Money Unplugged with Chris Hill Your Future Self Is a Stranger (Hal Hershfield)
Oct 9, 2026
Hal Hershfield, a UCLA professor and author of Your Future Self, explores why tomorrow’s version of you can feel like a stranger. He shares lessons from picking corn, navigating finances with his wife, and deciding when to save or spend. They also discuss purchases that create contentment, giving money and time, and why Succession captures wealth, family, and power so well.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
His First Lessons In Saving Came From CDs
- Hal Hershfield’s earliest money fascination came from studying currencies in the World Book encyclopedia and collecting pennies.
- By age 12 or 13, he saved allowance for CDs, learning that purchases required both work and waiting.
Corn Picking Left A Lasting Money Lesson
- Hal Hershfield picked corn for $5.25 an hour, carrying rough burlap sacks through hot summer mornings.
- Cuts on his knuckles became calluses that remained into winter, creating a physical reminder of his work.
Psychology And Literature Explain People Differently
- Hal Hershfield paired psychology with English because both examined human connection and perception through different lenses.
- Psychology tested ideas systematically, while literature explored them philosophically.
