Essential Listening: Emergent Order
Sometimes it is easy to underestimate the power of media. Today’s news, more often than not, is forgotten the next day. This is often the case with podcasts as well.
Sometimes, however, a podcast has a material effect on an individual listener and, by extension, other lives as well. A recent edition of the Freakonomics podcast explores the life-changing impact an episode featuring Nobel Prize-winning economist Alvin Roth had on one man and the recipient of his kidney donation.
It’s unlikely any of this week’s selections will so move someone, but one can hope. If you’re interested in hearing additional selections, don’t hesitate to explore earlier editions of Essential Listening. As always, this installment features a wide array of material to help make your next commute or exercise session a bit more stimulating..
- Quants were not always the players they now are on Wall Street. Barry Ritholtz talks with Emanuel Derman, author of My Life as a Quant: Reflections on Physics and Finance and one of the original quants on Wall Street. They discuss the early days of quants in finance, the power (and downside) of models, and what Derman now teaches his students about financial modeling. (The Big Picture)
- One of the big differences in the recent venture capital boom has been the power of start-up accelerators like Y Combinator and Tech Stars. Aaron Harris and Kat Manalac interview Y Combinator founder Paul Graham on how he went from entrepreneur to start-up supporter and what he has learned along the way. (The Macro)
- In the popular press, Bernie Madoff was the poster child for fraud in the aftermath of the financial crisis. But Allen Stanford was no slouch either. Joe Weisenthal and Tracy Alloway speak with financial adviser Alex Dalmady about how he uncovered Stanford’s malfeasance and the lessons the scheme and its discovery teaches about financial fraud in general. (Odd Lots)
- Connie Chan and Clay Shirky, the author of Little Rice: Smartphones, Xiaomi and the Chinese Dream, discuss innovation in the Chinese economy and the huge differences between the US and Chinese markets and societies, in a conversation with Sonal Chokshi. (a16z)
- It is a lot of fun when two smart people sit down for a chat. Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight and the professor, blogger, and author Tyler Cowen have a wide-ranging discussion that touches on statistics, politics, sports, gambling, and, most importantly, food. (Medium)
- Russ Roberts interviews with Matt Ridley, author of The Evolution of Everything: How New Ideas Emerge, about the commonality of evolution and the power of viewing the world through the lens of emergent order. (EconTalk)
- To the surprise of many, the start-up-focused Shark Tank has become something of a cultural phenomenon. James Altucher talks with Barbara Corcoran, one of the stars of the show, about her career, the difference between good and great salespeople, and what makes for a successful entrepreneur. (James Altucher)
- Like Nate Silver, Adrian Wojnarowski is a writer who has carved out a niche online through hard work and focus. Peter Kafka talks with Wojnarowski about the jump to digital journalism, why the NBA is great fit online, and what to expect from The Vertical, his outpost on Yahoo! (Re/Code)
- The rise of the internet has seemingly downgraded the importance of professional criticism. In this discussion, New York Times critic A. O. Scott, who recently wrote Better Living through Criticism: How to Think about Art, Pleasure, Beauty, and Truth, lists his favorite films and explains why criticism is central to our lives. (Slate)
Feel free to leave a comment or suggest other podcasts from which Enterprising Investor readers and listeners may benefit. I might highlight your suggestion in this ongoing series on the world of podcasting.
You can read more from Tadas Viskanta on his blog Abnormal Returns or follow him on Twitter @abnormalreturns.
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All posts are the opinion of the author. As such, they should not be construed as investment advice, nor do the opinions expressed necessarily reflect the views of CFA Institute or the author’s employer.
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