Economic Rockstar
Frank Conway - Economics and Finance Lecturer - interviews Dan Ariely, Deir
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Top 10 Economic Rockstar Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Economic Rockstar episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Economic Rockstar for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Economic Rockstar episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
01/01/18 • 56 min
Firstly, I’d like to apologise to all listeners to the Economic Rockstar podcast for what seemingly appears to be me turning my back on the podcast and on you. I honestly never had planned for this and I had always intended to work hard and deliver great quality episodes to the best of my abilities with the most amazing, thought-provoking and inspiring economists to you every week.
However, personal circumstances changed in my life and this impacted on the podcast. I felt that I couldn’t commit 100% to the time I had allocated to the podcast.
In the meantime I’d like to thank all of you who have contacted me on Facebook, Twitter and by email enquiring about the podcast and wishing me well. I truly appreciate it and it was really nice to have my listeners get in touch and show a desire and hunger for more interviews.
The realisation kicked in when I struggled to feel the natural enthusiasm that I previously had in the lead up to and during each interview process. I honestly felt that it wasn’t fair to my guests and to you by not being fully present.
The last interview that I recorded (prior to this most recent one) was early in 2017 with the distinguished economist and Nobel laureate Professor Vernon Smith and ironically I felt that it was my best interview to date.
I decided that I just wanted to know about the person rather than the discipline and I felt that this approach uncovered great insights into Professor Smith’s thinking and role as an economist.
And perhaps it’s a coincidence that i’m releasing the first episode in almost a year on the day of Professor Smith’s birthday, January 1st. Happy 91st birthday Vernon. I’ll release my interview with Vernon soon.
If you’re a fan of the podcast and would like to show your support in anyway, please check out my Patreon page at patreon.com/economicrockstar where you can sign up for any of the awards for as little as $1 a month or you can simply follow me on the Economic Rockstar Facebook page or on Twitter or simply recommend the show to a friend, especially if they have never had the opportunity to study economics.
So to begin again... In this weeks episode of the economic rockstar podcast I speak to Professor Robin Hanson, associate professor of economics at George Mason University. Professor Hanson has been on the podcast on two previous occasions, episodes 73 and 91 and has kindly joined me again for a hat-trick of episodes. We talk about his new book The Elephant In the Brain: Hidden Motives in everyday life, co-authored with Kevin Simler and available to buy in all good bookstores and, of course, online through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Book Depository and more. Check Robin and Kevin’s website elephantintheroom.com to explore the book in finer detail as well as some great content such as interviews, reviews and a Ted talk on the subject.
You can download or stream this 122nd episode as well as find all the links mentioned above at economicrockstar.com/robinhanson3
080: Will Australia's Property Market and Economy Go Down Under? An Episode Featuring Steve Keen
Economic Rockstar
04/07/16 • 38 min
This weeks episode of the Economic Rockstar podcast features the Australian economy.
There is talk amongst economists, analysts and commentators, be it speculative or not, that the Australian economy or it’s housing market will implode within the next 12 to 18 months.
I am joined with Professor Steve Keen who explains why the property market in Australia will crash, taking down its economy.
Check out the show notes page for a transcript, links and resources mentioned in this episode at www.economicrockstar.com/australia.
060: Manu Saadia on Trekonomics - The Economics of Star Trek: Scarcity, Productivity and Public Goods
Economic Rockstar
11/26/15 • 58 min
Manu Saadia fell into science fiction and Star Trek fandom at the age of eight, back in Paris, France, where he was born and raised.
Manu studied history of science and economic history in Paris and Chicago. After many happy years in the Ivory Tower, he yielded to his childhood passion for the future.
Manu embarked on his continuing mission to explore strange new worlds by boldly going where many have gone before: Los Angeles, CA, where he advise and (occasionally) builds tech companies.
Manu received the 2005 Wayne C. Booth Graduate Student Prize for Excellence in Teaching at the University of Chicago.
His book, Trekonomics, is currently available for pre-order at www.inkshares.com and will be released in 2016.
In this episode you will learn:- why Manu Saadia wrote Trekonomics.
- about the Star Trek Economics panel at Comic Con.
- why economists love Star Trek.
