EconTalk Richard Robb on Willful
Feb 24, 2020
Economist Richard Robb, CEO of Christopherson Robb & Company and a professor at Columbia, discusses his insightful book, Willful. He delves into the complexities of decision-making, contrasting rational choices with emotional motivations. Topics include the paradox of choice, the dynamics that led to the 2008 financial crisis, and the intrinsic value of work. Robb also explores altruism, drawing connections to philosophical thinkers like Nietzsche, and emphasizes the importance of understanding human behavior in both personal and economic contexts.
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Purposeful vs. For-Itself Actions
- Robb contrasts purposeful behavior (optimizing choices) with "for-itself" behavior (acting without a specific purpose).
- He argues that life combines both, where actions are sometimes self-justifying and not always driven by maximizing utility.
Pickup Football Game
- Robb joined a pickup football game where winning had no tangible reward.
- This exemplifies "for-itself" behavior: driven by intrinsic motivation, not external incentives.
The Emptiness of Unstructured Leisure
- After leaving his banking job, Robb experienced the emptiness of leisure without work's challenges.
- Finding two new jobs significantly increased his happiness compared to having none.
