This American Life

What happens when our most ingenious creations actually make it out into the world.

Stories of people held captive — by criminals, by paperwork, and in one man's case, his own body — and the ways they try to cope.

Exactly how incompetent you are. What your ex’s best friend really thinks of you. The approximate time that you will die. Some things in life are better not to know about. And sometimes there can be a benefit to not knowing. In this episode — examples of ignorance truly being bliss, or even being an asset.

Words mean things, but some words are especially meaningful — whether in a survival manual, a song lyric, or a slur.

People go on missions to save young girls from danger. But sometimes they get so caught up in the mission that it overshadows the girl herself.

This country is crawling in presidential candidates right now and they're bumping into each other in Des Moines and yelling over each other in Miami. We hang out with them, in this weird early period of the election when they're easy to walk right up to.

Stories of those unexpected moments when we see who we really are.

Adults telling kids who they are, and kids wondering — are they right?

What it's like to be momentarily big on the small screen. 

Stories of people standing up for themselves, shaking off their fear, bracing themselves, and doing what they’ve been scared to do.