EP. 176 — Friendships at Age 50

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.

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.

Two questions in one day? Today, James and Stephen take on questions from two listeners who want to know if a more active and socially engaged electorate would create a better political system. Would the populace actually be better informed by watching cable news on a regular basis and reading their tabloid or broadsheet of choice, or would they just be further cementing the ideological divide that media outlets are polarized to? Our hosts also discuss the potential for compulsory mail-in and internet voting and see if maybe the Swiss are on to something that America’s missing.

This episode is sponsored by Squarespace.