- about inkshares and how it can help authors publish their book.
- how traditional media rather than social media boosted pre-order sales of Trekonomics - an ironic outcome.
- when Manu’s interested in economics and Star Trek collided.
- about the work of Isaac Asimov and how his stories are a discourse on economics.
- how the stories of robots and the future by Asimov influenced and shaped the storyline in Star Trek.
- about the replicators in Star Trek and how they solve the problem of economic scarcity.
- about the Ferengi’s and how they represent capitalism and trade.
- why The Federation or the humans in Star Trek do not use money but have a foreign account to trade with the Ferengi’s.
- and much much more.
- Check out the shownotes page and links mentioned in this episode at www.economicrockstar.com/manu-saadia
- Subscribe to the Economic Rockstar podcast on iTunes and never miss an episode.
06/04/15 • 49 min
Stephen Young is a Senior Lecturer at Brighton Business School and is subject leader for behavioural economics.
He is also Visiting Lecturer at Brighton and Sussex Medical School, where he teaches Behavioural Economics to health professionals, including commissioners, public health practitioners and GPs.
As an independent consultant and trainer, Stephen also provides client workshops and presentations on behavioural economics and behaviour change.
Stephen is widely published and his research interests include behaviour change, climate change, health, sustainability, and Information and Communications Technology.
Stephen does not own a car and is so passionate about being car free that he writes regularly on his blog livingthecarfreelife.blogspot.com. Other writings from Stephen can be found at www.stephenyoung.org.uk.
In this episode, find out:
- why Stephen decided to become an academic.
- about the Northern Rock bank run in the UK in 2007.
- why universities need to adapt or die when it comes to addressing relevant content.
- what Stephen is doing to reduce his carbon footprint in college and how he’s responding to the digital needs of his students.
- why health professionals are interested in behavioral economics.
- about the Irish government’s fight against obesity.
- how Stephen is encouraging a town in the UK to become pedestrian friendly.
- about framing car ownership - status and perception of rank.
- how by ditching your car you can burn calories.
- how the average person is working two days a week to pay for their car.
- about the emotional attachment that a car represents.
- what major cities across Europe are doing to make them more pedestrian and bike-friendly.
- about peak car ownership.
- some advice from Stephen on how to give your car.
- about the pluralist approach to embracing economics.
- Subscribe on iTunes or visit www.economicrockstar.com to access previous episodes.
034: David Simon on Meatonomics and How the Meat and Dairy Industry Impose Substantial Negative Externalities on Society
Economic Rockstar
05/28/15 • 43 min
David Robinson Simon is a lawyer and advocate for sustainable consumption.
David works as general counsel for a healthcare company and serves on the board of the Animal Protection and Rescue League Fund, a non-profit dedicated to protecting animals.
David runs a website that keeps us up-to-date on matters arising from the farm animal industry as well as informing us of other animal-related causes.
David received his B.A. from U.C. Berkeley and his J.D. from the University of Southern California. He is the author of two books: New Millennium Law Dictionary, a full-length legal dictionary and Meatonomics.
He lives in Southern California with his partner, artist Tania Marie, and their rabbit, tortoise, and two cats.
Find Out:- why David, a lawyer, turned to economics to explain how the meat industry is a cost to society.
- about the lack of rights that exist for farm animals.
- how the farming community set the standards on how farm animals are treated.
- how the Customary Farming Extension was introduced to legally treat farm animals inhumanely.
- about the environmental costs associated with producing animal products.
- how to control or even reverse climate change by reducing meat consumption.
- how taking shorter showers is not going to alleviate the drought in California.
- what the true external cost to society is when someone consumes an animal product.
- how deferring climate change measures today will impose greater costs on society in the future.
- what David, who is a vegan, had for breakfast this morning.
- the ingredients to David’s ‘power smoothie’ - a refreshing and nutrient dense meal in a glass!
- how companies are being subsidised by government to lower the retail price of meat.
- about the heavy subsidies being paid out to the meat industry.
- how artificially-low meat and dairy prices are fuelled by out-of-whack farm subsidies.
- about Ireland’s removal of milk quotas and what it means for market prices.
- and much, much more.
