EconTalk

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EconTalk: Conversations for the Curious is an award-winning weekly podcast hosted by Russ Roberts of Shalem College in Jerusalem and Stanford's Hoover Institution. The eclectic guest list includes authors, doctors, psychologists, historians, philosophers, economists, and more. Learn how the health care system really works, the serenity that comes from humility, the challenge of interpreting data, how potato chips are made, what it's like to run an upscale Manhattan restaurant, what caused the 2008 financial crisis, the nature of consciousness, and more. EconTalk has been taking the Monday out of Mondays since 2006. All 800+ episodes are available in the archive. Go to EconTalk.org for transcripts, related resources, and comments.

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Recent Reviews
  • FireShield95
    Good when talking about economics
    But unfortunately doesn't talk about economics as much anymore, despite its name. Gets really pretentious when talking about things like poetry (which itself is either pretentious or cheezy). Stick to economics, please.
  • Nickname1792804
    Thoughtful
    I enjoy Russ’ thought process even if I don’t agree with his conclusions.
  • Albanycat
    Wisdom
    Russ has a truly enquiring mind. The best of his podcasts bring the listener on a journey to a new place. Erudite and thought provoking.
  • rabidmoderate
    Paul Bloom
    National treasure. Scholar. Mensch
  • umterps94
    Required listening
    EconTalk would probably be on the Mt. Rushmore of podcasts if one were to exist. My only request would be to include a summary of books, websites, etc. that are discussed during the episode in the show notes. When the host or a guest mentions a great book, I’d love to be able to check it out but am often not able to note it while listening.
  • Life Is Wonderful Love
    Economic Intelligence
    I throughly enjoy the Economic podcast on a variety of subjects relating to money, economics and markets. Keep up the good work.
  • Kleegrubaugh
    Patric House
    What happened to Anna? Did they help her epilepsy? Learned I have aphantasia! As a would be artist, I could not see what I wanted to paint like my fellow artists could. Now I know why.
  • JenDevilKitty
    I can’t put into words how much I love these interviews!
    So I’ll try. Interviews and discussions on fascinating topics and aspects of the broader econ world (which pretty much covers everything). Fascinating & learning about our economy, the world, broader and interconnecting themes and impacts
  • thicks51
    Look forward to every new episode
    Enjoy the host and his guests having an easy to digest conversation. The topics are varied and interesting.
  • Cool jey
    Don’t know how I’ve missed this one
    I don’t know how I’ve missed this podcast for so long as it has a bunch of guests I like and have listened to elsewhere. I’m not very familiar with Russ, but I like him and have a good sense of his worldview since I’ve been bingeing. The *very best* part of this podcast is it actually starts within 30 seconds. Overly produced, filler content (not ads) in podcasting needs to die; the kind that tends to be self absorbed, irrelevant information that has nothing to do with the content.
  • egfuzz
    Wonderful
    This podcast is full of thoughtful conversations. It’s an antidote to typical anger media. You can definitely learn something here, but—what’s more—listening to this podcast might induce little spurts of emotional growth. Such great work.
  • Teukolsky
    Always interesting
    Russ does a good job preparing for his interviews. He finds interesting guests to interview, asks interesting questions, and is unfailing respectful and polite to his interviewees.
  • MBsciencegeek
    Intellectually stimulating
    As a life long biology learner, I am newcomer to economics and it’s jargon. I greatly enjoy the new approach to viewing the world and how economics can maximize utility. The first podcast in 2006 was a great intro in how to think like an economist. Looking forward to listening to all episodes (eventually) and how the new knowledge will stimulate new ideas and understanding.
  • Michael D. McAuley
    My Favorite Podcast
    Russ is an unabashed free marketeer but is always fair and polite to his wide variety of guests. He covers a wide range of interesting topics in addition to pure economics, but he brings a more nuanced approach to the “economic way of thinking” to so many topics. He often has topics that don’t look interesting to me at first, but I always listen to them as they are often end up as some of my favorite episodes.
  • Brent Econ
    Russ the GOAT
    No one can touch the insight and thoughtfulness of the GOAT, Russ Roberts. Listen!
  • SleepyCho
    Episode… 851? With John List
    John’s voice is best at about 35:30, just after Russ asks a question or makes a statement. Before that, and almost exclusively, John’s voice is very difficult to listen to. I recommend voice coaching. (I am not in that business.) A secondary suggestion: John, focus on speaking in a lower register while using vocal variation while speaking. This is a type of thing that people who know is well are too “caring” and too polite to suggest, but it will improve: 1.) your desirability as a speaker 2.) your persuasiveness 3.) the general joy with which others engage with you, regardless of whether you are paying them to so engage Good luck, and may you find increasing success and happiness
  • fdnunez
    New perspectives
    This podcast has brought new perspectives on topics that have shaped my thinking permanently. One unexpected example was the podcast where he discussed Kenny G with documentarian Penny Lane. What actually made the podcast fascinating was way they approached the question “What is beautiful?” It made me re-think my scorn for art forms that I find boring or mundane in a way that I hadn’t before. I still don’t like a Kenny G, but I don’t let it annoy me. His interview on healthcare with Keith Smith was also epic.
