Freakonomics Radio
WNYC
Discover the hidden side of everything with Stephen J. Dubner, co-author of the Freakonomics books. Each week, Freakonomics Radio tells you things you always thought you knew (but didn’t) and things you never thought you wanted to know (but do) — from the economics of sleep to how to become great at just about anything. Dubner speaks with Nobel laureates and provocateurs, intellectuals and entrepreneurs, and various other underachievers.
Discover the hidden side of everything with Stephen J. Dubner, co-author of the Freakonomics books. Each week, Freakonomics Radio tells you things you always thought you knew (but didn’t) and things you never thought you wanted to know (but do) — from the economics of sleep to how to become great at just about anything. Dubner speaks with Nobel laureates and provocateurs, intellectuals and entrepreneurs, and various other underachievers.
Location:
New York, NY
Description:
Discover the hidden side of everything with Stephen J. Dubner, co-author of the Freakonomics books. Each week, Freakonomics Radio tells you things you always thought you knew (but didn’t) and things you never thought you wanted to know (but do) — from the economics of sleep to how to become great at just about anything. Dubner speaks with Nobel laureates and provocateurs, intellectuals and entrepreneurs, and various other underachievers.
Language:
English
Contact:
160 Varick St. New York, NY 10013
Episodes
The Pros and Cons of America’s (Extreme) Individualism (Ep. 470 Replay)
8/10/2022
According to a decades-long research project, the U.S. is not only the most individualistic country on earth; we’re also high on indulgence, short-term thinking, and masculinity (but low on “uncertainty avoidance,” if that makes you feel better). We look at how these traits affect our daily lives and why we couldn’t change them even if we wanted to.
Duration:00:51:04
The U.S. Is Just Different — So Let’s Stop Pretending We’re Not (Ep. 469 Replay)
8/3/2022
We often look to other countries for smart policies on education, healthcare, infrastructure, etc. But can a smart policy be simply transplanted into a country as culturally unusual (and as supremely WEIRD) as America?
Duration:00:53:36
512. Does Philosophy Still Matter?
7/27/2022
It used to be at the center of our conversations about politics and society. Scott Hershovitz (author of Nasty, Brutish, and Short) argues that philosophy still has a lot to say about work, justice, and parenthood. Our latest installment of the Freakonomics Radio Book Club.
Duration:00:50:23
511. Why Did You Marry That Person?
7/20/2022
Sure, you were “in love.” But economists — using evidence from Bridgerton to Tinder — point to what’s called “assortative mating.” And it has some unpleasant consequences for society.
Duration:00:46:56
The Economist’s Guide to Parenting: 10 Years Later (Ep. 479 Replay)
7/13/2022
In one of the earliest Freakonomics Radio episodes, we asked a bunch of economists with young kids how they approached child-rearing. Now the kids are old enough to talk — and they have a lot to say. We hear about nature vs. nurture, capitalism vs. Marxism, and why you don’t tell your friends that your father is an economist.
Duration:00:51:58
510. What Problems Does Crypto Solve, Anyway?
7/6/2022
Boosters say blockchain technology will usher in a brave new era of decentralization. Are they right — and would it be a dream or a nightmare? (Part 3 of "What Can Blockchain Do for You?")
Duration:00:55:14
509. Are N.F.T.s All Scams?
6/29/2022
Some of them are. With others, it’s more complicated (and more promising). We try to get past the Bored Apes and the ripoffs to see if we can find art on the blockchain. (Part 2 of "What Can Blockchain Do for You?")
Duration:00:48:25
508. Does the Crypto Crash Mean the Blockchain Is Over?
6/22/2022
No. But now is a good time to sort out the potential from the hype. Whether you’re bullish, bearish, or just confused, we’re here to explain what the blockchain can do for you. (Part 1 of a series.)
Duration:00:49:30
507. 103 Pieces of Advice That May or May Not Work
6/15/2022
Kevin Kelly calls himself “the most optimistic person in the world.” And he has a lot to say about parenting, travel, A.I., being luckier — and why we should spend way more time on YouTube.
Duration:00:44:09
506. What Is Sportswashing (and Does It Work)?
6/8/2022
In ancient Rome, it was bread and circuses. Today, it’s a World Cup, an Olympics, and a new Saudi-backed golf league that’s challenging the P.G.A. Tour. Can a sporting event really repair a country’s reputation — or will it trigger the dreaded Streisand Effect?
Duration:00:54:17
505. Did Domestic Violence Really Spike During the Pandemic?
6/1/2022
When the world went into lockdown, experts predicted a rise in intimate-partner assaults. What actually happened was more complicated.
Duration:00:51:16
504. Introducing “Off Leash”
5/25/2022
In this new podcast from the Freakonomics Radio Network, dog-cognition expert and bestselling author Alexandra Horowitz (Inside of a Dog) takes us inside the scruffy, curious, joyful world of dogs. This is the first episode of Off Leash; you can find more episodes in your podcast app now.
Duration:00:41:06
503. What Is the Future of College — and Does It Have Room for Men?
5/18/2022
Educators and economists tell us all the reasons college enrollment has been dropping, especially for men, and how to stop the bleeding. (Part 4 of “Freakonomics Radio Goes Back to School.”)
Duration:00:51:20
Abortion and Crime, Revisited (Ep. 384 Update)
5/11/2022
As the Supreme Court considers overturning Roe v. Wade, we look back at Steve Levitt’s controversial research on an unintended consequence of the 1973 ruling.
Duration:01:01:12
502. “I Don’t Think the Country Is Turning Away From College.”
5/4/2022
Enrollment is down for the first time in memory, and critics complain college is too expensive, too elitist, and too politicized. The economist Chris Paxson — who happens to be the president of Brown University — does not agree. (Part 3 of “Freakonomics Radio Goes Back to School.”)
Duration:00:47:20
501. The University of Impossible-to-Get-Into
4/27/2022
America’s top colleges are facing record demand. So why don’t they increase supply? (Part 2 of “Freakonomics Radio Goes Back to School.”)
Duration:00:59:35
500. What Exactly Is College For?
4/20/2022
We think of them as intellectual enclaves and the surest route to a better life. But U.S. colleges also operate like firms, trying to differentiate their products to win market share and prestige points. In the first episode of a special series, we ask what our chaotic system gets right — and wrong. (Part 1 of “Freakonomics Radio Goes Back to School.”)
Duration:00:46:53
Is the U.S. Really Less Corrupt Than China — and How About Russia? (Ep. 481 Update)
4/13/2022
The political scientist Yuen Yuen Ang argues that different forms of government create different styles of corruption. The U.S. and China have more in common than we’d like to admit — but Russia is a different story, which could explain its willingness to invade Ukraine.
Duration:01:08:06
499. Don't Worry, Be Tacky
4/6/2022
The British art superstar Flora Yukhnovich, the Freakonomist Steve Levitt, and the upstart American Basketball Association were all unafraid to follow their joy — despite sneers from the Establishment. Should we all be more willing to embrace the déclassé?
Duration:00:40:55
498. In the 1890s, the Best-Selling Car Was … Electric
3/30/2022
After a huge false start, electric cars are finally about to flourish. We speak with a technology historian about this all-too-common story, and what it means for innovation everywhere.
Duration:00:44:57