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If this sparks your interest in economics, I highly recommend looking at Econtalk: http://www.econtalk.org/archives.html http://www.econtalk.org/archives.html

If this sparks your interest in economics, I highly recommend looking at Econtalk: http://www.econtalk.org/archives.html http://www.econtalk.org/archives.html I love the episodes with Mike Munger, because they usually cover basic economic concepts (and also Mike has a great rapport with the host Russ).

JackFr 10y ago
Agree about EconTalk, though not as big a Mike Munger fan. (I am partial to Richard Epstein as a guest.) I cannot speak more highly of the host. Among podcasts about ideas, Russ Roberts is absolutely remarkable and unique in his willingness and ability to give a good-faith, sympathetic venue for ideas with which he disagrees. While he is willing to push back against ideas he doesn't agree with, he is always pleasant and always reminds the listener (and himself) that he is also subject to confirmation bias. And while the focus is economics and public policy, he will interview nearly anyone with something to talk about. I can't begin to list the things I've learned about bees, the potato chip and snack food industry, prison gangs, etc. Well worth anyone's time.
- tptacek 10y ago
  Yes! It seems to turn out that for any random subject X you can ever imagine wondering about, there is someone whose academic career is "X economist", and they all seem to wind up interviewed on this show.
- icebraining 10y ago
  always reminds the listener (and himself) that he is also subject to confirmation bias. I really like Econtalk and I don't really have any reason to doubt his sincerity, but I've realized that to people like me who dislike pundits, that kind of self-processed humility could be a really dangerous manipulation technique :)
  - JackFr 10y ago
    > that kind of self-processed humility could be a really dangerous manipulation technique :) I just don't see that. "I believe these things are true, but I acknowledge that I am, like everyone else, subject to unconscious biases." "Well, that's exactly what a hyper-manipulative sociopath would say"
    - icebraining 10y ago
      Like I said, I don't think Russ Roberts is being manipulative, let alone an "hyper-manipulative sociopath". All I'm saying is that I find myself accepting his position more easily due to it being colored by my sympathy for his humility.
      - travmatt 10y ago
        Intellectual honesty and humility is a good heuristic to look for if one is blindly assessing arguments. Even though there's a chance he could be dead wrong on a given topic, the fact that a person with those traits has arrived at a conclusion tends to suggest there's an honest case to be made for it. In other words, you could do worse than finding honest people and listening to them.
    - Avshalom 10y ago
      Well it's one of those things... http://mediarelations.cornell.edu/2016/06/21/in-doctors-we-trust-especially-when-they-admit-to-bias/ http://mediarelations.cornell.edu/2016/06/21/in-doctors-we-t... Disclosing bias makes you sound "more trustworthy" or something so people discount the bias.
  - deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
  - oh_sigh 10y ago
    It doesn't even need to be manipulation. Even those who recognize their biases are still biased, and many times in ways that they don't recognize
  - humanrebar 10y ago
    Roberts' willingness to provide airtime, even if by proxy, for opposing viewpoints is exemplary. It's rare to see the strong, compelling cases for various viewpoints presented in the same program, even when considering otherwise intelligent programming like we see on NPR and various opinionated podcasts. It really strengthens all arguments since more of the discussion is reason-based. When programming ignores the good arguments from other perspectives, the programming is not much better than sophistry, in my opinion.
tptacek 10y ago
Strong agree on Econtalk. I don't share Russ Roberts politics, but I think this is one of those cases where the ideological friction makes things better, because I'm regularly surprised by where conversations on the show go.
davnicwil 10y ago
Can't second the econtalk recommendation enough - I first heard about the show some years ago on HN, and have listened weekly ever since - so I hope a few more people get introduced to the show thanks to this comment thread!
perseusprime11 10y ago
Econtalk looks like a real gem. What other podcasts are out there?
- zachberger 10y ago
  Are you specifically looking for other econ podcasts or podcasts in general?
  - perseusprime11 10y ago
    Nothing in general. It could be science, technology or anything that is interesting.
    - travmatt 10y ago
      I'm a _huge_ fan of podcasts, and I have a strong bias towards Informationally dense shows dealing with Politics, technology, and sciences. Common Sense with Dan Carlin - I think he may be the most underrated and most prescient political commentator of our times. Econtalk - for the high bar of intellectual honesty of its host. Waking Up with Sam Harris - a little of everything. BhTV the Glenn Show - hosted by an African American economist , probably the leading commentary on race relations in the USA today. The Tim Ferriss Show - excellent interviewer and some truly remarkable guests. Risky Business - information security reporting by a truly excellent and knowledgeable journalist. Congressional Dish - reads and provides background on legislation currently proposed in congress. Will give you a very solid understanding of many current topics (her work in reading through TPP, CISA and other bills is fantastic). Slate's Whistlestop - stories of famous moments in American presidential campaigns.
- eternauta3k 10y ago
  If I could only recommend one, I'd tell you to listen to MartyrMade: an in-depth, ground-level look at the history of the Israel-Palestine conflict. It starts with a gruesome first-person narrative of a pogrom, and with every episode it gets you to understand and feel each side's motivations. http://www.martyrmade.com/fear-and-loathing-in-the-new-jerusalem-pt-1/ http://www.martyrmade.com/fear-and-loathing-in-the-new-jerus...
patja 10y ago
Econtalk is a great podcast. I dream of the day when Paul Krugman will agree to be a guest.
travmatt 10y ago
Couldn't recommend EconTalk enough. I'd consider Russ Roberts the standard of what honest intellectual discourse sounds like. Even when you can tell he disagrees with the guest, you can tell he works very hard to make sure he presents their views fully and honestly explore where exactly the differences of opinion form from.

