Best Dubner Productions Podcasts (2024)

1
597. Why Do Your Eyeglasses Cost $1,000? 54:39

1h ago54:39

54:39

A single company, EssilorLuxottica, owns so much of the eyewear industry that it’s hard to escape their gravitational pull — or their “obscene” markups. Should regulators do something? Can Warby Parker steal market share? And how did Ray-Bans become a luxury brand? (Part one of a two-part series.) SOURCES: Neil Blumenthal, co-founder and co-CEO of …

1
EXTRA: People Aren’t Dumb. The World Is Hard. (Update) 53:13

1d ago53:13

53:13

You wouldn’t think you could win a Nobel Prize for showing that humans tend to make irrational decisions. But that’s what Richard Thaler has done. In an interview from 2018, the founder of behavioral economics describes his unlikely route to success; his reputation for being lazy; and his efforts to fix the world — one nudge at a time. SOURCES: Ric…

51
596. Farewell to a Generational Talent 52:41

3d ago52:41

52:41

Daniel Kahneman left his mark on academia (and the real world) in countless ways. A group of his friends and colleagues recently gathered in Chicago to reflect on this legacy — and we were there, with microphones. SOURCES: Maya Bar-Hillel, professor emeritus of psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Shane Frederick, professor of marketin…

1
595. Why Don't We Have Better Candidates for President? 1:01:50

10d ago1:01:50

1:01:50

American politics is trapped in a duopoly, with two all-powerful parties colluding to stifle competition. We revisit a 2018 episode to explain how the political industry works, and talk to a reformer (and former presidential candidate) who is pushing for change. SOURCES: Katherine Gehl, former president and C.E.O. of Gehl Foods. Michael Porter, pro…

1
594. Your Brand’s Spokesperson Just Got Arrested — Now What? 43:38

17d ago43:38

43:38

It’s hard to know whether the benefits of hiring a celebrity are worth the risk. We dig into one gruesome story of an endorsement gone wrong, and find a surprising result. SOURCES: John Cawley, professor of economics at Cornell University. Elizabeth (Zab) Johnson, executive director and senior fellow with the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative at the …

1
593. You Can Make a Killing, but Not a Living 49:39

24d ago49:39

49:39

Broadway operates on a winner-take-most business model. A runaway hit like Stereophonic — which just won five Tony Awards — will create a few big winners. But even the stars of the show will have to go elsewhere to make real money. (Part two of a two-part series.) SOURCES: David Adjmi, author and playwright. Sonia Friedman, theater producer and fou…

1
EXTRA: The Fascinatingly Mundane Secrets of the World’s Most Exclusive Nightclub 44:58

26d ago44:58

44:58

The Berlin dance mecca Berghain is known for its eight-hour line and inscrutable door policy. PJ Vogt, host of the podcast Search Engine, joins us to crack the code. It has to do with Cold War rivalries, German tax law, and one very talented bouncer. SOURCES: Lutz Leichsenring, executive board member of Clubcommission Berlin and co-founder of VibeL…

1
592. How to Make the Coolest Show on Broadway 1:05:08

1M ago1:05:08

1:05:08

Hit by Covid, runaway costs, and a zillion streams of competition, serious theater is in serious trouble. A new hit play called Stereophonic — the most Tony-nominated play in history — has something to say about that. We speak with the people who make it happen every night. (Part one of a two-part series.) SOURCES: David Adjmi, author and playwrigh…

1
591. Signs of Progress, One Year at a Time 53:20

1M ago53:20

53:20

Every December, a British man named Tom Whitwell publishes a list of 52 things he’s learned that year. These fascinating facts reveal the spectrum of human behavior, from fraud and hypocrisy to Whitwell’s steadfast belief in progress. Should we also believe? SOURCES: Tom Whitwell, managing consultant at Magnetic. RESOURCES: "Supercentenarian and Re…

1
EXTRA: The Opioid Tragedy — How We Got Here 41:59

1M ago41:59

41:59

An update of our 2020 series, in which we spoke with physicians, researchers, and addicts about the root causes of the crisis — and the tension between abstinence and harm reduction. SOURCES: Gail D’Onofrio, professor and chair of emergency medicine at the Yale School of Medicine and chief of emergency services at Yale-New Haven Health. Keith Humph…

