Podcast · 72 episodes
People I (Mostly) Admire
by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher · English
Freakonomics co-author Steve Levitt tracks down other high achievers for surprising, revealing conversations about their lives and obsessions. Join Levitt as he goes through the most interesting midlife crisis you’ve ever heard — and learn how a renegade sheriff is transforming Chicago's jail, how a biologist is finding the secrets of evolution in the Arctic tundra, and how a trivia champion memorized 160,000 flashcards. To get every show in the Freakonomics Radio Network without ads and a monthly bonus episode of Freakonomics Radio, start a free trial for SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.
Latest episodes
41. Dr. Bapu Jena on Why Freakonomics Is the Best MedicineHow to answer causal questions in medicine without relying only on randomized trials—using “natural/accidental experiments” from observational data—and applying this approach to COVID transmission…26 Sep 2026 · 40 min
How a Great Architect Thinks, with Bjarke Ingels | Better in PersonConversation with architect Bjarke Ingels (BIG) about how he thinks, designs, and leads: “pragmatic utopianism,” giving form to the future, credit/iteration in teams, why architecture lacks…23 Sep 2026 · 43 min
40. Harold Pollack on Why Managing Your Money is as Easy as Taking Out the GarbageHarold Pollack argues that personal finance is mostly simple “index-card” investing: automate basics, avoid high fees, and don’t panic-sell in crashes.19 Sep 2026 · 46 min
All episodes
41. Dr. Bapu Jena on Why Freakonomics Is the Best MedicineHow to answer causal questions in medicine without relying only on randomized trials—using “natural/accidental experiments” from observational data—and applying this approach to COVID transmission…26 Sep 2026 · 40 min · 19 chapters
How a Great Architect Thinks, with Bjarke Ingels | Better in PersonConversation with architect Bjarke Ingels (BIG) about how he thinks, designs, and leads: “pragmatic utopianism,” giving form to the future, credit/iteration in teams, why architecture lacks…23 Sep 2026 · 43 min · 17 chapters
40. Harold Pollack on Why Managing Your Money is as Easy as Taking Out the GarbageHarold Pollack argues that personal finance is mostly simple “index-card” investing: automate basics, avoid high fees, and don’t panic-sell in crashes.19 Sep 2026 · 46 min · 20 chapters
39. Aicha Evans Wants You to Take Your Eyes Off the RoadAisha Evans (Zoox CEO) explains why fully autonomous, fully electric robotaxis are taking longer than expected, and what Zoox is doing about technical, human-psychology, and political/regulatory…12 Sep 2026 · 49 min · 21 chapters
38. Sendhil Mullainathan Explains How to Generate an Idea a Minute (Part 2)Part 2 of Steve Levitt’s conversation with economist Sendhil Mullainathan on “scarcity” as a psychological bandwidth drain, how money-related cues impair cognition, and how to generate ideas; it also…5 Sep 2026 · 37 min · 17 chapters
37. Sendhil Mullainathan Thinks Messing Around Is the Best Use of Your TimeVR and learning; why reading is a weak way to learn; decision-making biases (sunk cost, escalation of commitment, status quo bias, “tomorrow is like yesterday”); and Sendhil Mullainathan’s learning…29 Aug 2026 · 51 min · 16 chapters
36. How Rahm Emanuel Would Run the WorldRahm Emanuel discusses his “mayors run the world” thesis through the early COVID-19 crisis, arguing that when national government is dysfunctional, local/state leaders must step up, but some issues…22 Aug 2026 · 42 min · 23 chapters
35. David Epstein Knows Something About Almost EverythingDavid Epstein (author of Range and The Sports Gene) argues that modern life rewards narrow specialization, while real progress often comes from “range” (being a generalist/connector) and from…15 Aug 2026 · 49 min · 21 chapters
34. Maya Shankar Is Changing People’s Behavior — and Her OwnMaya Shankar (Shunker) explains how behavioral science can change real-world behavior—especially via reducing barriers and using defaults—while acknowledging limits of “nudges.” She also discusses…8 Aug 2026 · 45 min · 21 chapters
