Inthisepisode,firstairedin2011,wetalkaboutthemeaningofagoodgame—whetherit'saprofootballplayoff,orafamilyshowdownonthekitchentable.Andhowsomegamescanmakeyoufeel,atleastforalittlewhile,likeyourwholelifehangsinthebalance.ThishourofRadiolab,JadandRobertwonderwhywegetsoinvestedinsomethingsotrivial.Whatisitaboutgamesthatmakethemfeelsopivotal?

Wehearhowarecurringdreamaboutfootballturnedintoareal-lifelessonforStephenDubner,wewatchachessboardturnintoaplaygroundwhereby-the-bookmovesgivewaytototallyunpredictablepossibilities,andwetalktoDanEngber,aonetimesenioreditoratSlate,nowatTheAtlantic,andabunchofscientistsaboutwhybettingonalongshotissomuchfun.Andfinally,wetalktoMalcolmGladwellaboutwhyhelovestheoverdog.

CITATIONS:

Videos- 

TheImmaculateReception (https://zpr.io/izhV3Sm88SWF)byFrancoHarrisonDecember23,1972.HarriswasthePittsburghSteelers’fullbackatthetime.

Books- 

StephenJ.Dubner’sbook,ConfessionsofaHeroWorshipper(https://zpr.io/iQUwfF8vGArj)

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