I’m currently reading a book about the science of play, and I can’t shut up about it (sorry!). One of the big ideas is that as long as you approach it with the right mindset, pretty much anything can be considered play — grocery shopping, getting dressed in the morning, even organizing your junk drawer.
Authors Stuart Brown and Christopher Vaughan describe play as a state of mind that absorbs you and lets you iterate without the fear of failure. Play also provides a low-stakes space to explore more complicated ideas. (Think of the Wright brothers, who credit a toy helicopter with inspiring their love of aeronautics.)
Which brings me to a realization that now feels obvious: public radio is fundamentally playful. Yes, much of NPR’s journalism deals with serious realities. But part of its secret sauce is finding unexpected, often whimsical entry points into those subjects. Some of my all-time favorite stories are the weird ones I didn’t even think to ask for.
Take this Up First episode on Britain’s beaver population. On a busy day, a topic like “climate resilience” probably isn’t going to grab me. But add some industrious rodents reshaping rivers with their tiny little paws — fine, ya got me! I’m locked in.
And this playful, creative storytelling is everywhere in public radio:
A bizarro NYC matchmaking event themed around high-tech surveillance sets the stage for a conversation about the absurdity of modern dating, intimacy and tech culture. (Planet Money)
An exploration of baseball’s iconic organ tunes and stadium beats unlocks a rich history of Black culture, improvisation and how rhythm fundamentally shaped America’s favorite pastime. (Throughline)
A look at the vibrant world of competitive whistling (!) reveals how subcultures help people build identity and community around niche interests. (The Broadside)
The humble, Southern buttermilk biscuit is the starting point for a much bigger story about craft, tradition, labor and who is deemed worthy of culinary prestige. (Salvation South)
Surprising journalism disarms us enough to take on big ideas. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to go check on these dam beavers.
🦫 Julia
Even more playful episodes
…to share with your quirkiest friend
💫 What was your favorite way to play as a kid?
This episode of Life Kit is the perfect complement to this newsletter, because it’s all about play and how to do more of it! Even if you don’t think you have time... can you be playful during your “real” life? Some ideas to get you started: ask to pet a stranger’s dog, flirt with your Trader Joe’s cashier, make up stories while you people-watch.
🥔 How the potato became an insult
Surprisingly there are several cultures that both celebrate the humble potato and use it as an insult. What’s up with that? This Code Switch episode has answers, starting with the phrase “papa en la boca”. As host B.A. Parker says, “grab some tater tots, we’re getting into it.”
💩Um, where did all THIS come from?
Spotting unidentified poop is an unfortunate and unavoidable part of being alive, but in some neighborhoods there’s a lot of dog waste. NPR producer Manuela López-Restrepo wondered if it might be a sign of something deeper, and helped report this episode of It’s Been A Minute.
➕ The economics of NPR+
That's not a typo. This episode for NPR+ supporters is about... NPR+ supporters. Inspired by questions from you (shout out, r/nprplanetmoney), we're pulling back the curtain on NPR’s subscription business — where your money goes, what it means to teams like Planet Money, and how that little corner of the pod-conomy works.
Get access to this episode (and sponsor-free listening) by signing up for NPR+.
One to Watch
How do you convince a company to move to your state? Planet Money has some ideas.
@planetmoney/Instagram
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