Katrine Kielos, bestselling author of 'Who Cooked Adam Smith's Dinner?' and 'Mother of Invention,' dives into the realm of feminist economics. She highlights the invisible labor women contribute to the economy and critiques the narrow view of the 'economic man.' The discussion covers the importance of emotional and relational labor, proposing a paradigm that values care and sustainability. Kielos advocates for reimagining economics to include love and empathy, challenging traditional models while celebrating the interconnectedness of our contributions.
Katrine Kielos critiques the traditional concept of the 'economic man,' highlighting how it neglects relational work and the contributions of women.
The podcast advocates for feminist economics as a means to create a more holistic economic model that values care and communal relationships.
Deep dives
Mastery of Business and Empathy
The MBE program, or Mastery of Business and Empathy, is introduced as a contemporary alternative to traditional MBA programs, focusing on equipping leaders with essential tools, strategies, and philosophies to lead purposefully in today's complex environment. This program aims to cultivate emotional intelligence and systems thinking among future leaders, preparing them to navigate and address pressing societal issues. Emphasizing empathy in leadership, the MBE recognizes the interconnection between personal and professional spheres, fostering a holistic approach to business. Applications for the program are currently open, reflecting its growing significance in shaping compassionate leadership.
The Economic Man and Unpaid Labor
The concept of the 'economic man' or 'homo economicus' is critiqued for its flawed representation of human behavior within economics, focusing solely on self-interest while neglecting the relational aspects of human life. This discussion emphasizes that economics has historically overlooked the contributions of women and unpaid work, which have been essential to the functioning of economies but remain unmeasured. By highlighting Adam Smith's oversight of the domestic contributions from figures like his mother, the conversation underscores the necessity of including unpaid labor in economic models to create a more accurate and equitable understanding of value. The result of this exclusion is a narrow view of economics that fails to account for the vital role of care and relational networks.
Feminist Economics and the Invisible Heart
Feminist economics is presented as a necessary perspective for addressing modern economic challenges, arguing that it seeks to reframe economics by valuing both relationships and the environment alongside traditional metrics. This approach advocates for the acknowledgment of the 'invisible heart'—the emotional and relational aspects of human interaction that are often left out of economic calculations. By incorporating these elements, the aim is to create an economy that is not solely driven by self-interest but also embraces care, community, and sustainability. The insights gained from this perspective are crucial for developing models that better reflect reality and promote social well-being.
Redefining Economics for Humanity
A new, more holistic understanding of economics is proposed, one that emphasizes the interconnectedness of human experiences, nature, and economic practices as a unified household management system. This perspective challenges the entrenched notion that economies are separate from the ecological systems they depend on, advocating for a model that respects the planet's limits and human relational needs. The conversation underscores that by redefining the purpose of economics to reflect what it means to live a meaningful life, a shift can occur from viewing the economy as a machine to seeing it as a living system. Ultimately, this reimagining aims to foster an economy that supports life and acknowledges the complexity of human existence.
Katrine Kielos (previously Katrine Marçal) is the bestselling author of Who Cooked Adam Smith’s Dinner? In this episode Katrine unpacks feminist economics, illuminating the unpaid, often invisible labor women perform in supporting the traditional workforce. We explore the concept of the "economic man" and question why our economic systems undervalue relational work and care. It’s a thought-provoking conversation that invites listeners to reimagine the next economy, one that truly values humanity's collective efforts.