Vote to see vote counts
Richard Thaler shares his approach to writing his new book, which includes providing concise takeaways for both economists and general readers. He emphasizes the value of making complex economic concepts accessible and engaging.
Richard Thaler recommends the Journal of Economic Perspectives as a valuable and accessible resource for those interested in economics. He praises its approach to making academic articles understandable to a broader audience.
Richard Thaler shares a poignant memory of his mentor, Amos Tversky, who, while facing terminal cancer, emphasized the value of storytelling in learning. Thaler uses this lesson in his classes, arguing that stories help people understand complex concepts.
Richard Thaler highlights the ethical considerations of nudges, noting that while they can be used to help people make better decisions, they can also be exploited for profit, as seen in the design of casinos and online gambling platforms.
Richard Thaler highlights the concept of 'mental accounting,' where people irrationally categorize money, affecting their financial decisions. This concept is widely applicable and often leads to irrational spending behaviors.
Richard Thaler and Danny Kahneman explored fairness in economics by asking if it's fair for a hardware store to raise snow shovel prices after a blizzard. Most people said no, except business school students, who believed it was justified based on microeconomic principles.
Richard Thaler discusses his project of revisiting and updating his 1992 book on economic anomalies. He highlights the importance of verifying whether the foundational experiments still hold true today, both in theory and in real-world applications.
Behavioral economics emerged when psychologists started questioning traditional economic models, pointing out that people don't always act rationally. This led to a more nuanced understanding of economic behavior.