221. Why Are We So Pessimistic?

Is evolution stacked against healthy eating? What policies could increase demand for nutritious food? And does Popeyes count as a cultural icon? This episode originally aired on March 27th, 2022. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about ...  Show more

In this episode of Stephen Dubner’s new TV talk show, Gary and Stephen talk about creativity, recovery, getting fired, and holding grudges. They also get outside and play basketball, which is a big part of how Gary stays well. If you'd like to see the video version of Better in P ...  Show more

Dr Jamil Zaki is a psychologist, professor at Stanford University, and an author. In a world filled with fake news, bad news and doom, it’s easy to become cynical. But what does science say about whether cynicism helps or harm us? Why is it so seductive, and how can we all learn ...  Show more

Young people have been reporting a sharp rise in anxiety and depression. This maps neatly onto the global rise of the smartphone. Some researchers are convinced that one is causing the other. But how strong is the evidence?

Humans have a built-in “negativity bias,” which means we give bad news much more power than good. Would the Covid-19 crisis be an opportune time to reverse this tendency?

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.co ...

There’s a certain glamor to cynicism. As a culture, we’ve turned cynicism into a symbol of hard-earned wisdom, assuming that those who are cynical are the only ones with the courage to tell us the truth and prepare us for an uncertain future. Psychologist Jamil Zaki challenges th ...  Show more