Worklife with Adam Grant

Esther Duflo wants you to think like a plumber

Nov 9, 2021

Esther Duflo, a Nobel laureate and MIT economist, transforms how we think about poverty and economics. She shares her early dislike for economics and how personal experiences fueled her passion. The conversation explores the importance of human motivation beyond just financial incentives, highlighting dignity and purpose. Duflo emphasizes economists as practical problem-solvers akin to plumbers, advocating for real-world applications of economic theories. With insights on social norms and behavior change, she inspires listeners to rethink solutions for complex global issues.

57:01

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Episode guests

Esther Duflo

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Episode notes

Intro

2min

From Inspiration to Action in Economics

21min

Beyond Financial Incentives: Understanding Human Motivation

12min

Changing Attitudes Through Actions

8min

The Influence of Social Norms on Personal Choices

2min

Economists as Plumbers: A Pragmatic Approach

14min

Curiosity, Impact, and Economic Insights

2min

When Esther Duflo took her first economics class, she hated it. In 2019, she won a Nobel Prize in economics. Esther talks with Adam about her groundbreaking experiments to fight poverty, busts myths about what motivates people, and reveals how to make meaningful progress toward solving daunting problems. Read the text transcript for this episode at go.ted.com/T4G24

This was an episode of Taken for Granted, but now the podcast is called ReThinking with Adam Grant, and it’s back with weekly episodes. You can listen to them right here in the WorkLife feed, or by following ReThinking with Adam Grant wherever you are right now.

For the full text transcript, visit ted.com/podcasts/worklife/worklife-with-adam-grant-transcripts

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