- Check out the shownotes page to this episode at www.economicrockstar.com/davidsimon
- Subscribe on iTunes and never miss an episode.
033: Abdullah Al-Bahrani on the Economy of Oman and How Racial Discrimination Empowered Him to Succeed in Life and in Economics.
Economic Rockstar
05/21/15 • 48 min
Dr. Abdullah Al Bahrani is an Assistant Professor of Economics at Northern Kentucky University, where he serves as the Principles of Economics Coordinator.
Abdullah’s research interests are in the fields of Industrial Organization and Education of Economics. Currently, his primary focus is on innovative approaches to teaching Economics. In Industrial Organization, his research examines market structure and competition in the banking and real estate industries.
Prior to joining academia, Dr. Al Bahrani worked in the mortgage industry from 2003-2006. He has also served as outside economic consult to the Ministry of Education, Sultanate of Oman and new business ventures entering Oman.
Abdullah received his Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Kentucky in 2010, where he received an award for Best Economics Graduate Teaching Assistant.
Find Out:
- why Abdullah decided to do a Phd in Economics in 2006 and left the mortgage industry just before it imploded.
- about Abdullah’s economic consultancy work with the Sultanate of Oman.
- about Abdullah’s connection when reviewing labor market studies in Oman (Hint: She is the Director General of the National Centre of Career Guidance and is as maternal to Abdullah as Oman is to him).
- how Oman are creating an entrepreneurial spirit to drive is economy in the future.
- why Oman is faced with difficulties in transitioning to an entrepreneurial economy.
- how Omani culture is preventing it’s people to take on risk and why incentives do not work.
- about Abdullah’s suggestion that to create an entrepreneurial spirit in Oman, the labor market must first be liberalised.
- why discrimination exists in the Omani labor market and why US and UK ex-pats would be a preferred employee.
- how data limitations for Oman make it difficult to conduct an empirical analysis of the labor market.
- about Oman’s tourism initiative to create Oman as an eco-friendly destination.
- how Abdullah is integrating social media into the classroom, making education a more interactive and conducive learning environment for students.
- how to create a sense of community in a classroom.
- why Abdullah received an Easter basket of goodies from a student’s mother.
- why Abdullah is ‘helping his students to ‘clean’ their social media footprint.
- about the research Abdullah is doing on racial discrimination in the labor market.
- how Abdullah is identifying how racial discrimination is evident in online markets where, unlike traditional markets, the color of your skin is not a factor.
- how Abdullah was racially discriminated against in both the labor market and when selling mortgage loans in the USA.
- how Abdullah dealt with racial discrimination and how it gave him his Phd dissertation question.
- how online price comparison websites may actually be anti-competitive.
- how online stores are eating into the consumer surplus.
- and much much more.
- Check out the shownotes page to this episode at www.economicrockstar.com/abdullaalbahrani
- Subscribe on iTunes and never miss an episode.
032: Joe Gladstone on the 'Pay What You Want' Pricing Model and Using Big Data to Understand You Better
Economic Rockstar
05/14/15 • 45 min
Joe Gladstone is an academic researcher and consultant based at the University of Cambridge, where he applies insights from behavioural economics and psychological research to better understand consumer behaviour.
Joe partners with some of the world’s largest corporations, such as Twitter, Bupa and Visa, as well as government departments, to tackle challenges that deal with behaviour change.
Joe's views on consumer behaviour have been featured in the BBC, Forbes, The Huffington Post and other media outlets.
Joe is founder of BE-events.org and BE-Recruit.com. He received his Masters from Oxford University and his Phd from Cambridge University, and has been awarded a range of competitive grants and prizes.
Find Out:- about the link between the discipline of psychology and economics.
- why Joe decided to do postgraduate research in behavioral economics.
- how advances in technology, especially in social media, can help behavioral scientists understand human behaviour better.
- why you do not know how much you spend on coffee.
- how Joe has identified the relationship between psychology and money.
- how Joe has used the ‘My Personality’ app to predict your personality from what you like.
- how companies can use ‘Big Data’ to target messages directly to you.
- why people are willing to pay for services that they could otherwise get for free.
- if TIDAL will disrupt the online music industry by taking control of their own music.
