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cover of episode “I love being the person who doesn’t know anything” - Why Steven Levitt has swapped academia for podcasting

“I love being the person who doesn’t know anything” - Why Steven Levitt has swapped academia for podcasting

2025/4/11
logo of podcast Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford

Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford
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Steve Levitt
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Tim Harford
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Steve Levitt: 我最初并不认为《怪诞经济学》会成功，这主要归功于幸运和在《每日秀》的露面。学术界的高标准和对细枝末节的关注让我感到沮丧，这阻碍了对重大问题的研究。我更喜欢在现实世界中工作，因为我可以快速地提出和测试想法，而不需要追求绝对的确定性。我创立了激进社会变革创新中心，旨在将学术界的严谨性和创业精神相结合，解决那些不受欢迎的重大社会问题。在肾脏捐献方面，我们通过简单的干预措施，帮助捐献者减肥，从而显著增加了捐献数量。在教育方面，我认为高中数学教学存在严重问题，它强迫学生进行大量无用的计算，而忽略了数据分析等实际技能的培养。我制作播客《我大多钦佩的人》是为了转变角色，从想法的生产者转变为想法的消费者，并与各领域的专家进行对话。在育儿方面，我认为让孩子感受到爱比其他任何事情都重要。 Tim Harford: 我最初不担心《怪诞经济学》会对我的书造成影响，因为如果它成功了，只会让经济学看起来更酷。莱维特在芝加哥大学的经历反映出学术界可能存在的负面文化。莱维特的播客《我大多钦佩的人》采访风格独特，他乐于展现自己不了解某些方面，并引导受访者以更易懂的方式解释复杂问题。

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This chapter explores the unexpected success of Freakonomics, discussing its unique approach to economics, its pop culture appeal, and the role of luck and marketing in its widespread popularity. It also delves into the author's decision to leave academia.
  • Freakonomics unexpectedly became a bestseller.
  • The book combined pop culture with economics.
  • The author's appearance on The Daily Show contributed significantly to its success.
  • The success stemmed from the book's tone and approach, rather than solely the stories.
  • The author's decision to leave academia is discussed.

Shownotes Transcript

20 years ago, a book called Freakonomics became an instant bestseller and worldwide sensation. Tim Harford got his hands on the first copy that Steve Levitt ever signed... and promptly sold it on eBay. In this Cautionary Conversation, the pair are reunited to discuss the Freakonomics phenomenon, why Levitt left the hostile world of academia, and how simple changes could revolutionise everything from education to organ donation.

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For a full list of sources, see the show notes at timharford.com).

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