Why do Americans tip so much? What happened when Angie eliminated grading in a college course? And why did almost every pay toilet in the U.S.A. vanish between 1970 and 1980?
Human beings are complicated little suckers.
I'm Angela Duckworth.
I'm Stephen Dubner, and you're listening to.
No stupid questions today on the show.
Should you have to pay to use a public bathroom?
Urination, hand hygiene, tipping.
These are some of my very favorite topics in the world.
Steven, we have a really long email, actually, from one Phil Mitchell.
Do you want to just read it really fast?
Do you have something to drink in a comfortable seat?
Go for it.
On a recent visit to Europe, where it is common to charge an entry fee to public washrooms, my wife and I had a disagreement over whether this is a good idea.
She is from Europe.
I'm from Canada.
She's used to this practice and explains that it helps pay for the cleaning of the washrooms and helps keep the queues short.
Can I interrupt Phil and you for a second?
Yeah.
He immediately notes that she's from Europe and she's used to it, and I'm not.
And I'm not, and therefore she thinks it's a good idea and I don't.
Isn't that just so interesting, the way that we socially norm ourselves to things that are good or bad?