Think Like An Economist
Think Like An Economist
Think Like an Economist and you'll see the world more clearly, empowering you to make better decisions at work, at home, and in your community. Leading economists Betsey Stevenson and Justin Wolfers will take you on a joyous romp through their field as they introduce you to the big ideas in economics, and show how you can apply them to live in your own life. Their signature approach reveals that e…
Introducing: Think Like An Economist
01:34
Why Good Money Advice Fails to Land | Diving In
Most of us wash our hands even though we've never seen a germ. But when it comes to personal finance, hardly anyone "washes their hands" — and the mistakes are expensive. Justin Wolfers, back from a Stanford keynote to finance educators, argues that ignoring sound financial advice may cost people s…
19:03
What Airbags Teach Us About Artificial Intelligence | The Professor Is In
AI safety fears are in the news, so Justin Wolfers sits down with producer Augusta to work through the economics — and the ethics — of building guardrails into AI. Using airbags as the analogy, he shows why a "safe" AI, like a car with airbags, works a little less well than one built with no precau…
14:36
How Much Should We Spend to Prevent an AI Catastrophe? | Diving In
The people building the most powerful AI see faster science, better medicines, and explosive economic growth. Others see catastrophe. Justin Wolfers steps into that argument with the one tool that can actually weigh the two: economics. Subscribe: on YouTube 👉 https://youtube.com/platypuseconomic…
29:08
How Accountability Shapes National Borrowing Rates | The Professor Is In
What's the relationship between journalism and borrowing costs? When a local paper shuts down, something surprising happens: the town starts paying higher interest on its debt. Justin Wolfers sits down with producer Augusta to answer viewer questions about why press freedom isn't just a civics-cla…
24:14
Why Trump's Diesel Export Ban Could Raise Gas Prices | Diving In
The White House is floating a temporary ban on U.S. diesel exports, and the pitch sounds simple: keep the diesel here, and prices fall for farmers and truckers. In this episode of Diving In, Justin Wolfers walks through why that story falls apart the moment you follow the economics past its first …
17:37
What Would It Take to Eliminate Poverty? | The Professor Is In
In this episode of the Professor Is In, Justin Wolfers answers your questions about poverty in America. Justin walks through the official poverty measure ($32,649 for two adults and two kids), the newer supplemental measure ($41,701 for a renting family that adjusts for local costs and now counts i…
23:44
The Economic Cost of Trump's War on The Press | Diving In
When the White House pulled the press badges of CNN, MS Now, and Politico, most of us reached for the First Amendment. Justin Wolfers asks a different question: what does a free press actually DO for us? What happens to your wallet when a president gets leverage over the reporters? Subscribe: on …
18:59
What If We Just Gave Poor People Money?
Official poverty fell to 10.2% — so why does the better measure show almost no change? The new poverty numbers are out, and the headline looks like good news: official poverty dropped to 10.2%, a third straight annual decline. But Justin Wolfers explains why that single statistic hides more than i…
26:19
The Fed Raised Rates. Here's What It's Fighting. | Off The Clock
The Fed just raised rates unanimously — and Justin Wolfers explains why that 12-0 vote matters more than the rate itself. Joined by Bloomberg Businessweek's Stacey Vanek-Smith on Off The Clock, Justin unpacks what "Silent Kevin" Warsh actually signaled, why the president's dream of 1% interest rate…
58:25