  • Ben Connelly
    I Freaking Love EconTalk
    I’ve learned so much from this podcast! And I still have almost 700 episodes left in the archive! As a self-described “free market fundamentalist,” I find myself agreeing with Russ all the time. Free market healthcare! Hayek! Free trade!
  • RPMRob
    Excellent discussions
    Always a thought-provoking discussion.
  • Beatpulsing
    Excellent conversations
    This is the way we should tackle complex issues. Excellent idea sharing and shaking out conversations. This podcast always makes me think, evaluate and reevaluate my thoughts and assumptions.
  • Dkl3in10
    Great Pod
    Russ is a fantastic interviewer. He is thoughtful and open minded. Love this podcast and his wife variety of topics.
  • DrBrett47
    I listen to every episode
    Love it every week. I’ve been listening since 2009 and I’ve learned so much. Thank you for your dedication, Russ. And for those that say he talks too much, they must have never listened to any other interviewers. I often wish he’d talk more. He’s a national treasure.
  • WCH___
    Ep 823
    We’ll see how this one ages. I wonder how much Russ would have paid for that booster as he was frantically googling? He should ask Tyler next time he’s on what an alpha booster should cost in an omicron world, on the margin of course, in a world with $1 ivermectin? Maybe a deep dive on the skyrocketing cost of $1 ivermectin. Maybe EconTalk, in the future. Pretty sad to see what covid has done to Russ. Five years from now, Will Russ be selling vaccines or will he be talking about his concerns with this time like 2008? He’ll have time to decide.
  • botesazan
    Wonderful podcast
    Russ Roberts is a wonderful conversationalist. This is economics in the broadest sense, and the interplay between economics and so many human activities. The variety of fields discussed is really amazing. I appreciate Russ’ free market perspective combined with his willingness to let his guests expand upon their views. Thank you so much for a very lovely (in Smith’s sense of the word) podcast.
  • Bwv878
    Michael Munger and More
    Russ is great. He’s a born teacher, intellectually honest, endlessly curious, opinionated, but able to challenge guests respectfully without attacking them. He has a broad spectrum of guests, and of course lots of Michael Munger.
  • Review Master 3001
    Addicted
    I am currently an economics undergrad and started listening to this podcast last summer in the middle of my major. After six months of listening, I’m over 100 episodes in and look forward to listening to a new episode every day. This podcast has opened me up to many topics outside of just economics that I didn’t know I was interested in, but now have a backlog of books to read for a deeper dive of each. Russ has a great interview style and I love his interjections and lengthy questions. He has a gift for clarifying points and helping the listener understand complex topics. I could write a lengthy review of all of the reasons I appreciate this podcast but I will just say thanks to Russ for broadening my scope and making me a more thoughtful and educated person!
  • BGfam
    That will never be the future of Earth!
    I am sure you’ll like the amount of engagements of this particular podcast. It is very concerning that we have people not considering any other option. Why am I saying that, the tone of this “person” was such as she is speaking from a higher place. We are not part of the convo because we are not intelligent enough to understand that we don’t understand. All those thrive in the era of zoom meetings. They will never talk this way in person.
  • Gus McCrae
    Bad interviewer
    Not a good interviewer. He brings on interesting guests but he interrupts them frequently. His questions often seem wooden and not really thought through. I tried several episodes and couldn’t make it through a single one.
  • notanazi
    Russ Roberts is kind of an ahole
    Interesting podcast but have to take it with a grain of salt because the host will frequently question facts that disalign with his worldview (which is insulting to his guests, who are experts) and kind of talks down about certain groups in his pursuit of promoting purely neoclassical economics.
  • Mrs Ippi
    I was irked
    I found you via another podcast and have subscribed and been listening for the past few months. In this particular episode, Jennifer Frey irked me. Her definition of flourishing is arbitrary. Therefore an objective review of arbitrary data is useless. Despite this, it is good to get other perspectives. Thanks for keeping me on my toes!
  • macneilmacneil
    Interesting Far Out of Proportion to the Title of the Podcast
    Excellent podcast. Great selection of guests talking about their area of expertise with a thoughtful and interesting host who asks great questions and loves to challenge his guests position.
  • jordanmacneil.....
    Exceptional
    An exceptional interviewer with great guests.
  • tivenner1
    Roberts does not listen
    Russ Roberts talks nonstop and never lets guest make a point. Removing app
  • MAMCG53
    Jonathan Rauch
    Thirteen years would appear to be an appropriate interval for Mr. Rauch’s next invitation to EconTalk… Would love to be able to get that hour of my life back.
