and expertise research. Discussion covers education pressures, moral minimums for character, and practical strategies for choosing and training skills. The episode also explores why tastes change, from mere exposure to social learning and increased understanding.
142 snips
Feb 8, 2026 • 32min
60. Why Do We Complain?
They explore why complaining can bond people and sometimes prompt change. They list functions of complaints and when they backfire. They debate whether wealth and tech fuel modern gripe culture. They role-play better ways to shift household habits. They probe what we mean by “I don’t have time” and outline urgency versus importance and simple time rules.
171 snips
Feb 1, 2026 • 39min
59. Do Dreams Actually Mean Anything?
They debate whether dreams carry meaning and trace different theories from Freud to modern emotion-processing ideas. They question if dream symbols are universal and wrestle with research limits and narrative bias. The conversation then pivots to music: why adolescent songs stick, how repetition, rhythm, and song structure lock memories, and how music fuses emotion with recall.
129 snips
Jan 25, 2026 • 37min
58. What’s So Gratifying About Gossip?
They unpack why reading celebrity gossip feels so satisfying and what celebrity stories signal socially. They debate whether gossip evolved to transmit social norms and the ethical harms it creates. They compare small talk with deeper conversation and explore how brief chit-chat builds relationships, varies by culture, and can be shaped to feel more meaningful.
