What’s the point of money? The answer might seem obvious: we need it to get paid for our work, and to buy the things we need. But there’s also a deeper way to look at the role of money in our lives. This week we explore an anthropologist’s take on the origin story of money. What if the cash and coins we carry are not just tools for transactions, but manifestations of human relationships?
Money 2.0: Emotional Currency Read More »
Have you had a recent surprise expense? You’re not alone. More than half of American households report facing an unplanned financial shock in the last year. This week, in the second part of our new “Money 2.0” series, psychologist Abigail Sussman points out our blindspots around money, and how we can be smarter about spending and saving.
Money 2.0: Why We Bust Our Budgets Read More »
Neuroscientist Doug Fields was on a trip to Europe when a pickpocket stole his wallet. Doug, normally mild-mannered, became enraged — and his fury turned him into a stranger to himself. This week, we revisit a favorite 2020 episode about the secret logic of irrational anger.
Have you ever been in a position where you had to choose between someone you care about and a value that you hold dear? Maybe you had to decide whether to report a friend who was cheating on an exam, or a co-worker who was stealing from the tip jar. This week, we tell the story of a Detroit police officer who found himself in this sort of dilemma, forced to choose between people he loved and the oath he swore to serve his community. What happens in our minds when we have to decide what is right and what is wrong?
When Doing Right Feels Wrong Read More »
We all self-censor at times. We keep quiet at dinner with our in-laws, or nod passively in a work meeting. But what happens when we take this deception a step further, and pretend we believe the opposite of what we really feel? In this favorite episode from 2020, economist and political scientist Timur Kuran explains how our personal, professional and political lives are shaped by the fear of what other people think.
A Conspiracy of Silence Read More »
When disaster strikes — from the explosion of a space shuttle to the spread of a deadly virus — we want to know whether we could have avoided catastrophe. Did anyone speak up with concerns about the situation? And if so, why didn’t someone listen? This week, we revisit a favorite episode about the psychology of warnings, and how we can all become better at predicting the future.
You Don’t Need a Crystal Ball Read More »
Social media sites offer quick and easy ways to share ideas, crack jokes, find old friends. They can make us feel part of something big and wonderful and fast-moving. But the things we post don’t go away. And they can come back to haunt us. This week, we explore how one teenager’s social media posts destroyed a golden opportunity he’d worked for all his life.
You Can’t Hit Unsend Read More »
Do you ever stop to wonder if the way you see the world is how the world really is? Economist Abhijit Banerjee has spent a lifetime asking himself this question. His answer: Our world views often don’t reflect reality. The only way to get more accurate is to think like a scientist — even when you’re not looking through a microscope.
Putting Our Assumptions to the Test Read More »
Do you ever struggle to communicate with your mom? Or feel like you and your spouse sometimes speak different languages? In the final episode of our “Mind Reading 2.0” series, we bring back one of our favorite conversations, with linguist Deborah Tannen. She shows how our conversational styles can cause unintended conflicts, and what we can do to communicate more effectively with the people in our lives.
Why Conversations Go Wrong Read More »
Most of our public and economic policies take aim at these sorts of people — the wrongdoers and the profiteers. But is there a hidden cost to the rest of us when we put bad actors at the center of our thinking?
Mind Reading 2.0: Our Better Angels Read More »
