Twenty Rules for Life: Morgan Housel’s Antidote to Financial Chaos

Laurence Articles

In a fascinating little book, The Psychology of Money, the investment manager Morgan Housel provides more useful self-help advice than most authors who explicitly set out to do so. My title and subtitle are a takeoff on Jordan Peterson’s wildly successful book, 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos, a mostly abstract work of philosophy that nevertheless counsels such …

Uncovering the Mystery Behind Innovation

Laurence Articles

Ever wonder why Americans enjoy a substantially higher standard of living than any other large country? According to Matt Ridley, it is because the liberal democracy we have nurtured over the last 250 years is the essential catalyst to foster innovation. Our high standard of living is the result of economic growth. The economy grows not just through putting more …

Living with Risk: The COVID-19 Iceberg

Laurence Articles

Sooner or later, the threat of the novel coronavirus epidemic will fade. The virus will not be eradicated, but we will adapt and learn how to live with the risk of SARS-nCoV-2infection. (The virus will also adapt, something very much on the minds of researchers and public health officials.) Our parents, grandparents, and ancestors lived with the risk of polio, …

The Future of Liberal Democracy

Laurence Articles

Americans enjoy the economic prosperity and freedoms of its liberal democracy. But our elevated stature is threatened. As the U.S. recoils from the world, the era of U.S. dominance appears to be ending. That is an essential takeaway from Richard Haass’ modestly titled new book, The World: A Brief Introduction. If investors and their advisors, or ordinary citizens, want to …

Conversations with Frank Fabozzi

Laurence Uncategorized

Conversations with Frank Fabozzi is a fortnightly series of interviews with leading investment thinkers and practitioners conducted by Frank J. Fabozzi, editor of The Journal of Portfolio Management and a prominent Yale professor and author. Conducted in an informal and personal manner, Frank discusses what lessons his interviewees have learned from their experiences in the financial markets and any key …

Uncovering the Mystery Behind Innovation

Laurence Articles

Ever wonder why Americans enjoy a substantially higher standard of living than any other large country? According to Matt Ridley, it is because the liberal democracy we have nurtured over the last 250 years is the essential catalyst to foster innovation. Our high standard of living is the result of economic growth. The economy grows not just through putting more …

The 19th Century Called and Wants Its Trade Policy Back

Laurence Articles

Commentators of many stripes, and politicians ranging from Donald Trump to Bernie Sanders, have derided the persistent U.S. trade deficit — particularly with China — as a waste of capital leaving our country. The view that the U.S. would benefit by correcting this imbalance is taken up in a new book, with a message that should concern all financial market …

The Wile E. Coyote Economy

Laurence Articles

“U.S. GDP will contract 30% in second quarter,” blared an April 8 headline in Reuters Business News, apparently intended to sow as much panic as possible. In the Great Depression, real GDP shrank by about 27% from the 1929 top to the 1933 bottom, so the Reuters headline heralds what amounts to the worst news in American history, if it’s …

The Future of Liberal Democracy

Laurence Articles

Americans enjoy the economic prosperity and freedoms of its liberal democracy. But our elevated stature is threatened. As the U.S. recoils from the world, the era of U.S. dominance might be ending. That is an essential takeaway from Richard Haass’ modestly titled new book, The World: A Brief Introduction. If investors and their advisors, or ordinary citizens, want to understand …

A Misguided and Harmful View of Trade Deficits

Laurence Articles

President Trump, like many others along the political spectrum, has derided the persistent U.S. trade deficit – particularly with China – as a waste of capital leaving our country. The view that the U.S. would benefit by correcting this imbalance is taken up in a new book, with a message that should concern all financial market participants. Trade Wars are …

CATO Institute interview about Fewer, Richer, Greener with Bryan Caplan and Chelsea Follett

Laurence Articles

The world is doomed, many people argue, citing poverty, dwindling natural resources, and an allegedly unsustainable rate of population growth. They say there are just too many problems to overcome. But is that really the case? In his book Fewer, Richer, Greener: Prospects for Humanity in an Age of Abundance, Laurence Siegel shows that the world has improved―and will likely …

Current Myths and Long-Term Optimism

Laurence Articles

Capital Allocators Podcast is also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, Overcast, or wherever you get your podcasts (RSS link). Lavish thanks to Ted Seides for organizing and conducting this interview. Please visit his web site at https://capitalallocators.com! The interview has been edited for clarity and readability.

Fewer, Richer, Greener in the Year of Living Uncomfortably

Laurence Articles

Bogleheads on Investing Podcast 021, https://bogleheads.podbean.com/e/episode-021-larry-siegel-host-rick-ferri/. Available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. If you prefer audio, please visit one of the links above. If you’d rather read a transcript, click the link below – edited for readability and with some new material and neat illustrations added.

The Wisdom and Folly of Paul Krugman

Laurence Articles

Dare to disagree with Paul Krugman? If you’re prominent enough to merit his attention, he will attack your ideas and worse, label you as evil. But behind his rhetoric is an economist who is often worth listening to. In his new book, Arguing with Zombies, Paul Krugman presents his trademark blend of economic analysis and political rage. The book is …