49. How Does Facing Death Change Your Life?

In this episode of "No Stupid Questions," Angela Duckworth and Stephen Dubner explore the psychological impact of near-death experiences, questioning why some individuals experience profound life-altering epiphanies while others, like themselves, do not. They delve into the concept of post-traumatic growth versus post-traumatic stress disorder, sharing personal anecdotes and examining the role of belief in an afterlife in shaping one's perception of death. Later, they address a listener's question about whether leaders should prioritize addressing high-probability, low-impact issues like pollution or low-probability, high-impact events like nuclear war, discussing the complexities of risk assessment and the human tendency to focus on outlier events, referencing the "black swan effect" and the importance of probabilistic thinking in everyday life and policy decisions.