Data about the US labor market has been all over the headlines of late -- but what's actually in these numbers? Beyond the recent political upheaval surrounding the August 1, 2025, jobs report, the process of translating complex and nuanced things like labor market activity into numbers, and then making sense of those numbers while also being mindful of long-term deeper trends that might affect those interpretations -- is super fascinating and important.

In this episode we talk with Ben Casselman, Chief Economics Correspondent at the New York Times, about how to think about these numbers, how they fit into our broader understanding of the health of the economy, and some of the longer-term challenges facing our ability to collect this data going forward. It's a fascinating conversation and Ben is incredibly thoughtful and engaging, and I'm thrilled to share it with you.

Note: This interview was recorded in January 2025, well before the August jobs report release and subsequent firing of the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). That said, this discussion of how to think about the numbers, what's actually in them, and why economic activity can be really hard to measure -- is still super relevant, if not more relevant, today. In our next episode we will address the events since August. 1 in an interview with Erica Groshen, who was the head of the BLS from 2013-17.

As ever, thanks for listening! I hope you find this conversation as helpful as I did in making sense of the news.

Follow Ben and read his work! Here he is on X and LinkedIn. And here are some of my favorite articles by him of late:

• Ben’s recent writing on jobs data reliability (referenced at the opening of this episode)
• Ben’s writeup about the precedent of firing head of BLS (fantastic article for putting current events in context)
• Ben’s article about trust in economic data (referenced towards the end of this episode)

I'm at jonesrooy.com and @jonesrooy on all the things.

Behind the Data is a podcast that uncovers the hidden stories within the data shaping our world. From political polls to global happiness trackers, we dive into the datasets that influence the decisions we make—while showing you why data isn’t just numbers, but a way to understand the world. Whether you're a data newbie or a seasoned pro, each episode makes complex data approachable, revealing surprising insights and the human side of every dataset. Come for the discoveries, stay for the stories.

We are proud to be part of the Daily Tech News Show network of podcasts.

Subscribe and leave a review!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We all want to be happier, yet we often avoid the very actions that research shows would actually improve our happiness. We talk with social psychologist Lara Aknin about her work as editor of the World Happiness Report and director of the Helping and Happiness Lab to explore what we know about what makes us happy, and why we don't do more of those things. From the surprising happiness boost we get from acts of generosity to why reaching out to old friends feels harder than it should, we unpack why humans misjudge what will make them happy—and the social fears that hold us back. Along the way, we explore how the work of turning "happiness" into data in the first place not only informs policy but also reveals actionable ways to live more fulfilled, connected lives.

Explore more:

• Lara's Google Scholar page
• Lara's Helping & Happiness lab
• The World Happiness Report
• Statistical appendix to chapter 2 of the World Happiness Report (a.k.a. my favorite data documentation ever!)

Find out more about the show at behindthedatashow.com and more about the host at jonesrooy.com or @jonesrooy on Instagram.

Behind the Data is a podcast that uncovers the hidden stories within the data shaping our world. From political polls to global happiness trackers, we dive into the datasets that influence the decisions we make—while showing you why data isn’t just numbers, but a way to understand the world. Whether you're a data newbie or a seasoned pro, each episode makes complex data approachable, revealing surprising insights and the human side of every dataset. Come for the discoveries, stay for the stories.

We are proud to be part of the Daily Tech News Show network of podcasts.

Subscribe and leave a review!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back to another season of exploring the world through the magical, clarifying, and thought-provoking lens of data! Find us at behindthedatashow.com or wherever you get your podcasts. Find out more about host Andrea Jones-Rooy, Ph.D., at jonesrooy.com or @jonesrooy on Instagram. We will also have a Substack this season (coming soon)!

Behind the Data is a podcast that uncovers the hidden stories within the data shaping our world. From political polls to global happiness trackers, we dive into the datasets that influence the decisions we make—while showing you why data isn’t just numbers, but a way to understand the world. Whether you're a data newbie or a seasoned pro, each episode makes complex data approachable, revealing surprising insights and the human side of every dataset. Come for the discoveries, stay for the stories.

We are proud to be part of the Daily Tech News Show network of podcasts.

Subscribe and leave a review!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.