155: Russ Roberts - A Guide To Human Nature & Happiness

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Aug 31, 2016

Russ Roberts, an economist and host of EconTalk, shares insights from his book on Adam Smith's *The Theory of Moral Sentiments*. He discusses how lifelong learning fuels excellence and why formal education has its limits. With humor, he highlights that people naturally seek respect and the importance of genuine connection. Roberts introduces Smith's concept of the 'impartial spectator' for self-reflection and emphasizes enjoying life's simple pleasures now. He also provides parenting wisdom and the significance of balancing ambition with family well-being.

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INSIGHT

Keep Intellectually Alive

Stay intellectually alive by constantly learning and chasing passions to sustain excellence.
Surround yourself with curious people and those who think differently to keep growing.

ADVICE

Learn Through Conversations

Talk to people smarter than you and use conversations as a primary way to learn.
Be open to unconventional thinkers who weren't smoothed out by formal education.

INSIGHT

Teaching Beyond The Classroom

Podcasts let teachers reach eager learners outside formal classrooms and jar thinking more effectively.
Modern tech transforms access to ideas, making informal teaching highly rewarding.

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Episode 155: Russ Roberts - A Guide To Human Nature & Happiness

Russell Roberts is the John and Jean De Nault Research Fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution.

Roberts hosts the weekly podcast EconTalk–hour-long conversations with authors, economists, and business leaders. Past guests include Milton Friedman, Nassim Taleb, Christopher Hitchens, Marc Andreessen, Joseph Stiglitz, and John Bogle. EconTalk was named podcast of the year in the 2008 Weblog Awards. Over 425 episodes are available at EconTalk.org and on iTunes at no charge.

His two rap videos on the ideas of John Maynard Keynes and F.A. Hayek, created with filmmaker John Papola, have had more than seven million views on YouTube, been subtitled in eleven languages, and are used in high school and college classrooms around the world.

His latest book is How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life: An Unexpected Guide to Human Nature and Happiness. It takes the lessons from Adam Smith’s little-known masterpiece, The Theory of Moral Sentiments and applies them to modern life—lessons for work, family, friendship, and how to live the good life.

Episode 155: Russ Roberts - A Guide To Human Nature & Happiness

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The Learning Leader Show

“Man naturally desires, not only to be loved, but to be lovely" -- "The right way to be loved is to be wise and virtuous"

In This Episode, You Will Learn:

"Being intellectually alive" and having a passion about learning will help you sustain excellence
The importance of being open to people outside of the box
Adam Smith was an 18th Century Scottish Economist - Great writer, entertaining
He wrote "The Wealth of Nations" and "The Theory of Moral Sentiments"
What we all naturally desire = To be loved and to be lovely
Why do we care so deeply about what others think of us?
We want to be praised, BUT we want to earn that praise. We want to be praised for doing it the "right way"
How do you know what is right? Step outside of yourself -- you're prone to delusion. View it in the spectrum of an impartial spectator
Meditation and mindfulness is helpful
"A prudent man is sincere and honest. Also though he doesn't volunteer everything he knows, he is reserved and cautious in his speech and his action. He doesn't stick his opinion into every discussion." -- Be measured. "Say little, do much."
Create a beneficent rule about parenting -- Always take your child's hand when offered. It means holding their hand more often and also helps you remember to savor the moment.
How to live? Seek wisdom and virtue. Behave as if an impartial spectator is watching you. Use the idea of an impartial spectator to step outside yourself as others see you. Use that vision to know yourself. Avoid the seductions of money and fame, for they will never satisfy.
"These are the days to remember. They will not last forever."
The story of Pyrrhus - The kind of Epirus - Why Cinneas thinks it's a bad idea. -- "What hinders your majestry from doing so now?" -- You don't have to conquer Italy to enjoy the fundamental pleasures of life.
The Mexican fishing story = Bigger is not always better. Listen as this relates to so many people trying to check off boxes from a career perspectiveThe story of Pyrrhus - The kind of Epirus - Why Cinneas thinks it's a bad idea. -- "What hinders your majestry from doing so now?" -- You don't have to conquer Italy to enjoy the fundamental pleasures of life.

“A prudent man is sincere and honest. Also though he doesn't volunteer everything he knows, he is reserved and cautious in his speech and his action. He doesn't stick his opinion into every discussion." -- Be measured. "Say little, do much."

Continue Learning:

READ his book: How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life
Follow Russ on Twitter: @EconTalker
To Follow Me on Twitter: @RyanHawk12