This book tells the story of how humanity transitioned from dire poverty before 1870 to an era of rapid technological advancement and economic transformation. Despite this progress, the world faces issues such as global warming, economic depression, uncertainty, and inequality. DeLong's work reveals the last century as less a march of progress than a slouch in the right direction, examining why the expected utopia was not achieved.
In 'More from Less', Andrew McAfee argues that we have learned to increase prosperity while reducing our environmental impact. He attributes this shift to the collaboration between technology and capitalism, supported by good governance and public awareness. The book highlights how countries like the U.S. are using fewer resources while growing economically and reducing pollution.
Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg discuss the high costs of healthcare, the challenges facing the center-left, the possibility of infinite economic growth, solutions to declining fertility rates, and the role of technology in addressing demographic challenges.
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Highlights from the Episode:
- Health insurance companies are often unfairly blamed for high healthcare costs, while making only 1-3% profit margins. The real cost drivers are healthcare providers and hospital systems.
- National health insurance, as implemented in countries like Japan, can effectively control costs but may risk reducing healthcare innovation.
- Population growth follows exponential functions, meaning societies are always trending toward either over-population or under-population, with no stable middle ground without active intervention.
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LINKS:
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"Econ 102" with Noah Smith and Erik Torenberg 
