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★★★★★

4.6

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1910 reviews

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Freakonomics co-author Steve Levitt tracks down other high achievers for surprising, revealing conversations about their lives and obsessions. Join Levitt as he goes through the most interesting midlife crisis you’ve ever heard — and learn how a renegade sheriff is transforming Chicago's jail, how a biologist is finding the secrets of evolution in the Arctic tundra, and how a trivia champion memorized 160,000 flashcards. To get every show in the Freakonomics Radio Network without ads and a monthly bonus episode of Freakonomics Radio, start a free trial for SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.

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Check latest episodes from People I (Mostly) Admire podcast

47. Robert Axelrod on Why Being Nice, Forgiving, and Provokable are the Best Strategies for Life

2026/11/07

The prisoner’s dilemma is a classic game-theory problem. Robert, a political scientist at the University of Michigan, has spent his career studying it — and the ways humans can cooperate, or betray each other, for their own benefit. He and Steve talk about the best way to play it and how it shows up in real world situations, from war zones to Steve’s own life. This episode originally aired on October 1st, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

46. What It’s Like to Be Steve Levitt’s Daughters

2026/10/31

Steve shows a different side of himself in very personal interviews with his two oldest daughters. Amanda talks about growing up with social anxiety and her decision not to go to college, while Lily speaks candidly about her battle with anorexia and the conversation she had with Steve that led her to seek treatment. This episode originally aired on September 24th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

45. Leidy Klotz on Why the Best Solutions Involve Less — Not More

2026/10/24

When we try to improve things, our first thought is often: What can we add to make this better? But Leidy, a professor of engineering, says we tend to overlook the fact that a better solution might be to take something away. He and Steve talk about examples from Leidy’s book Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less, and from their own lives. This episode originally aired on September 17th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

44. Edward Glaeser Explains Why Some Cities Thrive While Others Fade Away

2026/10/17

An expert on urban economics and co-author of the new book Survival of the City, Ed says cities have faced far worse than Covid. Steve talks with the Harvard professor about why the slums of Mumbai function so well, high-quality housing in China sits empty, and declining cities hang on for so long. This episode originally aired on September 11th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

43. Arne Duncan Says All Kids Deserve a Chance — and Criminals Deserve a Second One

2026/10/10

Former U.S. Secretary of Education, 3x3 basketball champion, and leader of an anti-gun violence organization are all on Arne’s resume. He’s also Steve’s neighbor. The two talk about teachers caught cheating in Chicago public schools and Steve shares a story he’s never told Arne, about a defining moment in the educator’s life. This episode originally aired on September 3rd, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

42. America’s Math Curriculum Doesn’t Add Up

2026/10/03

A special episode: Steve reports on a passion of his. Most high-school math classes are still preparing students for the Sputnik era. Steve wants to get rid of the “geometry sandwich” and instead have kids learn what they really need in the modern era: data fluency. Originally broadcast on Freakonomics Radio, this episode includes an update from Steve about a project he launched to revamp the education system. This episode originally aired on August 27th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

41. Dr. Bapu Jena on Why Freakonomics Is the Best Medicine

2026/09/26

He’s a Harvard physician and economist who just started a third job: host of the new podcast Freakonomics, M.D. He’s also Steve’s former student. The two discuss why medicine should embrace econ-style research, the ethics of human-challenge trials, and Bapu’s role in one of Steve’s, ahem, less-than-successful experiments. This episode originally aired on August 21st, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How a Great Architect Thinks, with Bjarke Ingels | Better in Person

2026/09/23

Is the oxymoron really “the secret sauce to everything”? That’s the case Ingels makes in this debut episode of our new video show Better in Person, filmed in Stephen Dubner’s living room. 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, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

40. Harold Pollack on Why Managing Your Money is as Easy as Taking Out the Garbage

2026/09/19

He argues that personal finance is so simple all you need to know can fit on an index card. How will he deal with Steve’s suggestion that Harold’s nine rules for managing money are overly complicated? Harold and Steve also talk about gun violence — a topic Harold researches as a public-policy professor at the University of Chicago — and they propose some radical ideas for reducing it. This episode originally aired on August 13th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

