About this episode
The episode explores the paradox of why people seek out tragic experiences despite knowing they will evoke sadness.
If what we all really want is to be happy, why do we line up and pay money to watch something that we know ahead of time is going to make us sad? Join Peter and Justin as they consider the paradox of tragedy, and try to make sense of the hold that tragic drama has maintained on humanity going all the way back to the Greeks. Don’t wanna listen to the episode? Why don’t you cry about it.
People in this episode
Hosts: Peter, Justin
Topics covered
- tragedy
- happiness
- human emotion
- drama
- paradox
Keywords
- tragedy
- happiness
- human emotion
- drama
- Greeks
Mentioned in this episode
Books & works: tragedy
Places: Greeks
More episodes of Faith and Economics
- LEGO Lawfare | #396 · June 8, 2026 · 43 min
- Shrinking Middle Class? | #395 · June 1, 2026 · 36 min
- Gerrymandering, not as a bad as you think | #394 · May 25, 2026 · 34 min
- Button, Button…| #392 · May 11, 2026 · 33 min
- Rational Ignorance and Public Choice | #201 · May 4, 2026 · 38 min
- In Defense of Fartin’ Around | #391 · April 27, 2026 · 31 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Faith and Economics podcast page.