Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford

Discover the fascinating story of Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh and his wild quest for happiness. Explore how he transformed a struggling shoe company into a paradigm of fun-focused culture. Learn about Zappos' unusual hiring practices that prioritize culture over credentials. Delve into Hsieh's lofty happiness framework and the challenges of implementing a radical self-managing structure called holacracy. Uncover the paradox of pursuing profit while aiming for purpose, alongside Hsieh’s late-life experiments and ideas that ultimately led to deeper questions about happiness.

Explore the tumultuous history of the sewing machine, driven by fierce competition among inventors like Isaac Singer and Elias Howe. Witness the dramatic patent wars steeped in ambition, betrayal, and misogyny. Discover how Singer revolutionized the industry with innovative designs while simultaneously empowering women through marketing and business strategies. Delve into the moral complexities of Singer's legacy, as he championed women's independence yet exhibited troubling personal behavior. This riveting tale blends innovation with scandal.

Dive into the whimsical world of Claude Shannon, the genius behind information theory, who preferred building playful machines over rigid research. Explore how his unorthodox work style, marked by distractions like juggling and chess, may have enriched his creativity. Discover Ed Thorpe's ambitious roulette computer project and the surprising benefits of broad interests in science. Ultimately, the discussion questions whether a focus on completion can stifle innovation, advocating for a life filled with variety and curiosity.

Discover how Elsie and Frances staged iconic fairy photographs that captivated even Sherlock Holmes' creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Their clever tricks, like retouching and double exposures, baffled photographic experts and mystics for decades. Despite media mockery and skepticism, the girls' hoax endured, stemming from social pressures and a fear of humiliation. Eventually, Elsie's confession revealed it was all a practical joke, leaving a lasting legacy in the realms of belief and deception.

Tim Harford chats with Richard Garfield, the brilliant mind behind Magic: The Gathering. They dive into the secrets of game design and economics, exploring why Monopoly fails to critique capitalism. Richard shares his process of creating engaging games, the complexities of collectible markets, and the impact of market crashes on playability. They also ponder the potential of universal basic income as a game-like mechanism for societal fairness. Plus, Richard recommends festive games to enjoy this holiday season!

In a small English village, a nylon production plant faces disaster after a reactor vessel fails. Engineers create a makeshift pipe to keep production going, unknowingly setting the stage for a massive explosion. Eyewitness accounts reveal the terrifying impact on homes and villagers. Amid Cold War tensions, the story unfolds with the consequences of prioritizing output over safety. As the blast reshapes the community, it highlights the crucial balance between industrial ambition and human risk.

The podcast dives into the mysterious disappearance of Grace Oakeshott, a woman who vanished from a beach in 1907, leaving behind only her clothes. It explores her ambitious upbringing, her struggles within a restrictive marriage, and a hidden love affair. The narrative suggests Grace reinvented herself as Joan Reeve after fleeing to New Zealand, where she contributed significantly to her new community. Through Grace's story, the discussion highlights the limited freedoms and legal challenges women faced at the time.

Discover an exclusive opportunity to join a live table read of an unreleased story. Hear how editorial decisions shape the narrative in real time. Learn about becoming a Founding Member of the Cautionary Club for unique perks like bonus episodes and behind-the-scenes access. Be among the first to vote on future storylines and get sneak peeks of upcoming content. This is your chance to dive deeper into the stories while supporting the creative process!

A fossil discovery in 1912, once hailed as a missing link, turns out to be one of science's biggest hoaxes. Tim Harford delves into the strange anatomy of Piltdown Man, blending human and ape traits. The investigation reveals a shocking scale of deception, with multiple fakes uncovered. Suspects are scrutinized, particularly the dubious practices of Charles Dawson. The discussion ties historical fraud to modern-day issues in research, emphasizing the critical need for truth in science.

Joe Robertson, a playwright known for the gripping play Kyoto, shares insights into the high-stakes world of climate politics. He delves into the disruptive tactics of lobbyist Don Perlman, who embodied the challenges of the 1997 climate negotiations. Robertson explains how strategies of doubt and misinformation were weaponized, paralleling tactics from the tobacco industry. He also highlights the importance of small island nations as moral leaders and examines the legacy of Kyoto, questioning its effectiveness in shaping future climate policy.