64. Why Greed is Dead: John Kay, author of ‘Obliquity’ and ‘Radical Uncertainty’, [reads] ‘The Secret of Our Success’
2 Pages with MBS - A podcast by Michael Bungay Stanier - Tuesdays
Briefly, at The Australian National University, I was a member of AIESEC, an international group of economics students. There were good moments, but I eventually had the realisation that these weren’t really my people; they just didn’t have a similar lens on the world, to me. So, I assumed that all economists were the same, until a few years ago when I read a wonderful book called Obliquity. It was wise, grounded, human, provocative, and had, at its heart, the insight that we rarely figure out - the hard, complex things - and it was written by an economist. After some time in academia, John Kay realised that he possessed a unique skill, one that was uncommon in the typical economist. John has already appeared on this podcast, featured as an author in someone else’s read. He’s a British economist, and truthfully, a philosopher. He is what a real influencer looks and sounds like. Get book links and resources at https://www.mbs.works/2-pages-podcast/ John reads two pages from ‘The Secret of Our Success’ by Joseph Henrich. [reading begins at 11:15] Hear us discuss: The significance of social learning in the world: “You’ll never see two chimpanzees carrying a log together.” [16:52] | The process of shifting foundational beliefs: “It’s not that they’re worse people, it’s that the environment in which they operate has been a different one.” [18:12] | Finding inspiration and hope. [22:47] | Reducing polarisation. [24:39]