- if Spotify risks losing out to TIDAL.
- how important is the price of zero?
- how the ‘Pay What You Want’ pricing model defies classical economic theory.
- why people pay even if they are given the option to take the product for free.
- how Radiohead made more in sales when offering their album on a ‘Pay What You Want’ basis.
- if the ‘Pay What You Want’ model is sustainable for a business in the long run?
- how Jon Bon Jovi has successfully implemented the ‘Pay What You Want’ model in his Soul Kitchen restaurant in New Jersey.
- how sitting with strangers to eat in Soul Kitchen can ‘nudge’ diners to pay more than what they were initially willing to pay.
- about Joe’s passion for financial literacy and financial empowerment.
- if you can become immune to nudging by having a deeper understanding of it.
- if knowledge prevents you from being nudged.
- about behavioral economics events that could be going on in your area with BE-event.org.
- how Joe maximises his time by outsourcing his work on oDesk.
- and much, much more.
- Check out the shownotes page to this episode at www.economicrockstar.com/joegladstone
- Subscribe to the Economic Rockstar podcast on iTunes and never miss an episode.
031: Matt Rousu on Experimental Auctions and the Need for Peer-Reviewed Economic Impact Studies
Economic Rockstar
05/07/15 • 42 min
Dr. Matthew Rousu is a Professor and Warehime Chair in the Department of Economics at Susquehanna University. His main teaching interests include microeconomics, political economic thought, and game theory.
Matt is an expert on experimental auction design and implementation. He uses his expertise on experimental auctions to study problems in agricultural economics, environmental economics, and public health. He has published over 40 scholarly articles, as well as book chapters, non-technical articles and Opeds.
Matt has been quoted widely on many issues by The Chicago Tribune, Forbes, The NY Daily News, The Philadelphia Inquirer, US News and World Report, The Washington Post, Wikipedia, and Yahoo.com.
He has also been a guest for local radio stations mainly to discuss the local, state, and national economy.
Matt runs his own blog known as paeconomist.blogspot and is founder of the Economic Impact Review. He is the author of Political Trivia.
Matt earned a Bachelor's degree from the University of South Dakota and a Ph.D. in Economics from Iowa State University.
Find Out:- Benefits of lecturing at a liberal arts college - switch up your research interests.
- about experimental auction designs.
- what is consumer demand for Genetically Modified Products.
- how demand for GMOs change due to differences in packaging.
- how print advertisement for e-cigarettes increases their demand.
- whether e-cigarettes are a ‘healthy’ alternative to traditional cigarettes.
- about the impact of plain package cigarettes on consumer demand.
- if the Irish government correct in enforcing plain packaged cigarettes.
- how much less buyers were willing to pay for plain packaged cigarettes.
- how a picture of smoking-related diseases on cigarette packaging decreases demand for cigarettes.
- why Matt set up The Economic Impact Review.
- why economic impact studies should go through a peer-review process.
- and much much more.
- Subscribe to the Economic Rockstar podcast on iTunes and never miss an episode.
- Check out the shownotes page to this episode at: http://www.economicrockstar.com/matthewrousu
029: John Cochrane on the Future of Finance, MOOC Education, Regulation and the Case for Free Markets
Economic Rockstar
04/23/15 • 50 min
John Cochrane is the AQR Capital Management Distinguished Service Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business and is currently Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution.
Professor Cochrane is a Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research and past director of its asset pricing program, and an Adjunct Scholar of the CATO institute.
John is past President and Fellow of the American Finance Association, and a Fellow of the Econometric Society. He has been an Editor of the Journal of Political Economy, and associate editor of several journals including the Journal of Monetary Economics.
John’s is the author of 3 books including the book Asset Pricing. Other finance publications include articles on stock and bond markets, exchange rates, interest rates, liquidity premiums and option pricing.
John's monetary economics publications include articles on the relationship between deficits and inflation, the effects of monetary policy, and on the fiscal theory of the price level.
John currently teaches the MBA class Advanced Investments and a variety of PhD classes in Asset Pricing and Monetary Economics.
John earned a Bachelor’s degree in Physics at MIT, and earned his Ph.D. in Economics at the University of California at Berkeley.
