June 30, 2016
EP. 147 — Why Is There Still World Hunger?
A QOD Twitter follower asks, “Seeing as how our ancestors have lived off the land for thousands of years, why is there severe hunger in parts of the world today?” James insists that the problem is caused by humans having been dominated by another species on the planet. Stephen is hesitant to accept James’ answer, but eventually finds compelling evidence to bolster his theory. Our hosts also tackle the political costs of trying to fight famine, and come up with solutions involving cryptocurrencies, steak-like substances, and tax amnesty to fight corruption.
Recent Episodes
September 8, 2016
EP. 177 — How Do You Say Goodbye?
How do two friends say goodbye to each other? If you’re Stephen Dubner and James Altucher, you do so by recording a podcast. Question of the Day has produced 177 episodes and a live special over the span of just one year, and now our hosts are putting the show on hiatus in order to launch and grow their other endeavors. On today’s final episode, for now, hear James and Stephen talk about goodbyes, backgammon matches, what they’ve learned, and what they’ll miss once this episode comes to a close.
This episode is sponsored by Squarespace.
September 7, 2016
EP. 176 — Friendships at Age 50
Why didn’t Stephen invite James to his children’s bar and bat mitzvahs? Did it have something to do with how James acted at Stephen’s 50th birthday party? Today, James and Stephen contemplate what it’s like making new friends as middle-aged introverts compared to during adolescence, and discuss how it’s easier to broadcast your social signals as mature adults.
September 6, 2016
Is it more important to set an actual price when you’re negotiating a deal, or to control the terms on which a price is to be set? When James was selling his first company, he ended up with millions less than he anticipated because the other party tipped the scales in their favor. Now, James uses this same technique in his own favor when he’s sitting at the negotiating table. Learn more about this technique and how Stephen crowdsourced the asking price of his house on today’s Question of the Day.
This episode is sponsored by Warby Parker.