
Freakonomics Radio What Happens When You Turn 20
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Nov 12, 2025 Geoff Bennett, co-anchor and managing editor of PBS NewsHour, joins Stephen Dubner to celebrate 20 years of Freakonomics. They discuss how the podcast mixes narrative journalism with economics. Dubner dives into the importance of curiosity and open-mindedness in understanding data. He reflects on how certain insights have aged and what he might change if rewriting the book today. Additionally, they explore the implications of misinformation and the promise of AI in improving medical diagnoses. A lively dialogue on economics and creativity!
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The Paper Boxes That Hold A Career
- Stephen Dubner describes discovering plastic file boxes of Freakonomics research and nearly discarding them before a text from Steve Levitt reminded him of the book's anniversary.
- He decided to keep the boxes and tuck a printout of the new foreword into them to read in twenty years.
Narrative + Data Changed The Game
- Dubner and Levitt combined narrative journalism with rigorous data to tackle unconventional questions.
- Their mashup created a new, influential style: storytelling rooted in empirical evidence.
Design Policies Around Real Incentives
- When designing policy or parenting, first anticipate how people will respond to incentives rather than assume compliance.
- Use data to reveal which incentives actually drive decisions before implementing rules.










