Episode Details

Is being a sports fan irrational? Does it lead to more suffering than happiness? David and Tamler discuss a recent study that suggests the answer is "yes." But does the study really capture the benefits of being fans? More generally, does science have the tools to truly measure the costs and benefits of rooting for your favorite teams? Plus, we talk about The Nation apologizing for publishing a poem written in Black English Vernacular, and introduce a dramatic new segment: "Guilty Confessions."

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Links:

• A Poem in The Nation Spurs a Backlash and an Apology - The New York Times
• British economists prove it: Sports destroy happiness - The Washington Post
• Dolton, P., & MacKerron, G. (2018). Is football a matter of life and death - or is it more important than that?
• mappiness, the happiness mapping app