In this podcast, Scott and the host discuss a range of interesting topics including film, literature, asset bubbles, monetary policy, the impact of pessimism on art, the importance of nominal GDP in monetary policy, and the resistance to implementing NgDP targeting. They also touch on subjects like the meaning of jobs, behavioral vs classical economics, and technology's impact on productivity.
Exposing oneself to a variety of arts and humanities, including fiction and films, can enhance economists' understanding and thinking about economic issues.
Literature, like the works of Knausgaard and Proust, offers valuable insights into the human condition and allows readers to connect with characters on a personal level.
Film, as a highly visual art form, provides a more visually impressive and artistically expressive experience compared to television, making it worth exploring for those interested in visual arts.
Deep dives
The Impact of Diverse Life Experiences on Economics
Having a broad range of life experiences, including reading fiction, watching films, and exposing oneself to various arts and humanities, can enhance one's understanding of economics. Scott Sumner highlights the importance of not having an overly narrow view and believes that exposure to different perspectives can improve economists' ability to think about economic issues. He suggests that reading philosophy and exploring philosophical ideas can be especially valuable in expanding one's thinking and approach to methodology.
The Value of Reading Fiction and Watching Films
Scott Sumner discusses the benefits of reading fiction and watching films in gaining a deeper understanding of the human experience. He shares his personal experience with reading novels that have expanded his ability to think differently about the world. Sumner suggests that literature, like the works of authors such as Karl Ove Knausgaard and Marcel Proust, allows readers to connect with characters on a personal level and helps them realize that they are not alone in their experiences. He explains that while fiction from different time periods may have different contexts, they can still provide valuable insights into the human condition.
The Importance of Visual Arts in Film
Scott Sumner discusses the distinction between film and television as art forms, highlighting the visual nature of film as a medium. He explains that film, being a director's medium, offers a more visually impressive experience compared to television, which is more focused on dialogue and storytelling. Sumner's preference for film stems from his personal inclination towards visual arts. He acknowledges the excellence of writing and storytelling in quality television shows but believes that the peaks of filmmaking, as a highly visual art form, surpass those of television. He suggests that those interested in exploring film should start with visually-oriented and artistically expressive directors like Alfred Hitchcock and Stanley Kubrick.
The Role of Behavioral Economics
The speaker acknowledges the validity of certain biases studied in behavioral economics, but believes that classical economic theories better explain most phenomena. They argue against the existence of asset price bubbles and assert the importance of the rational expectations hypothesis. While they acknowledge some insights from behavioral economics, they do not believe it will radically transform the field of economics.
The Importance of Nominal GDP and the Stance of Monetary Policy
The speaker argues that the most useful way to determine the stance of monetary policy is by looking at the market's expectation of future nominal GDP growth. They favor a nominal GDP target of around 4%. They dismiss interest rates and the money supply as flawed indicators and emphasize the need to target the thing that monetary policy directly affects. They also discuss the difficulty of determining the stance of monetary policy in a world with rapidly changing technological advancements.