The podcast celebrates Marginal Revolution's 20th Anniversary by discussing topics such as the rise of the blog and its influence in the past 20 years, the challenges faced by bloggers and the impact of social media, the consistent design and distribution of the podcast, the importance of small steps towards a better world, the influence of Marginal Revolution in facilitating connections and even leading to a marriage, their role during the pandemic as an information clearinghouse, Tyler's reading habits and book club experiences, the age of small ideas versus big ideas, and the origin story of Marginal Revolution and its future outlook.
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Quick takeaways
Marginal Revolution has had a significant impact through its various posts and perspectives, shaping readers' thinking and exposing them to a range of ideas.
Tyler and Alex have distinct writing styles that reflect their unique thinking approaches, contributing to the distinct character of Marginal Revolution.
Over the years, Marginal Revolution has become a trusted source for intellectual discourse, influencing policy discussions and fostering a broader understanding of various subjects.
Deep dives
The Influence of Marginal Revolution
Marginal Revolution has had a significant impact through its various posts and perspectives. Some key examples include the state capacity libertarianism post and the creation of fast grants through the blog. The blog also serves as a platform for intellectual discourse and the exploration of ideas. The influence of the blog goes beyond specific posts, as it shapes the way readers think about the world and exposes them to a range of perspectives and arguments.
Writing Styles and Differences
Tyler and Alex have their own distinct writing styles. Tyler's posts often explore multiple explanations or perspectives on a topic, while Alex's posts tend to simplify and distill complex ideas. This difference in approach reflects their unique thinking styles. The blog also features recurring segments and memes like 'Best sentence I read today' and 'Tyrone'. These elements contribute to the distinct character of Marginal Revolution.
The Evolution and Impact of Marginal Revolution
Over the years, Marginal Revolution has become a trusted source of information and a platform for intellectual discourse. The blog's influence can be seen in its impact on policy discussions, such as the promotion of first doses first during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the introduction of emerging ventures through a post. The diverse range of topics covered in the blog has shaped readers' perspectives and contributed to a broader understanding of various subjects.
The Future of Marginal Revolution
Marginal Revolution continues to be a valuable platform for sharing ideas, exploring new perspectives, and fostering intellectual engagement. While the blog has evolved over time and may change in the future, its commitment to providing interesting and thought-provoking content remains. As long as Tyler and Alex have ideas to share, Marginal Revolution will continue to be a vital space for intellectual discourse.
The Legacy of Marginal Revolution
Marginal Revolution's legacy is not limited to specific posts or ideas, but extends to the way it has shaped readers' thinking and worldview. Its influence can be seen in the emergence of new perspectives, the exploration of diverse topics, and the engagement of readers in intellectual debates. Marginal Revolution's impact lies not just in the content of individual posts, but in the cumulative effect of its contributions to intellectual discourse and critical thinking.
When Alex Tabarrok and Tyler Cowen launched Marginal Revolution in August of 2003, they saw attracting a few thousand academic-minded readers as a runaway success. To their astonishment, the blog soon eclipsed that goal, and within a decade had become one of the most widely read economics blogs in the world. Just as remarkably, the blog maintained its relevance in its second decade, bringing in a new generation of readers without a dip in the pace or quality of the posts. As Alex and Tyler jest, only the onset of senility could possibly rein them in.
To mark MR's entrance into its third decade, long-time readers Ben Casnocha, Vitalik Buterin, and Jeff Holmes joined Alex and Tyler to talk about MR's legacy, including the golden age of blogging in the mid-2000s, the decline of independent blogs and the rise of social media, why Tyler usually has a post at 1 AM, the consistent design of the site, the peak of the blogosphere in the Great Recession, the robust community—and even marriage—forged through MR, the site's most underrated feature, Alex and Tyler's favorite commenters, how MR catalyzed separate real-world pandemic responses by each of them, the cessation of book clubs, Alex and Tyler's distinct writing style, iconic MR memes, what's happened to Tyrone, whether the site's popularity has tempted them into self-censoring, why it was Alex and Tyler who paired up amongst the other Mason econ bloggers, and more.