39. Aicha Evans Wants You to Take Your Eyes Off the Road

2026/09/12

She’s the C.E.O. of Zoox, an autonomous vehicle company. Steve asks Aicha about the big promises the A.V. industry hasn’t yet delivered — and the radical bet Zoox is making on a driverless future. Plus, Steve wants to know how she’s maintained her spark. This episode originally aired on August 6th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

38. Sendhil Mullainathan Explains How to Generate an Idea a Minute (Part 2)

2026/09/05

Steve continues his conversation with his good friend, MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient, and fellow University of Chicago economist. Sendhil breaks down the hypothesis of his book Scarcity, explains why machines aren’t competition for human intelligence, and tells Steve why it’s important to appreciate other people’s good ideas before developing your own. This episode originally aired on July 30th, 2026. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

37. Sendhil Mullainathan Thinks Messing Around Is the Best Use of Your Time

2026/08/29

He’s a professor of computation and behavioral science at the University of Chicago, MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient, and author. Steve and Sendhil laugh their way through a conversation about the importance of play, the benefits of change, and why we remember so little about the books we’ve read — and how Sendhil’s new app solves this problem. This episode originally aired on July 23rd, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

36. How Rahm Emanuel Would Run the World

2026/08/22

In this interview, Steve talks with the former top adviser to presidents Clinton and Obama, about his record — and his reputation. And Rahm explains that while he believes in the power of the federal government, as former mayor of Chicago, he says that cities are where problems really get solved. This episode originally aired on March 2, 2020 on Freakonomics Radio, and again on July 16th, 2021st on People I Mostly Admire. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

35. David Epstein Knows Something About Almost Everything

2026/08/15

He’s been an Arctic scientist, a sports journalist, and is now a best-selling author of science books. His latest, Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, makes the argument that early specialization does not give you a head start in life. David and Steve talk about why frustration is a good sign, and why the 10,000-hour rule is definitely not a rule. This episode originally aired on July 9th, 2021st. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

34. Maya Shankar Is Changing People’s Behavior — and Her Own

2026/08/08

She used to run a behavioral unit in the Obama administration, and now has a similar role at Google. Maya and Steve talk about the power (and limits) of behavioral economics and also how people respond to change — the topic of her new podcast A Slight Change of Plans. This episode originally aired on July 2nd, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Podcast reviews

Read People I (Mostly) Admire podcast reviews

4.6 out of 5

1910 reviews

★★☆☆☆

Absolute Deez 2026/09/14

Product Placement

I’ve have heard some enlightening interviews from this show. However, the majority is 100% pitching some tech or perspective that isn’t quite gaining ...

★★★★★

StellaMacy 2026/06/13

Fabulous Fascinating Podcast

What a surprising treat is Steve Levitt! I first encountered him through the book Freakonomics. However, I feel I really got to experience his essence...

★☆☆☆☆

Mokeyt3/35 2026/05/25

Don’t bother

Just another liberal podcast. Don’t waste your precious time.

★☆☆☆☆

M from Ann Arbor 2026/03/14

Incredibly Disappointing re-air of Attia

Incredible that Leavitt and Dubner would re-air this episode given the details of Attia’s affiliation with Epstein. Have you read the details of Attia...

★☆☆☆☆

ForestBooger 2026/03/01

👎

With guests like Peter Attia what could possibly go wrong?

★★★★★

AK0008 2026/02/28

Just say no to the grifter Attila

He’s a pseudo scientist and intellectual who really isn’t an expert in most things he pontificates about.

★☆☆☆☆

Dusty Baker Street Irregulars 2026/02/24

Usual Freakonomics Blindspot

One of the greatest weaknesses of Dubner and Leavitt is their inability to question their own assumptions or beliefs. For example, Leavitt just re-ai...

★☆☆☆☆

KDBklyn 2026/02/23

Tone deaf & offensive

Several news outlets revealed Peter Attia was named in the Epstein files, “arranging visits”even when his wife was giving birth. And yet, just WEEKS l...

★☆☆☆☆

Saurolophus 2026/01/11

Great series, but COMMERCIALS!

Love this series, but as a SiriusXM Podcasts subscriber, WHY AM I HEARING COMMERCIALS!?

★★★★★

Oya Boya 2025/12/10

So much learning

Thank you for the incredible learning opportunities you’ve gifted to your listeners. Can’t wait for your new school and where life takes you next.

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