No Stupid Questions 444o56

Also: should we all have personal mission statements? This episode originally aired on June 21, 2020. 

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.

Also: is life precious because it’s finite? This episode originally aired on June 7, 2020. 

Also: how does age affect happiness? This episode originally aired on May 31, 2020. 

Also: why do we treat pets better than people? This episode originally aired on May 24, 2020.

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.

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" by James Taylor (JT, 1977).

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 ion 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).

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 ," 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 ion 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.

Are things really as bad as they seem? Has Gen Z given up hope for the world? And why was the father of positive psychology a lifelong pessimist?   SOURCES:Albert Bandura, professor of psychology at Stanford University. David Brooks, author and opinion columnist.  Andrew Grove, former C.E.O. and chairman of Intel Corporation. Kalev Leetaru, founder of the GDELT Project. Steven Maier, professor of behavioral neuroscience at the University of Colorado Boulder. Michelle Obama, attorney, author, and former first lady of the United States. Steven Pinker, professor of psychology at Harvard University. Amanda Ripley, journalist and author. Martin Seligman, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Jean Twenge, professor of psychology at San Diego State University. Edward Zigler, professor emeritus of psychology at Yale University.   RESOURCES:"Chicken Littles Are Ruining America," by David Brooks (The Atlantic, 2024). Generations, by Jean Twenge (2023). Enlightenment Now, by Steven Pinker (2018). "The Short History of Global Living Conditions and Why It Matters That We Know It," by Max Roser (Our World in Data, 2016). "Learned Helplessness at Fifty: Insights from Neuroscience," by Steven F. Maier and Martin E. P. Seligman (Psychological Review, 2016). "Short- and Long-Term Consequences of Stressor Controllability in Adolescent Rats," by Kenneth H. Kubala, John P. Christianson, Steven F. Maier, et al. (Behavioural Brain Research, 2012). The Better Angels of Our Nature, by Steven Pinker (2011). "Forecasting Large-Scale Human Behavior Using Global News Media Tone in Time and Space," by Kalev Leetaru (First Monday, 2011). "Motivational Aspects of Changes in IQ Test Performance of Culturally Deprived Nursery School Children," by Edward Zigler and Earl C. Butterfield (Child Development, 1968). "Failure to Escape Traumatic Shock," by Martin E. P. Seligman and Steven F. Maier (Journal of Experimental Psychology, 1967). Upworthy.   EXTRAS:"Why Is U.S. Media So Negative?" by Freakonomics Radio (2021).

Does a surplus of information create a shortage of attention? Are today’s young people really unable to focus? And do goldfish need better PR" by People I (Mostly) ire (2023).

What’s the difference between narcissism and high self-esteem? Does social media fuel arrogance or self-consciousness? And do people get less toxic with age" by No Stupid Questions (2023). The Big Short: Inside the Doomsday Machine, by Michael Lewis (2010).

How many bottles of wine are regifted? What’s wrong with giving cash? And should Angela give her husband a subscription to the Sausage of the Month Club?   SOURCES:Joel Waldfogel, professor of strategic management & entrepreneurship at the University of Minnesota.   RESOURCES:“How to Become a Truly Excellent Gift Giver,” by Eliza Brooke (Vox, 2022). “How to Calculate a Holiday Tip for the Doorman,” by Ronda Kaysen (The New York Times, 2022). “Least Favorite Gifts to Receive for Christmas in the United States in 2022, by Generation,” (Statista, 2022). “(Not) Giving the Same Old Song and Dance: Givers’ Misguided Concerns About Thoughtfulness and Boringness Keep Them From Repeating Gifts,” by Julian Givi (Journal of Business Research, 2020). “Does Anyone Really Buy the Giant Car Bows You See in Every Commercial?” by Aditi Shrikant (Vox, 2018). “It’s the Motive That Counts: Perceived Sacrifice Motives and Gratitude in Romantic Relationships,” by Mariko L. Visserman, sca Righetti, Emily A. Impett, Dacher Keltner, and Paul A. M. Van Lange (Emotion, 2018). “Why Certain Gifts Are Great to Give but Not to Get: A Framework for Understanding Errors in Gift Giving,” by Jeff Galak, Julian Givi, and Elanor F. Williams (Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2016). “The Girl Who Gets Gifts From Birds,” by Katy Sewall (B.B.C. News, 2015). “The Disappointing Gift: Dispositional and Situational s of Emotional Expressions,” by Renée M. Tobin and William G. Graziano (Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 2011). Scroogenomics: Why You Shouldn’t Buy Presents for the Holidays, by Joel Waldfogel (2009). “The Deadweight Loss of Christmas,” by Joel Waldfogel (The American Economic Review, 1993). United States Postal Service Employee Tipping and Gift-Receiving Policy.   EXTRAS:“Have a Very Homo Economicus Christmas,” by Freakonomics Radio (2012).

