Tavis Smiley Season 7 Episode 23 Stephen Dubner

In season 7 episode 23 of Tavis Smiley, acclaimed author and journalist Stephen Dubner sits down with Tavis to discuss his new book, "When to Rob a Bank." Dubner is best known for his work with economist Steven Levitt on the best-selling book "Freakonomics" and its subsequent sequels and spin-offs. "When to Rob a Bank" compiles some of Dubner's favorite blog posts from the popular Freakonomics website, which he co-founded with Levitt.

The episode begins with Tavis asking Dubner about the title of his book. Dubner explains that the title is a kind of joke, based on the idea that banks are robbed all the time, but it's actually really hard to get away with it. He goes on to explain that the book is really just a collection of his favorite essays from the Freakonomics blog, which cover a wide range of topics related to economics and human behavior.

Tavis and Dubner then launch into a discussion of one of the essays in the book, titled "The Economist's Guide to Flirting." In the essay, Dubner uses economic principles to analyze the art of flirting, including the concepts of signaling and scarcity. He also talks about how men and women approach flirting differently, and how certain factors (like age and physical attractiveness) can affect one's success in the dating world.

The conversation then turns to another essay in the book, titled "Do More Expensive Wines Taste Better?" In this essay, Dubner and Levitt explore the idea that people might be willing to pay more for wine simply because they believe it's better, rather than because it actually is better. They conduct a blind taste test with a group of people, and find that there's actually very little correlation between the price of a wine and how much people enjoy it.

Throughout the episode, Tavis and Dubner touch on a number of other topics, including the psychology of incentives, the impact of job automation on the economy, and the racial wealth gap in America. Dubner brings his trademark wit and insight to each topic, weaving together anecdotes, research studies, and personal observations to create a compelling conversation.

Overall, Tavis Smiley season 7 episode 23 with Stephen Dubner is a thought-provoking exploration of some of the most pressing issues facing our society today. Whether you're a fan of Dubner's work or simply interested in learning more about the intersection of economics and human behavior, this episode is definitely worth watching.