1
590. Can $55 Billion End the Opioid Epidemic? 40:56

1M ago40:56

40:56

Thanks to legal settlements with drug makers and distributors, states have plenty of money to boost prevention and treatment. Will it work? (Part two of a two-part series.) SOURCES: Keith Humphreys, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University. Stephen Loyd, chief medical officer of Cedar Recovery and chair of the Tennesse…

1
589. Why Has the Opioid Crisis Lasted So Long? 48:33

2M ago48:33

48:33

Most epidemics flare up, do their damage, and fade away. This one has been raging for almost 30 years. To find out why, it’s time to ask some uncomfortable questions. (Part one of a two-part series.) SOURCES: David Cutler, professor of economics at Harvard University. Travis Donahoe, professor of health policy and management at the University of Pi…

1
Extra: Car Colors & Storage Units 35:15

2M ago35:15

35:15

Presenting two stories from The Economics of Everyday Things: Why does it seem like every car is black, white, or gray these days? And: How self-storage took over America. SOURCES: Tom Crockett, classic car enthusiast. Zachary Dickens, executive vice president and chief investment officer of Extra Space Storage. Mark Gutjahr, global head of design …

1
588. Confessions of a Black Conservative 56:40

2M ago56:40

56:40

The economist and social critic Glenn Loury has led a remarkably turbulent life, both professionally and personally. In a new memoir, he has chosen to reveal just about everything. Why? SOURCE: Glenn Loury, professor of economics at Brown University and host of The Glenn Show. RESOURCES: Late Admissions: Confessions of a Black Conservative, by Glen…

1
587. Should Companies Be Owned by Their Workers? 46:33

2M ago46:33

46:33

The employee ownership movement is growing, and one of its biggest champions is also a private equity heavyweight. Is this meaningful change, or just window dressing? SOURCES: Marjorie Kelly, distinguished senior fellow at The Democracy Collaborative. Corey Rosen, founder and senior staff member of the National Center for Employee Ownership. Pete S…

1
586. How Does the Lost World of Vienna Still Shape Our Lives? 57:19

2M ago57:19

57:19

From politics and economics to psychology and the arts, many of the modern ideas we take for granted emerged a century ago from a single European capital. In this episode of the Freakonomics Radio Book Club, the historian Richard Cockett explores all those ideas — and how the arrival of fascism can ruin in a few years what took generations to build…

1
Extra: Why Is 23andMe Going Under? (Update) 1:02:04

3M ago1:02:04

1:02:04

Five years ago, we published an episode about the boom in home DNA testing kits, focusing on the high-flying firm 23andMe and its C.E.O. Anne Wojcicki. Their flight has been extremely bumpy since then. This update includes an additional interview with the Wall Street Journal reporter who has been investigating the firm’s collapse. SOURCES: Rolfe Wi…

1
585. A Social Activist in Prime Minister’s Clothing 52:26

3M ago52:26

52:26

Justin Trudeau, facing record-low approval numbers, is doubling down on his progressive agenda. But he is so upbeat (and Canada-polite) that it’s easy to miss just how radical his vision is. Can he make it work? SOURCE: Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada. RESOURCES: 2024 Canadian Federal Budget. "Canada to Set First-Ever Cap on Temporary Resi…

1
584. How to Pave the Road to Hell 43:42

3M ago43:42

43:42

So you want to help people? That’s great — but beware the law of unintended consequences. Three stories from the modern workplace. SOURCES: Joshua Angrist, professor of economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Zoe Cullen, professor of business administration at Harvard Business School. Marina Gertsberg, senior lecturer in finance at …

1
Extra: The Men Who Started a Thinking Revolution (Update) 34:51

3M ago34:51

34:51

The psychologist Daniel Kahneman — a Nobel laureate and the author of Thinking, Fast and Slow — recently died at age 90. Along with his collaborator Amos Tversky, he changed how we all think about decision-making. The journalist Michael Lewis told the Kahneman-Tversky story in a 2016 book called The Undoing Project. In this episode, Lewis explains …