33. Travis Tygart Is Coming for Cheaters — Just Ask Lance ArmstrongUSADA CEO Travis Tygart explains how anti-doping enforcement works, why cheating persists despite testing limits, and how USADA built the case that led to Lance Armstrong’s EPO confession and…1 Aug 2026 · 45 min · 19 chapters
32. Angela Duckworth Explains How to Manage Your Goal HierarchyAngela Duckworth discusses “grit” as perseverance plus passion over long periods, but argues it’s best understood as a person-project interaction and applied at the right level of a “goal hierarchy”…25 Jul 2026 · 51 min · 19 chapters
31. Peter Leeson on Why Trial-by-Fire Wasn’t Barbaric and Why Pirates Were DemocraticEconomist Peter Leeson explains how medieval “trial by ordeal” (trial-by-fire/boiling water and burning iron) and other faith-based tests could work as incentive-compatible mechanisms, not miracles.18 Jul 2026 · 46 min · 22 chapters
30. Dambisa Moyo Says Foreign Aid Can’t Solve Problems, but Maybe Corporations CanEconomist Dambisa Moyo argues that long-running, government-to-government foreign aid to Africa has harmed development, and explores what corporations/boards can do instead (via her new book on…11 Jul 2026 · 44 min · 19 chapters
29. Bruce Friedrich Thinks There’s a Better Way to Eat MeatBruce Friedrich argues that industrial animal agriculture imposes major external costs (climate, antibiotics resistance, pandemic risk, and animal cruelty) and that markets can “solve” meat by making…4 Jul 2026 · 45 min · 17 chapters
28. Professor Carl Hart Argues All Drugs Should Be Legal — Can He Convince Steve?Carl Hart, Columbia psychology professor and neuroscientist, argues for legally regulating all drugs (cocaine, heroin, cannabis, MDMA, etc.) rather than prohibition.27 Jun 2026 · 45 min · 22 chapters
27. Daniel Kahneman on Why Our Judgment is Flawed — and What to Do About ItDaniel Kahneman explains “noise” in human judgment—unreliability caused by different people giving different answers to the same case—distinct from bias.20 Jun 2026 · 44 min · 21 chapters
26. Memory Champion Nelson Dellis Helps Steve Train His BrainSteve Levitt tests memory and learns from Nelson Dellis, a four-time USA Memory Tournament champion, about memory training for numbers, names/faces, and learning strategies; they also discuss why…13 Jun 2026 · 35 min · 15 chapters
25. Sam Harris: “Spirituality Is a Loaded Term.”Steve Levitt interviews Sam Harris about “spirituality without religion,” meditation as mental training, radical honesty (especially why he avoids lying), and how attention shapes experience.6 Jun 2026 · 43 min · 16 chapters
24. Are We Under Threat from a New Kind of Terror? (Replay Ep. 24)The episode explores whether the U.S. and the world face a new kind of terror threat, focusing on weapons of mass destruction risks (including “suitcase-sized” nuclear devices), evolving vectors like…30 May 2026 · 44 min · 22 chapters
23. Greg Norman & Mark Broadie: Why Golf Beats an Orgasm and Why Data Beats EverythingGreg Norman and Mark Broadie discuss why golf is uniquely satisfying (“better than an orgasm” when shots are perfect), and how data—especially Mark’s “strokes gained”—can explain performance and…23 May 2026 · 42 min · 20 chapters
22. Sal Khan: “If It Works for 15 Cousins, It Could Work for a Billion People.”Interview with Sal Khan (Khan Academy founder) about how free, technology-driven learning scales via mastery learning and personalization; why Khan Academy initially bypassed schools; the “home…16 May 2026 · 44 min · 27 chapters
21. Pete Docter: “What If Monsters Really Do Exist?”Pete Docter (Pixar’s chief creative officer) discusses how Pixar films are conceived and developed, using Monsters, Inc.9 May 2026 · 43 min · 29 chapters
20. John Donohue: “I'm Frequently Called a Treasonous Enemy of the Constitution.”John Donohue (economist/law professor) debates whether right-to-carry concealed handgun laws reduce crime, arguing the “More Guns, Less Crime” findings are driven by confounding (especially crack…2 May 2026 · 37 min · 17 chapters
19. Marina Nitze: “If You Googled ‘Business Efficiency Consultant,’ I Was the Only Result.”Marina Nitze’s life story and her “business process re-engineering” approach, from early entrepreneurship to federal tech leadership, then to foster-care system reform and her personal Type 1…25 Apr 2026 · 38 min · 13 chapters