EconTalk
Russ Roberts
EconTalk: Conversations for the Curious is an award-winning weekly podcast hosted by Russ Roberts of Shalem College in Jerusalem and Stanford's Hoover Institution. The eclectic guest list includes authors, doctors, psychologists, historians, philosophers, economists, and more. Learn how the health care system really works, the serenity that comes from humility, the challenge of interpreting data, how potato chips are made, what it's like to run an upscale Manhattan restaurant, what caused the 2008 financial crisis, the nature of consciousness, the conflicts and history of the Middle East, and more. EconTalk has been taking the Monday out of Mondays since 2006. All 1000+ episodes are available in the archive. Go to EconTalk.org for transcripts, related resources, and comments.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Jul 2, 2018 • 1h 7min
Arnold Kling on Morality, Culture, and Tribalism
Arnold Kling, an economist and author, dives deep into the intertwining of culture, morality, and economics. He discusses the emotional roots of tribalism and how it shapes our moral choices, often favoring those close to us. Kling explores the historical evolution from tribes to complex societies, emphasizing trust and cooperation as keys to societal progress. He critiques traditional economic models for ignoring social dynamics and argues for a more nuanced understanding of decision-making that factors in cultural influences.
18 snips
Jun 25, 2018 • 1h 12min
Michael Pollan on Psychedelic Drugs and How to Change Your Mind
Journalist and author Michael Pollan, known for his explorations of food and psychedelics, shares fascinating insights into the world of psychedelic drugs like LSD and psilocybin. He discusses their potential to treat mental health issues and recounts his personal experiences. The conversation delves into the spiritual dimensions of these substances, the nature of consciousness, and the transformative power they hold for personal growth. Pollan also highlights the importance of shared narratives and the role of psychedelics in understanding connections and meaning in life.
5 snips
Jun 18, 2018 • 1h 7min
Richard Reinsch on the Enlightenment, Tradition, and Populism
Richard Reinsch, editor of Law and Liberty and the host of the podcast Liberty Law Talk, talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the Enlightenment. Topics discussed include the search for meaning, the stability of liberalism, the rise of populism, and Solzhenitsyn's indictment of Western values from his Harvard Commencement Address of 1978.
Jun 11, 2018 • 1h 14min
Moises Velasquez-Manoff on Cows, Carbon Farming, and Climate Change
Journalist and author Moises Velasquez-Manoff talks about the role of dirt in fighting climate change with EconTalk host Russ Roberts. Velasquez-Manoff explains how changes in farming can allow dirt and plants to absorb carbon and potentially reduce climate change. At the end of the conversation he discusses the state of the science on hygiene, parasites, and auto-immune disorders that he discussed in his previous appearance on EconTalk in 2014.
Jun 4, 2018 • 1h 3min
Janet Golden on Babies Made Us Modern
Historian and author Janet Golden talks about her book, Babies Made Us Modern, with EconTalk host Russ Roberts. Golden chronicles the transformation of parenting in first half of the 20th century. It's a fascinating story of how our knowledge of infant health and behavior grew dramatically but remains imperfect. At the same time, government, business, and private organizations responded to that imperfect knowledge.
5 snips
May 28, 2018 • 1h 26min
Iain McGilchrist on the Divided Brain and the Master and His Emissary
Psychiatrist Iain McGilchrist explores the divided brain and its impact on Western civilization. The discussion covers neuroscience, meditation, real conversations, narratives, the Enlightenment, immersive experiences, and the challenges of writing a book.
May 21, 2018 • 1h 3min
Glen Weyl on Radical Markets
Economist Glen Weyl of Microsoft Research New England and Visiting Senior Research Scholar at Yale University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about his book (co-authored with Eric Posner) Radical Markets. Weyl urges a radical transformation of land and housing markets using a new federal real estate tax based on self-assessment. Owners would be required to sell their houses at the self-assessed price. Weyl argues this would eliminate the market power home owners have in the re-sale market and the revenue tax would could be used to reduce inequality. In the last part of the conversation, Weyl proposes an overhaul of U.S. immigration policy by having residents sponsor immigrants for a fee.
May 20, 2018 • 1h 13min
Peter Boettke on Public Administration, Liberty, and the Proper Role of Government
Peter Boettke of George Mason University talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about the proper role of the state in the economy. This is a wide-ranging conversation on political economy. Topics include Adam Smith's view of the state, the tension between the state as enabler of real vs. crony capitalism, the potential for the poor to flourish in a market economy, and the challenges of democracy.
May 7, 2018 • 1h 13min
Joel Peterson on Leadership, Betrayal, and the 10 Laws of Trust
How did the CEO of a real estate development company become chairman of an airline? How can a competent manager learn to trust his subordinates? Joel Peterson, chairman of the Board at JetBlue Airways and author of The 10 Laws of Trust, talks with EconTalk host Russ Roberts about his career at Trammell Crow and JetBlue and how the concept of trust, outlined in his book, has helped his career. He closes the conversation with a discussion of how he overcame his personal weaknesses that would have handicapped his career--or as he puts it, how he "rewrote his operating system."
Apr 30, 2018 • 1h 18min
Ryan Holiday on Conspiracy, Gawker, and the Hulk Hogan Trial
Author Ryan Holiday discusses his book, Conspiracy, with EconTalk host Russ Roberts. This is a crazy episode about a crazy book about a crazy set of events--the Hulk Hogan lawsuit against the website Gawker, a lawsuit that was secretly funded by Peter Thiel. Holiday explains how this happened and the lessons for all of us related to conspiracies, patience, strategy, and revenge. Along the way, Holiday discusses his techniques for reading and lessons for how to grab someone's attention when looking for a job or opportunity.