1
Why Are There So Many Bad Bosses? (Update) 49:41

3M ago49:41

49:41

People who are good at their jobs routinely get promoted into bigger jobs they’re bad at. We explain why firms keep producing incompetent managers — and why that’s unlikely to change. SOURCES: Nick Bloom, professor of economics at Stanford University. Katie Johnson, freelance data and analytics coach. Kelly Shue, professor of finance at the Yale Un…

1
583. Are We Living Through the Most Revolutionary Period in History? 1:02:43

3M ago1:02:43

1:02:43

Fareed Zakaria says yes. But it’s not just political revolution — it’s economic, technological, even emotional. He doesn’t offer easy solutions but he does offer some hope. SOURCES: Fareed Zakaria, journalist and author. RESOURCES: Age of Revolutions: Progress and Backlash from 1600 to the Present, by Fareed Zakaria (2024). "The Ultimate Election Y…

1
Extra: How Much Do You Know About Immigration? 27:39

3M ago27:39

27:39

The political debates over immigration can generate a lot of fuzzy facts. We wanted to test Americans’ knowledge — so, to wrap up our special series on immigration, we called some Freakonomics Radio listeners and quizzed them. SOURCES: Zeke Hernandez, professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. RESOURCES: The Truth About Immi…

1
582. Why Is Everyone Moving to Canada? 49:47

4M ago49:47

49:47

As the U.S. tries to fix its messy immigration system, our neighbor to the north is scooping up more talented newcomers every year. Are the Canadians stealing America’s bacon? (Part three of a three-part series.) SOURCES: Zeke Hernandez, professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. William Kerr, professor of business administr…

1
581. What Both Parties Get Wrong About Immigration 55:50

4M ago55:50

55:50

The U.S. immigration system is a massively complicated machine, with a lot of worn-out parts. How to fix it? Step one: Get hold of some actual facts and evidence. (We did this step for you.) (Part two of a three-part series.) SOURCES: Zeke Hernandez, professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. David Leonhardt, senior writer a…

1
Extra: Madeleine Albright’s Warning on Immigration 29:04

4M ago29:04

29:04

She arrived in the U.S. as an 11-year-old refugee, then rose to become Secretary of State. Her views on immigration, nationalism, and borders, from this 2015 interview, are almost strangely appropriate to the present moment. SOURCE: Madeleine Albright, U.S. Secretary of State under President Bill Clinton and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nat…

1
580. The True Story of America’s Supremely Messed-Up Immigration System 55:05

4M ago55:05

55:05

How did a nation of immigrants come to hate immigration? We start at the beginning, sort through the evidence, and explain why your grandfather was lying about Ellis Island. (Part one of a three-part series.) SOURCES: Leah Boustan, professor of economics at Princeton University. Zeke Hernandez, professor at the Wharton School at the University of P…

1
579. Are You Caught in a Social Media Trap? 42:16

4M ago42:16

42:16

Economists have discovered an odd phenomenon: many people who use social media (even you, maybe?) wish it didn’t exist. But that doesn’t mean they can escape. SOURCES: Leonardo Bursztyn, professor of economics at the University of Chicago. Benjamin Handel, professor of economics at the University of California, Berkeley. RESOURCES: "When Product Ma…

1
Extra: What Is Sportswashing — and Does It Work? (Update) 1:05:17

4M ago1:05:17

1:05:17

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 PGA Tour. Can a sporting event really repair a country’s reputation — or will it trigger the dreaded Streisand Effect? Also: why the major U.S. sports leagues are warming up to the idea of foreign investment. S…

1
578. Water, Water Everywhere — But You Have to Stop and Think 52:14

5M ago52:14

52:14

What surprises lurk in our sewage? How did racist city planners end up saving Black lives? Why does Arizona grow hay for cows in Saudi Arabia? Three strange stories about the most fundamental substance we all take for granted. SOURCES: Brian Beach, professor of economics at Vanderbilt University. Marc Johnson, professor of molecular microbiology an…

