The Decision Education Podcast
Episode 024: Rationality and the Perils of Nostalgia with Dr. Steven Pinker
Aug 16, 2023
Dr. Steven Pinker, an experimental psychologist and renowned author, discusses irrational decisions, nostalgia, and the perception of a worsening world. He explains the concept of expected value in decision making and the importance of rationality in education. The episode also mentions Dr. Pinker's podcast featuring interviews with notable guests.
37:08
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Quick takeaways
- Our brains are wired for nostalgia, causing us to think things are worse than they actually are.
- Understanding expected value leads to better decision outcomes in personal choices and climate change.
Deep dives
The Illusion of a Worsening World
The availability heuristic and biased media coverage mislead people into thinking the world is always getting worse, when in fact there are many positive changes happening.
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