JackFr 10y ago

Agree about EconTalk, though not as big a Mike Munger fan. (I am partial to Richard Epstein as a guest.) I cannot speak more highly of the host. Among podcasts about ideas, Russ Roberts is absolutely remarkable and unique in his willingness and ability to give a good-faith, sympathetic venue for ideas with which he disagrees. While he is willing to push back against ideas he doesn't agree with, he is always pleasant and always reminds the listener (and himself) that he is also subject to confirmation bias. And while the focus is economics and public policy, he will interview nearly anyone with something to talk about. I can't begin to list the things I've learned about bees, the potato chip and snack food industry, prison gangs, etc. Well worth anyone's time.

tptacek 10y ago
Yes! It seems to turn out that for any random subject X you can ever imagine wondering about, there is someone whose academic career is "X economist", and they all seem to wind up interviewed on this show.
icebraining 10y ago
always reminds the listener (and himself) that he is also subject to confirmation bias. I really like Econtalk and I don't really have any reason to doubt his sincerity, but I've realized that to people like me who dislike pundits, that kind of self-processed humility could be a really dangerous manipulation technique :)
- JackFr 10y ago
  > that kind of self-processed humility could be a really dangerous manipulation technique :) I just don't see that. "I believe these things are true, but I acknowledge that I am, like everyone else, subject to unconscious biases." "Well, that's exactly what a hyper-manipulative sociopath would say"
  - icebraining 10y ago
    Like I said, I don't think Russ Roberts is being manipulative, let alone an "hyper-manipulative sociopath". All I'm saying is that I find myself accepting his position more easily due to it being colored by my sympathy for his humility.
    - travmatt 10y ago
      Intellectual honesty and humility is a good heuristic to look for if one is blindly assessing arguments. Even though there's a chance he could be dead wrong on a given topic, the fact that a person with those traits has arrived at a conclusion tends to suggest there's an honest case to be made for it. In other words, you could do worse than finding honest people and listening to them.
  - Avshalom 10y ago
    Well it's one of those things... http://mediarelations.cornell.edu/2016/06/21/in-doctors-we-trust-especially-when-they-admit-to-bias/ http://mediarelations.cornell.edu/2016/06/21/in-doctors-we-t... Disclosing bias makes you sound "more trustworthy" or something so people discount the bias.
- deleted 10y ago
  [deleted]
- oh_sigh 10y ago
  It doesn't even need to be manipulation. Even those who recognize their biases are still biased, and many times in ways that they don't recognize
- humanrebar 10y ago
  Roberts' willingness to provide airtime, even if by proxy, for opposing viewpoints is exemplary. It's rare to see the strong, compelling cases for various viewpoints presented in the same program, even when considering otherwise intelligent programming like we see on NPR and various opinionated podcasts. It really strengthens all arguments since more of the discussion is reason-based. When programming ignores the good arguments from other perspectives, the programming is not much better than sophistry, in my opinion.

tptacek 10y ago

Strong agree on Econtalk. I don't share Russ Roberts politics, but I think this is one of those cases where the ideological friction makes things better, because I'm regularly surprised by where conversations on the show go.

davnicwil 10y ago

Can't second the econtalk recommendation enough - I first heard about the show some years ago on HN, and have listened weekly ever since - so I hope a few more people get introduced to the show thanks to this comment thread!

perseusprime11 10y ago

Econtalk looks like a real gem. What other podcasts are out there?

zachberger 10y ago
Are you specifically looking for other econ podcasts or podcasts in general?
- perseusprime11 10y ago
  Nothing in general. It could be science, technology or anything that is interesting.
  - travmatt 10y ago
    I'm a _huge_ fan of podcasts, and I have a strong bias towards Informationally dense shows dealing with Politics, technology, and sciences. Common Sense with Dan Carlin - I think he may be the most underrated and most prescient political commentator of our times. Econtalk - for the high bar of intellectual honesty of its host. Waking Up with Sam Harris - a little of everything. BhTV the Glenn Show - hosted by an African American economist , probably the leading commentary on race relations in the USA today. The Tim Ferriss Show - excellent interviewer and some truly remarkable guests. Risky Business - information security reporting by a truly excellent and knowledgeable journalist. Congressional Dish - reads and provides background on legislation currently proposed in congress. Will give you a very solid understanding of many current topics (her work in reading through TPP, CISA and other bills is fantastic). Slate's Whistlestop - stories of famous moments in American presidential campaigns.
eternauta3k 10y ago
If I could only recommend one, I'd tell you to listen to MartyrMade: an in-depth, ground-level look at the history of the Israel-Palestine conflict. It starts with a gruesome first-person narrative of a pogrom, and with every episode it gets you to understand and feel each side's motivations. http://www.martyrmade.com/fear-and-loathing-in-the-new-jerusalem-pt-1/ http://www.martyrmade.com/fear-and-loathing-in-the-new-jerus...

patja 10y ago

Econtalk is a great podcast. I dream of the day when Paul Krugman will agree to be a guest.

travmatt 10y ago

Couldn't recommend EconTalk enough. I'd consider Russ Roberts the standard of what honest intellectual discourse sounds like. Even when you can tell he disagrees with the guest, you can tell he works very hard to make sure he presents their views fully and honestly explore where exactly the differences of opinion form from.