1
Is Google Getting Worse? (Update) 56:53

5M ago56:53

56:53

It used to feel like magic. Now it can feel like a set of cheap tricks. Is the problem with Google — or with us? And is Google Search finally facing a real rival, in the form of A.I.-powered “answer engines”? SOURCES: Marissa Mayer, co-founder of Sunshine; former C.E.O. of Yahoo! and vice president at Google. Ryan McDevitt; professor of economics a…

1
Extra: Mr. Feynman Takes a Trip — But Doesn’t Fall 47:31

5M ago47:31

47:31

A wide-open conversation with three women who guided Richard Feynman through some big adventures at the Esalen Institute. (Part of our Feynman series.) SOURCES: Barbara Berg, friend of Richard Feynman. Cheryl Haley, friend of Richard Feynman. Debby Harlow, friend of Richard Feynma Sam Stern, content creator at the Esalen Institute. EXTRAS: Richard …

1
The Vanishing Mr. Feynman 1:01:04

5M ago1:01:04

1:01:04

In his final years, Richard Feynman's curiosity took him to some surprising places. We hear from his companions on the trips he took — and one he wasn’t able to. (Part three of a three-part series.) SOURCES: Alan Alda, actor and screenwriter. Barbara Berg, friend of Richard Feynman. Helen Czerski, physicist and oceanographer at University College L…

1
The Brilliant Mr. Feynman 52:41

5M ago52:41

52:41

What happens when an existentially depressed and recently widowed young physicist from Queens gets a fresh start in California? We follow Richard Feynman out west, to explore his long and extremely fruitful second act. (Part two of a three-part series.) SOURCES: Seamus Blackley, video game designer and creator of the Xbox. Carl Feynman, computer sc…

1
How the San Francisco 49ers Stopped Being Losers (Update) 1:03:46

5M ago1:03:46

1:03:46

They’re heading to the Super Bowl for the second time in five years. But back in 2018, they were coming off a long losing streak — and that’s the year we sat down with 49ers players, coaches, and executives to hear their turnaround plans. It’s probably time to consider the turnaround a success. SOURCES: Jimmy Garoppolo, quarterback for the Las Vega…

1
The Curious Mr. Feynman 1:02:22

5M ago1:02:22

1:02:22

From the Manhattan Project to the Challenger investigation, the physicist Richard Feynman loved to shoot down what he called “lousy ideas.” Today, the world is awash in lousy ideas — so maybe it’s time to get some more Feynman in our lives? (Part one of a three-part series.) SOURCES: Helen Czerski, physicist and oceanographer at University College …

1
574. “A Low Moment in Higher Education” 46:51

6M ago46:51

46:51

Michael Roth of Wesleyan University doesn’t hang out with other university presidents. He also thinks some of them have failed a basic test of good sense and decency. It’s time for a conversation about college, and courage. SOURCE: Michael S. Roth, president of Wesleyan University. RESOURCES: "Opinion: College Presidents Are Supposed to Be Moral Le…

1
5 Psychology Terms You’re Probably Misusing (Replay) 49:12

6M ago49:12

49:12

We all like to throw around terms that describe human behavior — “bystander apathy” and “steep learning curve” and “hard-wired.” Most of the time, they don’t actually mean what we think they mean. But don’t worry — the experts are getting it wrong, too. SOURCES: Sharon Begley, senior science writer for Stat at The Boston Globe. Jerome Kagan, emerit…

1
573. Can Academic Fraud Be Stopped? 1:02:32

6M ago1:02:32

1:02:32

Probably not — the incentives are too strong. Scholarly publishing is a $28 billion global industry, with misconduct at every level. But a few reformers are gaining ground. (Part 2 of 2) SOURCES: Max Bazerman, professor of business administration at Harvard Business School. Leif Nelson, professor of business administration at the University of Cali…

1
572. Why Is There So Much Fraud in Academia? 1:14:06

6M ago1:14:06

1:14:06

Some of the biggest names in behavioral science stand accused of faking their results. Last year, an astonishing 10,000 research papers were retracted. We talk to whistleblowers, reformers, and a co-author who got caught up in the chaos. (Part 1 of 2) SOURCES: Max Bazerman, professor of business administration at Harvard Business School. Leif Nelso…

