Tyler Cowen, probably GMU’s most famous alumni and professor (outside the law school) has consistently been ahead of the broader intellectual ecosystem, and has been writing Marginal Revolution since before I was born. He’s done a few debates, published a bunch of interesting material, and has been adjacent to movements like EA. Also, his podcast is the sort of high quality material that’s incredibly engaging for the non-intellectually-disengaged.
Alex and Tyler from Marginal Revolution recently did an episode through the Mercatus Center about insurance. It reminded me of something that stuck out when I interviewed Cowen back in college, the most important thing about economics education was teaching a genuine enthusiasm for the subject matter.
Let’s talk about the things that I think he does well in the discussion that lends itself to interest in the subject. First, the episode was structured in a very conversational way, which lends itself to narrative. Second, it’s well researched and produced. It starts by posing the questions that scholars aim to solve, allowing the more amateur economist type to understand the broader context. It also mostly avoids super technical discussions allowing for non-specialist enjoyment. Third, it’s immediately apparent that Cowen and Tabarrok are enthusiastic about the subject matter. Finally, it had calls to action about areas for further research, which allows for momentum and opportunities for deeper understanding.
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