Freakonomics Radio

Economists don’t usually talk about “culture.” But Joel Mokyr argues that it’s the engine of innovation — and the Nobel Prize committee agreed. Stephen Dubner sits down for a thousand-year conversation (including advice!) with the new Nobel laureate.

 

SOURCES:

Joel Mokyr, economic historian at Northwestern University.



 

RESOURCES:

Two Paths to Prosperity: Culture and Institutions in Europe and China, 1000–2000, by Avner Greif, Joel Mokyr, and, Guido Tabellini (2025).

"The Outsize Role of Immigrants in US Innovation," by Shai Bernstein, Rebecca Diamond, Abhisit Jiranaphawiboon, Timothy McQuade, and Beatriz Pousada (NBER, 2023).

A Culture of Growth: The Origins of the Modern Economy, by Joel Mokyr (2016).

Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty, by Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson (2012).

"The Economics of Being Jewish," by Joel Mokyr (Critical Review, 2011).



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Just beneath the surface of the global economy, there is a hidden layer of dealmakers for whom war, chaos, and sanctions can be a great business opportunity. In this updated episode from 2025, journalists Javier Blas and Jack Farchy help us shine a light on the shadowy realm of commodity traders.

 

SOURCES:

Javier Blas, opinion columnist at Bloomberg News.

Jack Farchy, energy and commodities senior reporter at Bloomberg News.



RESOURCES:

The World For Sale: Money, Power, and the Traders Who Barter the Earth's Resources, by Javier Blas and Jack Farchy (2021)

The King of Oil: The Secret Lives of Marc Rich, by Daniel Ammann (2010).



EXTRAS:

"How the Supermarket Helped America Win the Cold War (Update)" by Freakonomics Radio (2024).

"The First Great American Industry," by Freakonomics Radio (2023).



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... of bad reviews, meager financing, or artificial intelligence. But he is worried that the world is full of sloppy thinkers who mistake facts for the truth.

 

SOURCES:

Werner Herzog, writer, filmmaker, and actor.



 

RESOURCES:

The Future of Truth, by Werner Herzog (2025).

Every Man for Himself and God Against All: A Memoir, by Werner Herzog (2023).



 

EXTRAS:

"When Did We All Start Watching Documentaries?" by Freakonomics Radio (2025).

"Werner Herzog Thinks His Films Are a Distraction," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2023).



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Existing drugs can sometimes be repurposed to treat rare diseases. But making that match can be hard — and the financial incentives are weak. Guest host Steve Levitt tries to solve the puzzle.

 

SOURCES:

Chris Snyder, professor of economics at Dartmouth College.

David Fajgenbaum, co-founder and president of Every Cure, physician-scientist at the University of Pennsylvania.

Heather Stone, health science policy analyst at the Food & Drug Administration.

Sarrin Chethik, senior policy analyst at the Market Shaping Accelerator.



 

RESOURCES:

Chasing My Cure: A Doctor's Race to Turn Hope into Action; A Memoir, by David Fajgenbaum (2019).

Strong Medicine: Creating Incentives for Pharmaceutical Research on Neglected Diseases, by Michael Kremer and Rachel Glennerster (2016).

Market Shaping Accelerator.

CURE ID Registry.



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When Richard Thaler first published Nudge, the world was just starting to believe in his brand of behavioral economics. In this 2021 episode, we ask: How has nudge theory held up in the face of a global financial meltdown, a pandemic, and other existential crises?
 
SOURCES:Richard Thaler, professor of economics at the University of Chicago.

 
RESOURCES:Nudge: The Final Edition, by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein (2021).
Sludge: What Stops Us from Getting Things Done and What to Do About It, by Cass Sunstein (2021).
"Sludge: Americans Spend 11.4 Billion Hours Filling Out Federal Paperwork," by Cass Sunstein (Big Think, 2021).
"Carbon Taxation in Sweden," by Government Offices of Sweden Ministry of Finance (2021).
"The Climate Club: How to Fix a Failing Global Effort," by William Nordhaus (Foreign Affairs, 2020).
"Organ Donation: Presumed Consent and Focusing on What Matters," by Rebecca Brown (The Journal of Medical Ethics Blog, 2017).

 
EXTRAS:"Sludge," series by Freakonomics Radio (2025).
“People Aren’t Dumb. The World Is Hard. (Ep. 340 Rebroadcast),” by Freakonomics Radio (2018).

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