537. “Insurance Is Sexy.” Discuss.

Whaling was, in the words of one scholar, “early capitalism unleashed on the high seas.” How did the U.S. come to dominate the whale market? Why did whale hunting die out here — and continue to grow elsewhere? And is that whale vomit in your perfume? (Part 1 of “Everything You Ne ... Show More

It’s a haphazard way of paying workers, and yet it keeps expanding. With federal tax policy shifting in a pro-tip direction, we revisit an episode from 2019 to find out why. SOURCES:John List, economist at the University of Chicago.Michael Lynn, professor of consumer behavior and ... Show More

They should have died out when the lightbulb was invented. Instead they’re a $10 billion industry. What does it mean that we still want tiny fires inside our homes? SOURCES:Tim Cooper, professor emeritus of sustainable design and consumption at Nottingham Trent University.Gökçe ... Show More

The economist Amy Finkelstein explains why insurance markets are broken and how to fix them. Also: why can’t you buy divorce insurance? 

Enjoy the episode? Send us a text!According to government statistics, a large percentage of marriages in America fail. But you don't want yours to fail. So maybe we can learn about how to make a marriage better and last longer, if we understand the primary reasons that a mar ... Show More

How can public policy improve upon and fix the mess of U.S. health care? In a new book, health economists Amy Finkelstein (MIT) and Liran Einav (Stanford) argue that's the wrong question. Instead, they suggest we ask: What is it that U.S. health policy should try to accomplish?Fi ... Show More

Enjoy the episode? Send us a text!What's happened to the sanctity of marriage? It seems today's world has shifted from commitment-based marriages to an era of 'expressive individualism' - but at what cost? Join us as we scrutinize this startling decline and th ... Show More

The real reason you buy insurance may have as much to do with pleasing your psyche as it does protecting your wallet. Behavioral psychologist Orit Tykocinski explores the connection between insurance and the reality-distorting risks of "magical thinking" that may make you reconsi ... Show More

David is joined by Sarah Kocianski and James York to discuss insurance as a platform. First up, James talks us through the Worry+Peace origin story, including his background in insurance, and why he strove to not take funding as the company found its feet. He also talks about why ... Show More

Monica Bertagnolli went from a childhood on a cattle ranch to a career as a surgeon to a top post in the Biden administration. As director of the National Institutes of Health, she’s working to improve the way we find new treatments — despite regulatory constraints and tight budg ... Show More

Why does it take women, on average, more than nine years to be accurately diagnosed for endometriosis, one of the most common medical disorders affecting women? Cristen and Caroline explore what endometriosis is, what causes it and why the uncurable condition is still so misunder ... Show More

Can long-term relationships do more harm than good? Where is the line between intimacy and codependence? And should we all try to be more like Mike’s parents? RESOURCES:"A Record-High Share of 40-Year-Olds in the U.S. Have Never Been Married," by Richard Fry (Pew Research Center, ... Show More

What’s the connection between conversations about money and financial literacy? Could the taboo against talking about your salary be fading? And why did Angie’s teenage daughter call Vanguard to learn about I.R.A.s?