Podcasts Education Self-Improvement Conversations with Tyler Tim Harford on Persuasion and Popular Economics

Tim Harford on Persuasion and Popular Economics

Published: Feb. 12, 2020, 12:51 p.m.

To Tim Harford, mistakes are fascinating. \u201cWe often only understand how something works when it breaks,\u201d he says, explaining why there\u2019s such an emphasis on errors throughout his work. They also tend to make great stories, which can stoke the curiosity necessary to change minds. A former persuasive speaking champion, he was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire \u201cfor services to improving economic understanding,\u201d which he\u2019s achieved through appearances on the BBC, columns for the Financial Times, several TED Talks and books, and now his latest podcast series Cautionary Tales.\xa0

Tim joined Tyler to discuss the role of popular economics in a politicized world, the puzzling polarization behind Brexit, why good feedback is necessary (and rare), the limits of fact-checking, the \u201ctremendously British\u201d encouragement he received from Prince Charles, playing poker with Steve Levitt, messiness in music, the underrated aspect of formal debate, whether introverts are better at public speaking, the three things he can\u2019t live without, and more.

Note: This conversation was recorded in November 2019 and thus took place before the UK\u2019s general election in December, which secured Boris Johnson a Conservative majority and ensured the passage of his Brexit deal in January 2020.

Read a\xa0full transcript\xa0enhanced with helpful links.

Recorded November 11th, 2019

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