The Best of Freakonomics
7 most popular Freakonomics articles, as voted by our community.
Follow the Freakonomics Radio podcast for weekly episodes that explore the hidden side of everything — with host Stephen J. Dubner.
Freakonomics on Innovation
Why Do Most Ideas Fail to Scale?
In a new book called The Voltage Effect, the economist John List — who has already revolutionized how his profession does research — is trying to start a scaling revolution. In this installment of the…
Freakonomics on Personal Finance
Are Personal Finance Gurus Giving You Bad Advice?
One Yale economist certainly thinks so. But even if he’s right, are economists any better?
Freakonomics on Persuasion
How to Get Anyone to Do Anything (Ep. 463)
The social psychologist Robert Cialdini is a pioneer in the science of persuasion. His 1984 book Influence is a classic, and he has just published an expanded and revised edition. In this episode of…
«the seven psychological levers that bewitch our rational minds and lead us to buy, behave, or believe without a second thought.»
Freakonomics on Relationships
Can You Change Your Mind Without Losing Face?
Stephen DUBNER: This is B.S. * * * Angela DUCKWORTH: I’m Angela Duckworth. DUBNER: I’m Stephen Dubner. DUCKWORTH + DUBNER: And you’re listening to No Stupid Questions. Today on the show: What is the…
«And he said, “Yeah, that guy, he’s the ‘epit-tome’ of stupidity.” I thought to myself, “Wait a minute, you sure he’s the ‘epit-tome’ of stupidity?”»
Freakonomics on Science
Is the Placebo Effect for Real?
In Latin, the word “placebo” means “I shall please.” In the medical world, placebos mean something … well, a little different. Bapu Jena walks us through the thorny world of placebo research and the…
«KAPTCHUK: And we keep getting this consistent finding. This is still preliminary research, but this is an interesting possibility.»
Popular
These are some all-time favorites with Refind users.
How to Be Creative
Freakonomics Radio presents a special series, “How to Be Creative.” Over the course of the series, you’ll hear from some of the world’s most accomplished creatives: contemporary artist Ai Weiwei,…
“A Fascinating, Sexy, Intellectually Compelling, Unregulated Global Market.” (Ep. 484)
The art market is so opaque and illiquid that it barely functions like a market at all. A handful of big names get all the headlines (and most of the dollars). Beneath the surface is a tangled web of…
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