Youtube - https://youtu.be/TQVWUdFibC8
The Profiteers - https://www.amazon.com/Profiteers-Business-Privatizes-Profits-Socializes/dp/1541703529
Newsletter - https://curiousworldview.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Christopher Marquis spent 10 years as a professor at the Harvard Business School, he’s also worked as a professor at Cornell, the Harvard Kennedy School and is currently a professor at the Judge Business School in Cambridge, where I was lucky enough to record this in person with him.
It was quite a neat experience actually, after we did the interview, Christopher treated me to a lunch in one of the Cambrdige college halls where in proper Friday British fashion, a perfect Fish and Chips was served.
Christopher has authored three books, but the subject of this interview was his latest… Profiteers, How Business Privatizes Profit and Socializes Cost.
Some of you may have noticed a recurring question around ‘negative externalities’ in several of my interviews this year… particularly with Johan Norberg most recently. Well, Adam Lantz, who listens to this podcast reached out to me in response to the JOhan interview and said. If you really wanty to talk externalities, than you’ve got to talk to this guy.
Johan Norberg Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/episode/4ujVUlq3BbhTDBhBFnaR5S?si=46b8333b866341da
Johan Norberg Apple - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/johan-norberg-does-capitalism-fail-to-price-in-negative/id1540424160?i=1000671395087
And so I wrote to Christopher immediately, read his book, booked the flight and was greeted with so much generosity and hospitality it was a bit of a pinch myself moment, because even though this podcast creates 0 dollars in revenue, it’s instead introducing me to a wealth of experience.
This episode with Christopher is negative externalities all the way down… with specific attention to plastics, agriculture and clothing.
00:00 - Christopher Marquis
02:27 - The Externality Iceberg
07:57 - The Plastic Iceberg
14:47 - Can A Free Market Price These Negative Externalities?
26:04 - Agriculture Iceberg
41:07 - We Consume Via Our Means Not Our Morals
42:41 - Clothing Iceberg
52:33 - Egregious Cases Of Greenwashing
54:39 - Zoom & Netflix? Externality?
1:07:22 - The Jevons Paradox
1:08:43 - Just Speed Bumps On The Way To Prosperity?
1:12:35 - Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy, What Are The Right Questions?
1:16:57 - Serendipity In Christopher's Life
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