How does social media exploit our evolutionary instincts? How dangerous is it to post about your children online? And does Angela regret talking about her daughters on the podcast?   SOURCES:Erin Carbone, visiting assistant professor of social and decision sciences at Carnegie Mellon University. Jimmy Kimmel, comedian and late-night television host. George Loewenstein, professor of economics and psychology at Carnegie Mellon University. Taylor Swift, singer-songwriter. Christie Tate, essayist and author.   RESOURCES:"Five Takeaways From The Times’s Investigation Into Child Influencers," by The New York Times (2024). "Online 'Sharenting': The Dangers of Posting Sensitive Information About Children on Social Media," by Pietro Ferrara, Ignazio Cammisa, Massimo Pettoello-Mantovani, et al. (The Journal of Pediatrics, 2023). "Privacy Preferences and the Drive to Disclose," by Erin Carbone and George Loewenstein (Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2023). "My Daughter Asked Me to Stop Writing About Motherhood. Here’s Why I Can’t Do That," by Christie Tate (The Washington Post, 2019). "When Kids Realize Their Whole Life Is Already Online," by Taylor Lorenz (The Atlantic, 2019). "'Sharenting' Puts Young at Risk of Online Fraud," by Sean Coughlan (BBC News, 2018). "Everything You Need to Know About the 'Right to be forgotten,'" fact sheet by the European Union.   EXTRAS:"What Is Your ?" by Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2015). "The Best Day," by Taylor Swift (2009).

Would you steal Halloween candy? Should people be required to identify themselves online?  And why did Angela go trick-or-treating in a trash bag" by Freakonomics Radio (2012).

Is it better to explain a mistake or just accept responsibility? What’s the difference between an excuse and a justification? And why is it important to that you’re not a pizzeria on the Jersey Shore" song by The Drifters (1964).

What’s wrong with donating to charity for the tax write-off? Should we think less of people who do volunteer work to pad their resumes? And why is Angela stopping women in public parks to compliment them?   SOURCES:Bill Gates, co-founder of Microsoft and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Geoffrey Goodwin, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Jon Huntsman, politician, diplomat, and businessman. Immanuel Kant, 18th-century German philosopher. Emrys Westacott, professor of philosophy at Alfred University.   RESOURCES:"How Inferred Motives Shape Moral Judgements," by Ryan W. Carlson, Yochanan E. Bigman, Kurt Gray, Melissa J. Ferguson, and M. J. Crockett (Nature Reviews Psychology, 2022). "Just 2 Minutes of Walking After a Meal Is Surprisingly Good for You," by Rachel Fairbank (The New York Times, 2022). "Psychological Egoism," by Emrys Westacott (ThoughtCo, 2020). "A Meta-Analytic Review of Moral Licensing," by Irene Blanken, Niels van de Ven, and Marcel Zeelenberg (Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 2015). "Selfish or Selfless? On the Signal Value of Emotion in Altruistic Behavior," by Alixandra Barasch, Emma E. Levine, Jonathan Z. Berman, and Deborah A. Small (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2014). "Greenwashing — the Deceptive Tactics Behind Environmental Claims," by the United Nations.   EXTRAS:"Giving It Away," by People I (Mostly) ire (2022). "How Can We Get More Virtue and Less ‘Virtue Signaling’?" by No Stupid Questions (2020). "Does Doing Good Give You License to Be Bad?" by Freakonomics Radio (2018).

