How Do You Make a Living, Auctioneer?
Noah Davis talks to CK Swett, a rising star in the auctioneering world, about the secret to raising millions of dollars, how he lands his gigs, and why auctioneering is a young man's game.
A Conversation With
The Paradox of Choice, 10 Years Later
Paul Hiebert talks to psychologist Barry Schwartz about how modern trends—social media, FOMO, customer review sites—fit in with arguments he made a decade ago in his highly influential book, The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less.
How Do You Make a Living, Taxidermist?
Taxidermist Katie Innamorato talks to Noah Davis about learning her craft, seeing it become trendy, and the going-rate for a "Moss Fox."
How Do You Make a Living, Email Newsletter Writer?
Noah Davis talks to Wait But Why writer Tim Urban about the newsletter concept, the research process, and escaping "money-flushing toilet" status.
What Do Clowns Think of Clowns?
Three major players weigh in on the current state of the clown.
The Man Who’s Quantifying New York City
Noah Davis talks to the proprietor of I Quant NY. His methodology: a little something called "addition."
How Do You Make a Living, Molly Crabapple?
Noah Davis talks to Molly Crapabble about Michelangelo, the Medicis, and the tension between making art and making money.
Interview With a Drug Dealer
What happens when the illicit product you've made your living off of finally becomes legal?
Turbo Paul: Art Thief Turned Art Crime Ombudsman
There's art theft, there's law enforcement, and, somewhere in between, there's Turbo Paul.
How Do You Make a Living, Puzzle Maker?
Francis Heaney talks to Noah Davis about the misconceptions and changing dynamics of the puzzling world.
Universal Basic Income: Something We Can All Agree on?
According to Almaz Zelleke, it's not a crazy thought.
How to Make a Convincing Sci-Fi Movie on a Tight Budget
Coherence is a good movie, and its initial shoot cost about the same amount of money as a used Prius.
The Academic of Comic Books
Kim O'Connor talks to Hillary Chute about comics as objects of criticism, the role of female cartoonists, and the art world's evolving relationship with the form.
Being Mookie Wilson, the Soul of the 1986 Mets
On Bill Buckner, Doc Gooden, and the lost art of the triple.
Should We Colonize the Moon? And How Much Would It Cost?
Sorry, Russia. Establishing a moon colony would require no less than tens of billions of dollars and the cooperation of numerous countries.
Would Why You Teach a Class About Miley Cyrus?
Carolyn Chernoff talks about "The Sociology of Miley Cyrus: Race, Class, Gender, and Media," which she'll be teaching this summer at Skidmore College.
How Do You Make a Living, Niche Sport Photographer?
For John Todd: by owning a database of photos of the United States national soccer teams.
How Do You Make a Living, Fine-Art Photographer?
For starters: also be a sexy wedding photographer.
Political Scientist Forecasted the Central African Republic Genocide
A conversation about the grim business of predicting mass atrocities.
Lock Up Your Daughters: An Interview With Ralph Steadman
A conversation about Picasso, Sigmund Freud, farm animals, and Hunter S. Thompson.
Outing Advertisers: A Conversation With Reddit's HailCorporate
Paul Hiebert talks to the moderators of the community that tries to keep the site's exchange free from marketers disguised as honest users.
How Do You Make a Living, Creative Person?
Welcome to a new series in which we talk to creative people—artists, artisans, musicians, authors, entertainers—about making a living. Email us if you'd like to participate. First up: Jeff Deegan.
Does the United States Need a Creative Laureate?
Noah Davis talks to Julie Keefe, Portland's creative laureate, about what that title means and why the U.S. could use one.