For those who know me, I am a huge fan of podcasts. Great story-telling and content, delivered for free, wonderful use of your time. If you intellectually curious, travel a lot, and don’t listen to podcasts or audiobooks, uh, I don’t understand you. Made a list of great planet money podcasts here. Freakonomics – created by the same people of the eponymous book here (affiliate link) – have diligently been exposing economics oddities since 2010.
Now the list of favorite Freakonomics podcasts:
I Consult, Therefore I Am (11/26/2012): Yes, a fabled podcast about the management consulting industry. Most this I would agree with.
How to Save $1 Billion Without Even Trying (9/11/2014): Why don’t people use private-label aspirin even though pharmacists do? Good question.
Diamonds Are a Marriage Counselor’s Best Friend (4/6/2015): If you (or your spouse) likes diamonds, and the one person does not. . .this episode is for you.
Hacking the World Bank (2/19/2014): Interview with Jim Young Kim. Head of the World Bank, not a slacker.
Is It Okay for Restaurants to Racially Profile Their Employees? (6/24/2015): Damn good question. Just admit it. If you go into a high-end Japanese restaurant and you see people behind the sushi bar who don’t look like they are from Tokyo. . . you cannot help but feel like it lacks some authenticity? Come on – just admit it.
Are You Ready for a Glorious Sunset? (8/27/2015): Discussion on end-of-life care, and our society’s aversion thinking about end of life, as an economist might. I am listening to Atul Gawande’s book called BEING MORTAL, which is about end-of-life, palliative care, assisted living, and our overly medical-view of dying of old age.
The President of Harvard Will See You Now (9/3/2015): Interview with the President of Harvard – do you need more reason to listen than that? Check out this letter that she wrote to the President when she was. . . (wait for it). . . . 9 years old:
The True Story of the Gender Pay Gap (1/7/2016): Harvard economist does an incredible job of explaining the key drivers in the pay gap between men and women. Yes, it is definitely multi-factorial – there is not 1 smoking gun or answer (duh), but a lot of it has to do with women choosing professions, and firms (within an industry) which allow more flexibility. It’s a complex topic, but Freakonomics & their economist guest drive a lot of clarity.