How do you come back from being “canceled”? Are we more likely to forgive someone if they cry? And what makes a successful public apology" S1.E5 of Modern Family (2009).

When are negative emotions enjoyable? Are we all a little masochistic? And do pigs like hot sauce?   SOURCES:Carol Dweck, professor of psychology at Stanford University. Sigmund Freud, neurologist and father of psychoanalysis. Paul Rozin, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Robert Sapolsky, professor of biology, neurology, and neurosurgery at Stanford University. George Vaillant, professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Mass General Research Institute.   RESOURCES:"The 10 Scariest Horror Movies Ever," by RT Staff (Rotten Tomatoes, 2022). "Box Office History for Horror," (The Numbers, 2022). "Around the World, Adolescence Is a Time of Heightened Sensation Seeking and Immature Self-Regulation," by Laurence Steinberg, Grace Icenogle, Hanan M. S. Takash, et al. (Developmental Science, 2018). "Why Taste Buds Dull As We Age," by Natalie Jacewicz (The Salt, 2017). Horror Literature Through History, edited by Matt Cardin (2017). "Why We Love the Pain of Spicy Food," by John McQuaid (The Wall Street Journal, 2014). "Glad to Be Sad, and Other Examples of Benign Masochism," by Paul Rozin, Lily Guillot, Katrina Fincher, Alexander Rozin, and Eli Tsukayama (Judgment and Decision Making, 2013). "The Ignorant and the Furious: Video and Catharsis," by the Association for Psychological Science (2010). Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, by Carol S. Dweck (2006). "Adaptive Mental Mechanisms: Their Role in a Positive Psychology," by George E. Vaillant (American Psychologist, 2000).   EXTRAS:Terrifier 2, film (2022). "How to Change Your Mind (Update)," by Freakonomics Radio (2022). "Why Is U.S. Media So Negative?" by Freakonomics Radio (2021). "Why Is Academic Writing So Bad?" by No Stupid Questions (2021). Han Dynasty restaurant.

What makes normal people do terrible things? Are there really bad apples — or just bad barrels? And how should you deal with a nefarious next-door neighbor?   SOURCES:Jonathan Haidt, professor of ethical leadership at New York University’s Stern School of Business. Christina Maslach, professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. Stanley Milgram, 20th century professor of psychology at Yale University. Edward R. Murrow, 20th century American broadcast journalist and war correspondent. Alexander Pope, 17-18th century English poet. Adrian Raine, professor of criminology, psychiatry, and psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Oskar Schindler, 20th century German businessman. Philip Zimbardo, professor emeritus of psychology at Stanford University.   RESOURCES:"Mental Illness and Violence: Debunking Myths, Addressing Realities," by Tori DeAngelis (Monitor on Psychology, 2021). "How 'Evil' Became a Conservative Buzzword," by Emma Green (The Atlantic, 2017). "The Double-Edged Sword: Does Biomechanism Increase or Decrease Judges' Sentencing of Psychopaths?" by Lisa G. Aspinwall, Teneille R. Brown, and James Tabery (Science, 2012). "The Psychology of Evil," by Philip Zimbardo (TED Talk, 2008). The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil, by Philip Zimbardo (2007). "When Morality Opposes Justice: Conservatives Have Moral Intuitions that Liberals may not Recognize," by Jonathan Haidt and Jesse Graham (Social Justice Research, 2007). "Abu Ghraib Whistleblower Speaks Out," by Michele Norris (All Things Considered, 2006). Obedience to Authority: An Experimental View, by Stanley Milgram (1974).   EXTRAS:"Does Free Will Exist, and Does It Matter?" by No Stupid Questions (2024). "Are You Suffering From Burnout?" by No Stupid Questions (2023). Lolita, by Vladimir Nabokov (1955). "Essay on Man, Epistle II," poem by Alexander Pope (1733).