The Capitalism and Freedom in the Twenty-First Century Podcast
Steven D. Levitt (Freakonomics co-author and U Chicago Econ Prof) on His Career and Decision to Retire From Academic Economics
Mar 13, 2024
Join the podcast to hear Steven D. Levitt discuss his career, transition to academia, and decision to retire. Explore his impact on applied microeconomics, data-driven research, and the evolution of academic economics at UChicago. Reflect on golf, retirement, and the future of economics, as well as insights into teaching, educational reform, and pandemic project challenges.
01:28:11
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Quick takeaways
- Steven Levitt retired from academic economics due to decreasing impact of research efforts and found a new platform for impactful ideas in the media franchise.
- Economics is shifting towards technical complexity over practical insights, potentially diminishing the field's relevance in the future.
Deep dives
Transition to Retirement
Retiring at a relatively young age of 56 or 57, the decision was influenced by the diminishing impact of research efforts. Despite working on exciting projects that went unnoticed, like the Hurricane Katrina study, the lack of relevance and impact was discouraging. Transitioning to the dynamic media franchise led by Stephen Dubner provided a platform to reach millions with ideas more effectively, prompting a departure from academia for a fresh start.
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