In addition to research and teaching, John is a competitive sailplane pilot and windsurfs.
John blogs as 'The Grumpy Economist'.
Find Out:- why Professor Cochrane is known as the Grumpy Economist.
- about John’s Proposed New Structure for US Debt.
- how to create financial stability with a currency fit for the 21st century.
- about the advantages of government debt.
- what happened when Ireland guaranteed the bondholders and entered into a bailout.
- the limitations to a eurozone country when faced with a bailout.
- why countries should be allowed to act like companies and default.
- why Greece should have defaulted and why Ireland should not have bailed out the bondholders.
- about Professor Cochrane competing in the World Gliding Championship for the USA.
- why Professor Cochrane delivered his Asset Pricing PhD course as a MOOC.
- the costs and benefits of delivering a MOOC.
- how MOOCs will become the textbook of the future.
- how to monetize a MOOC and which type of course would have mass market appeal.
- Ireland’s aim to become the capital of MOOCs.
- how to create a social environment for students using MOOCs.
- why Professor Cochrane went from a degree in physics to a PhD in Economics.
- why people are stuck in the welfare system.
- and much much more.
- Visit www.economicrockstar.com/johncochrane to get access to the shownotes page and all the links mentioned inthis interview.
036: Jason Shogren on Music and Endogenous Risk and Rationality in the Environmental Goods Market
Economic Rockstar
06/11/15 • 63 min
Jason Shogren is the Stroock Professor of Natural Resource Conservation and Management and Chair of the Department of Economics and Finance at the University of Wyoming.
Professor Shogren’s background and research interests include the economics of environmental and natural resource policy, experimental methods; endangered species; invasive species; climate change; agricultural and forest management; energy; health; regulation; and paleoeconomics.
Jason served as professor to Sweden’s King Carl Gustaf XVI in 2012 and is a 2007 Nobel Peace Prize winner (shared with Al Gore) as a member of the United Nations team working on climate change.
He has also served as a senior economist on the Council of Economic Advisers in the White House under the Clinton Administration.
Jason loves fishing and music. He spends his time composing acoustic roots songs that he describes as catawampus American music, has five albums and will be touring this summer.
Find Out:
- about the Cap and Trade Market for carbon emissions is a failure and would only work in a micro-management setting.
- why its best to implement a carbon tax.
- the difference between luxury emissions and survival emissions and why it maybe difficult for China and India to reduce their carbon.
- how Jason’s depiction of a low probability-high severity event influenced Janet Yellen to take action on climate change.
- if we are acting rationally or irrationally toward the environment.
- how we can exploit rationality ‘for the good’.
- how, over the last 30 years, we have become averse to just about everything.
- how we can take advantage of peoples’ status quo to increase their contribution of paying a carbon tax.
- how designing the right system can nudge people to do the right thing - just like soft paternalism.
- how Jason sought inspiration about rationality from other disciplines, such as English literature and music composition, rather than from economics.
- how Jason uses music as a form of escapism.
- about the concerts that Jason Shogren will be playing at each year.
- about Jason’s hitch-hiking experience in Ireland in 1985 from the Giants Causeway and down along the West Coast (now known as the Wild Atlantic Way).
- about Jason theoretical thought process regarding endogenous risk and how he applies it to different environmental risks.
- and much, much more. To access the shownotes to this episode visit: www.economicrockstar.com/jasonshogren
- Subscribe to the Economic Rockstar podcast on iTunes and never miss an episode.
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FAQ
How many episodes does Economic Rockstar have?
Economic Rockstar currently has 176 episodes available.
What topics does Economic Rockstar cover?
The podcast is about Bitcoin, Gold, Wealth, Psychology, University, Investing, College, Money, Freakonomics, Investment, Podcasts, Finance, Economics, Education, Business and Careers.
What is the most popular episode on Economic Rockstar?
The episode title '174: Wendy Carlin on The Core Project, Capitalism, Democracy and Normative Statements' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Economic Rockstar?
The average episode length on Economic Rockstar is 56 minutes.
How often are episodes of Economic Rockstar released?
Episodes of Economic Rockstar are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of Economic Rockstar?
The first episode of Economic Rockstar was released on Nov 13, 2014.
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