1
571. Greeting Cards, Pizza Boxes, and Personal Injury Lawyers 49:25

6M ago49:25

49:25

In a special episode of The Economics of Everyday Things, host Zachary Crockett explains what millennials do to show they care, how corrugated cardboard keeps your food warm, and why every city has a billboard for a guy who calls himself “The Hammer.” SOURCES: Jason Abraham, managing partner of Hupy & Abraham. Nora Engstrom, professor at Stanford L…

1
570. Is Gynecology the Best Innovation Ever? 46:02

7M ago46:02

46:02

In a special episode of People I (Mostly) Admire, Steve Levitt talks to Cat Bohannon about her new book Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution. SOURCE: Cat Bohannon, researcher and author. RESOURCES: Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution, by Cat Bohannon (2023). "Genomic Inference of a Seve…

1
569. Do You Need Closure? 39:34

7M ago39:34

39:34

In a special episode of No Stupid Questions, Angela Duckworth and Mike Maughan talk about unfinished tasks, recurring arguments, and Irish goodbyes. SOURCES: Roy Baumeister, social psychologist and visiting scholar at Harvard University. Daniel Gilbert, professor of psychology at Harvard University. John Gottman, professor emeritus of psychology at…

1
568. Why Are People So Mad at Michael Lewis? 1:00:36

7M ago1:00:36

1:00:36

Lewis got incredible access to Sam Bankman-Fried, the billionaire behind the spectacular FTX fraud. His book is a bestseller, but some critics say he went too easy on S.B.F. Lewis tells us why the critics are wrong — and what it’s like to watch your book get turned into a courtroom drama. SOURCES: Michael Lewis, author. RESOURCES: Going Infinite: T…

1
567. Do the Police Have a Management Problem? 47:39

7M ago47:39

47:39

In policing, as in most vocations, the best employees are often promoted into leadership without much training. One economist thinks he can address this problem — and, with it, America’s gun violence. SOURCES Kenneth Corey, director of outreach and engagement for the Policing Leadership Academy at the University of Chicago and retired chief of depa…

1
513. Should Public Transit Be Free? (Update) 56:10

8M ago56:10

56:10

It boosts economic opportunity and social mobility. It’s good for the environment. So why do we charge people to use it? The short answer: it’s complicated. Also: We talk to the man who gets half the nation’s mass-transit riders where they want to go (most of the time). SOURCES: Marcus Finbom, traffic planner in Stockholm, Sweden. Robbie Makinen, f…

1
566. Why Is It So Hard (and Expensive) to Build Anything in America? 54:45

8M ago54:45

54:45

Most industries have become more productive over time. But not construction! We identify the causes — and possible solutions. (Can you say ... “prefab”?) RESOURCES: "The Strange and Awful Path of Productivity in the US Construction Sector," by Austan Goolsbee and Chad Syverson (BFI Working Paper, 2023). "Infrastructure Costs," by Leah Brooks and Za…

1
Extra: Jason Kelce Hates to Lose 56:39

8M ago56:39

56:39

Pro footballer and star podcaster Jason Kelce is ubiquitous right now (almost as ubiquitous as his brother and co-host Travis, who's been in the limelight for his relationship with Taylor Swift). After you hear this wide-ranging interview, you might want even more Kelce in your life. RESOURCES: “N.F.L. Player Team Report Cards,” by the National Foo…

1
565. Are Private Equity Firms Plundering the U.S. Economy? 51:17

8M ago51:17

51:17

They say they make companies more efficient through savvy management. Critics say they bend the rules to enrich themselves at the expense of consumers and employees. Can they both be right? (Probably not.) RESOURCES: Plunder: Private Equity's Plan to Pillage America, by Brendan Ballou (2023). Two and Twenty: How the Masters of Private Equity Always…

1
480. How Much Does Discrimination Hurt the Economy? (Replay) 57:50

8M ago57:50

57:50

Evidence from Nazi Germany and 1940’s America (and pretty much everywhere else) shows that discrimination is incredibly costly — to the victims, of course, but also the perpetrators. One modern solution is to invoke a diversity mandate. But new research shows that’s not necessarily the answer. RESOURCES: "Discrimination, Managers, and Firm Performa…

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