No Stupid Questions

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Also: how do you avoid screwing up your kids? This episode originally aired on July 12, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Also: how does a comedian cope with tragedy? With Eugene Mirman. This episode originally aired on July 5, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Also: is it better to send a congratulatory note to someone who deserves it or a condolence note to someone who needs it? This episode originally aired on June 28, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Also: should we all have personal mission statements? This episode originally aired on June 21, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Also: is there such a thing as too much science?Plus, our special guest, Luis von Ahn, an inventor of CAPTCHA and a pioneer of free online language learning. This episode originally aired on June 14, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Also: is life precious because it’s finite? This episode originally aired on June 7, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Also: how does age affect happiness? This episode originally aired on May 31, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Also: why do we treat pets better than people? This episode originally aired on May 24, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Also: why can't humans handle uncertainty already?We’re replaying No Stupid Questions, starting here with the very first episode, from May 17, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How can you learn to love uncertainty? Is it better to cultivate acceptance or strive for change? And, after 223 episodes, what is the meaning of life? SOURCES:Jessica Alquist, professor of psychology at Texas Tech University.Roy Baumeister, professor of psychology at The University of Queensland.Raymond Carver, 20th-century American short story writer and poet.Stephen Colbert, comedian and late-night TV host.Matt Damon, actor and film producer.Viktor Frankl, 20th-century Austrian neurologist, psychiatrist, philosopher.Steve Heine, professor of psychology at University of British Columbia.Charles Krauthammer, journalist.Reinhold Niebuhr, 20th-century American theologian.Keanu Reeves, actor.Elisabeth Sifton, author, editor, and book publisher. RESOURCES:Start Making Sense: How Existential Psychology Can Help Us Build Meaningful Lives in Absurd Times, by Steve Heine (2025)."Learning to Love Uncertainty," by Jessica L. Alquist and Roy F. Baumeister (Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2024)."Confused or Curious? Openness/Intellect Predicts More Positive Interest-Confusion Relations," by Kirill Fayn, Paul J. Silvia, Egon Dejonckheere, Stijn Verdonck, and Peter Kuppens (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2019)."A Note to Readers," by Charles Krauthammer (The Washington Post, 2018)."Interest — The Curious Emotion," by Paul J. Silvia (Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2008).The Serenity Prayer: Faith and Politics in Times of Peace and War, by Elisabeth Sifton (2003)."Late Fragment," by Raymond Carver (A New Path to the Waterfall, 1989).Man's Search for Meaning, by Viktor Frankl (1946). EXTRAS:"What Makes an Idea Interesting?" by No Stupid Questions (2024)."Should You Get Out of Your Comfort Zone?" by No Stupid Questions (2024)."Do You Need Closure?" by No Stupid Questions (2024)."Secret o’ Life," by James Taylor (JT, 1977). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What do Karl Marx, Sigmund Freud, and Malcolm Gladwell have in common? Are interesting theories more significant than true ones? And what has been keeping Angela up at night? Plus: an important announcement about the show. SOURCES:Charles Darwin, 19th-century naturalist and biologist.Murray Davis, cultural sociologist.Malcolm Gladwell, journalist and author.Adam Grant, professor of management and psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.B. F. Skinner, 20th-century American psychologist. RESOURCES:Small Fry, by Lisa Brennan-Jobs (2018).Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance, by Angela Duckworth (2016)."Why Malcolm Gladwell’s Ideas Are So Interesting, Whether or Not They’re True," by Adam Grant (Quartz, 2015).David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants, by Malcolm Gladwell (2013).Curious?: Discover the Missing Ingredient to a Fulfilling Life, by Todd Kashdan (2009)."Interest — The Curious Emotion," by Paul J. Silvia (2008).Exploring the Psychology of Interest, by Paul J. Silvia (2006)."The Ketchup Conundrum," by Malcolm Gladwell (The New Yorker, 2004)."That's Interesting!: Towards a Phenomenology of Sociology and a Sociology of Phenomenology," by Murray S. Davis (Philosophy of the Social Sciences, 1971).The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, by Charles Darwin (1872). EXTRAS:"How Do You Identify a Narcissist?" by No Stupid Questions (2024)."Is Screen Time as Poisonous as We Think?" by Freakonomics Radio (2024)."Abortion and Crime, Revisited (Update)," by Freakonomics Radio (2024). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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? SOURCES:Bradley Bond, professor of communication studies at the University of San Diego.John Cacioppo, professor of psychology at the University of Chicago.Joe Cobbs, professor of marketing at Northern Kentucky University.Nick Epley, professor of behavioral science at the University of Chicago.Katy Milkman, professor of operations, information, and decisions at the University of Pennsylvania.Emily Oster, professor of economics at Brown University.Anuj Shah, professor of behavioral science at the University of Chicago. RESOURCES:"Knowledge About Others Reduces One’s Own Sense of Anonymity," by Anuj K. Shah and Michael LaForest (Nature, 2022)."Tragic but True: How Podcasters Replaced Our Real Friends," by Rachel Aroesti (The Guardian, 2021)."The Development and Influence of Parasocial Relationships With Television Characters: A Longitudinal Experimental Test of Prejudice Reduction Through Parasocial Contact," by Bradley J. Bond (Communication Research, 2020)."A Mind like Mine: The Exceptionally Ordinary Underpinnings of Anthropomorphism," by Nicholas Epley (Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, 2018)."Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance," by Angela Duckworth (TED, 2013)."How Soap Operas Changed the World," by Stephanie Hegarty (BBC, 2012)."The Power of TV: Cable Television and Women's Status in India," by Robert Jensen and Emily Oster (The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 2009). EXTRAS:"Can A.I. Companions Replace Human Connection?" by No Stupid Questions (2024)."Rivalry," by Tell Me Something I Don't Know (2017).Behavior Change for Good Initiative.Everything Is Alive.The Know Rivalry Project. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.