295. When Helping Hurts

He was thriving in the N.F.L., but then he decided to focus on mathematics — a subject he now teaches at M.I.T. John walks Stephen Dubner through the whole story, teaches him some blocking techniques, and explains why some infinities are bigger than others. If you'd like to see t ... Show More

For decades, teams have tried (and mostly failed) to predict which college quarterbacks will thrive in the pros. Is the science finally catching up? Stephen Dubner speaks with a scout, a psychologist, a data warrior, and a Hall of Fame quarterback who nobody wanted. SOURCES:Scott ... Show More

He started with one small shop in London. He has since resuscitated both Barnes & Noble and Waterstones. He tells Stephen Dubner exactly how he does it. If you'd like to see the video version of Better in Person, you can watch it on YouTube or Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast ... Show More

A branch of philanthropy led by philosophers is dedicated to finding the most impactful ways to help humans survive and thrive. Anyone can find that agreeable, but it can be tough to hear it also means your donations to local charities are kind of a waste. Learn more about your a ... Show More

Most of us want to be nice. But is it all it's cracked up to be? It's a question that's been nagging at listener Tony in Illinois, USA, for over 25 years. While studying at university, the lecturer asked him whether competing or co-operating was the best strategy for success – es ... Show More

<p>Is it more important to help society or to help yourself? Does the self-improvement movement do any good for the world? And which podcast episode does Stephen cling to as proof that he’s doing something valuable? </p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a hr ... Show More

Do you feel like you can fix someone? Maybe helping others is what brings a sense of purpose into your life. We talked about having a savior complex, getting taken advantage of, and how being selfless isn’t always a good thing. Socials: @teenagertherapy Website: teenagertherapy.c ... Show More

We're often swayed by seemingly good advice on social media. But adopting a more questioning mindset might be better in the long run. 

How can we get people to do more good: to go to the polls, give to charity, conserve resources or just generally act better towards others? MIT research scientist Erez Yoeli shares a simple checklist for harnessing the power of reputations -- or our collective desire to be seen a ... Show More

<p>Also: is there a downside to billionaire philanthropy?</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p> 

We all want to do good - and doing good can make us feel good - but we often don't make the most effective choices when we do things like donate money to charity.To mark #GiveTuesday, Harvard psychologist Joshua Green explains why we tend to give with our hearts rather than our h ... Show More

We often assume that we can’t fix the big problems we see in the world around us. And that trying is for suckers - who’ll just end up sad, exhausted and defeated.  Dr Laurie Santos and Dr Jamil Zaki meet people who have tried to make a difference in their communities - often agai ... Show More