#347

Mentioned in 49 episodes

The Rational Optimist

How Prosperity Evolves

Book • 2010

In 'The Rational Optimist', Matt Ridley presents a bold and provocative interpretation of economic history, arguing that the innate human tendency to trade goods and services, along with specialization, is the source of modern human civilization.

The book covers the entire sweep of human history from the Stone Age to the Internet, highlighting how life is improving at an accelerating rate through increased food availability, income, and life span, while disease, child mortality, and violence are decreasing globally.

Ridley emphasizes the role of free trade, individual rights, and innovation in enhancing human prosperity and natural biodiversity despite potential setbacks.

Mentioned by

Robert Breedlove

Michael Shermer

Mentioned in 49 episodes

Mentioned by

Bill Gurley

as a book on innovation.

#651: Legendary Investor Bill Gurley on Investing Rules, Finding Outliers, Insights from Jeff Bezos and Howard Marks, Must-Read Books, Creating True Competitive Advantages, Open-Source Strategies, Adapting Mental Models to New Realities, and More

Recommended by

Bill Gurley

to understand the mechanisms of economic growth and prosperity.

BG2 with Bill Gurley & Brad Gerstner | MANG VC Gone Wild, Can You Trust AI Valuations, 2024 Set Up for Public Tech Stocks, & the VC Correction Grinds On | E01

Mentioned by

Jonathan Haidt

in the context of discussing long-term historical trends and human adaptability.

Jonathan Haidt on Adjusting to Smartphones and Social Media

Mentioned by

Bill Gurley

when discussing the link between free trade, the exchange of ideas, and human prosperity.

Ep9. GPT-4o, Astra, Multi Modal, China Tariffs, Tech Earnings | BG2 with Bill Gurley & Brad Gerstner

Mentioned by

Shane Parrish

, highlighting its impact on the understanding of rational optimism.

#107 Matt Ridley: Infinite Innovation

Mentioned by

Stewart Brand

as an author whose work explores rational optimism.

#281: Stewart Brand - The Polymath of Polymaths

Mentioned by

Matthew Syed

when discussing the benefits of trade.

Israel vs Iran - Matthew Syed

Recommended by

Naval Ravikant

for its rational optimism perspective on technological advancement.

Matt Ridley: How Innovation Works, Part 1

Mentioned by Jordan Peterson as one of

Matt Ridley

's books.

310. Viral: The Origin of Covid 19 | Matt Ridley

Mentioned by

Tim Ferriss

as one of the books frequently recommended in 'Tribe of Mentors'.

#442: Tribe of Mentors — Naval Ravikant, Susan Cain, and Yuval Noah Harari

Mentioned by

Justin Khanna

as a book he is rereading, finding its optimistic message valuable in uncertain times.

193: The Problem with Mise en Place, with Justin Khanna

Mentioned by

Matt Ridley

as one of his books, showcasing his optimistic view on human progress.

#311 — Did SARS-CoV-2 Escape from a Lab?

Mentioned by

Shane Smith

in the context of his optimistic outlook on the future, despite challenges posed by AI and environmental issues.

The U.S. Media Is LYING To You—Here’s The Truth About Global Chaos | Shane Smith PT 2

Recommended by

Robert Breedlove

as an excellent piece of work.

Ideas Having Sex: How Money & Language Evolve Civilization w/ Matt Ridley (WiM574)

Mentioned by Matt Ridley to explain the benefits of recombination and how multiple ideas combine to create innovation.

Compounding Optimism

Mentioned by

Michael Shermer

as one of

Matt Ridley

's previous books.

Sex and Beauty: The Extraordinary Implications of Darwin’s Strangest Idea (Matt Ridley)

Mentioned by

James Altucher

as an example of why there's reason to be optimistic about society's evolution.

EP04: Why Bittensor's TAO Demand Will Be Higher Than Ever.

Mentioned by

Steven Pinker

as a book on rational optimism.

Matt Ridley, Steven Pinker, and Michael Shermer Challenge Conventional Narratives

Mentioned by

Tom Bilyeu

in the context of specialization.

Tom Bilyeu Q&A: Superhero Skills: Retirement Hacks & Mindset Tricks (Replay)

Mentioned by

James Altucher

as one of

Matt Ridley

's books that had a huge impact on his life.

590 - How to THINK like an Innovator with Matt Ridley

The AI-powered Podcast Player

Save insights by tapping your headphones, chat with episodes, discover the best highlights - and more!

App store banner

Play store banner