  • Positive Sum Game
    The quality of the discourse has largely fallen apart
    I’ve listened to a couple hundred hours of Econ Talk and found it really informative back in the day. Especially in the times around the great recession when it was all about serious economics. Unfortunately I have found the arguments to be less and less open minded. Russ reacts to any suggestion of wealth inequality or anything that has a whiff of redistribution with a knee jerk proposal of the alternative standard conservative wealthy narratives. These are often just additional and not alternatives put forward in the bad faith ‘what about this…’ framework. He very often questions the validity of well established statistical facts whenever a guest is putting forth a thesis he disagrees with. An example is the disparity in income growth across classes. This is not based on some study but rather tax and income data. It’s somewhat random to claim this is being falsified or is inherently misleading without detailing how and why with sources. An economist who hides behind the claim ‘it’s complicated’ in order to discount premises is dodging and not adding value to a conversation. Rarely does he address the issue raised but rather directs the conversation to one of his favorite areas of rhetoric. Religion, family, the ills of any form of economic reform or regulation, a deep skepticism of government programs or minimum wage increases. The level of disconnection from what reality is like for those having to live on it is like something out of Arrested Development… ‘What’s a banana cost? $20?”
  • RH3458
    Excellent
    Can’t believe I haven’t reviewed EconTalk before! I have listened for years and Russ’s guests, topics, thoughtful discussion mean I always learn some or gain valuable perspective on a wide range of topics.
  • P.P. Bub
    Thanks Russ!
    Wonderful show. In recent years it has transitioned more into a philosophy podcast, which is a welcome turn. Not because the econ content hasn’t been good - it has always been very good - but because Russ is a versatile thinker and an avid reader who really thrives when the scope of the talk is broadened. I’ve learned a great deal from Econ Talk over the years and am grateful for its existence!
  • Manny CR
    So good
    Thank you!
  • Anon reviewer d00d
    Not longer an economics podcast
    If you’re looking for folks talking about economics, keep scrolling. For years this was a great podcast, but it’s pretty much just been “philosophical stuff that Russ is interested in” for the last few years.
  • GFKeyWest
    5 stars for content
    This is my favorite podcast out of about 7 that are in my regular playlist. The content, information, points of view are amazing and invaluable. AT cost of only my time it is hard to complain; however, allow me to advise guests that after the 45 minute mark OMG relax or hydrate so you do not start with the “and and and ah ah ah uhh uhh uhh uhh” it takes all my power and desire to learn to continue listening when this $t@r+s !!!
  • Jhwahaha
    Spoken like an elite
    Listen to Russ talk about how he handled the lockdowns shows the sheltered nature of our fragile elites. Many of us worked every day last year with 0 complaints; but Russ had “horror” when someone put a box in his shopping cart… Perspective shows us that Russ doesn’t learn well from observational learning.
  • Shegraha
    Good, but used to be great.
    Econtalk has been a fantastic podcast that I have listened to for more than a decade. Over the past few years the topics covered have moved further afield from Economics. While many topics or books discussed are interesting these are not the topics and conversations that drew me to the podcast. At this point the name of the podcast should be changed to something else to convey the actual content. I suggest a move to alternate weeks of programming where more traditional topics would be covered one week, then the next week one of the newer philosophical or humanities topics is discussed.
  • jjiusbbbdhag
    Best
    In terms of quantity and quality the single best podcast yet created.
  • frivolousjosh
    Needs editing but great content
    Russ is rambling and talks too much. Let the guests talk more and edit the interviews for length
  • Hudesqhivcbhf
    Exceptional Podcast
    Russ is thoughtful and the conversations on this podcast are interesting and insightful. If you don’t appreciate the view points and ideas discussed on this podcast, you’re probably on one extreme or the other of the political spectrum.
  • Arlie K
    Engaging and insightful!
    It’s clear that Russ puts extraordinary effort in covering salient topics and finding unique and knowledgeable guests - the insights they bring to bear is still mind-blowing Every. Single. Time.
  • bgmando1
    Great in-depth discussions
    Recently stumbled across across this podcast and have greatly enjoyed these in-depth discussions with such a diverse range of guests. Not afraid to ask tough questions. Also really enjoyed listening to audiobook version of his Adam Smith Can Change Your Life book. Lots of good food for thought. Thank you!
  • Gnm98
    For Hollywood Maybe
    I tried, but what’s your point?! I’ve heard LatinX and Privileged too many times. I’m not interested in what West Coast Snowflakes think. Don’t care what you’re selling, I am out of here.
  • aAngela Cross
    Best interview podcasts you’ll ever listen to.
    In depth interviews with people on the cutting edge of their expertise .....in absolutely every field. Binge on them all.
  • RaviSingh
    Facts are wrong
    Another wrong assertion. Teump’s administretion did purchase enough vaccine to vaccinate all Americans. Read the CBO report.
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