Stephen Dubner examines the pervasive administrative sludge that burdens everyday life—confusing insurance forms, subscriptions that can't be canceled, and an ever-growing stream of automated notifications. He traces where this sludge originates, why it persists, and the staggering economic cost it imposes on individuals and society. The episode updates a 2025 exploration of the same topic.
This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.
Canon
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The Ubiquitous Burden of Sludge
Sludge is the excessive friction—complex forms, opaque cancellation processes, automated runarounds—that wastes time and discourages beneficial actions.