Ashley Hodgson: "The New Enlightenment and Behavioral Economics” | The Great Simplification #109

On this episode, Nate is joined by Ashley Hodgson, a professor in behavioral economics, where she offers a perspective on the superorganism and what she calls ‘The New Enlightenment’. By taking a wide-lens look at the way our human systems work, we can see the incentives and structures that push power towards consumptive, short-sighted, and destructive pathways. How could we ‘rejigger’ these systems to be more aligned with values and goals conducive to supporting humans long into the future? What are the natural laws that inherently depreciate systems - and how might we think about counteracting them? As we enter a world where the perpetual growth we’ve come to expect is no longer possible, how can we lean into the creativity and ingenuity required when thinking about new economic paradigms? About Ashley Hodgson Ashley Hodgson is an Associate Professor of Economics and a YouTuber. She teaches Behavioral Economics, Digital Industries, Health Care Economics, and Blockchain Economics. Her YouTube channel, The New Enlightenment, explores topics related to economics, governance, and epistemics – that is, the determination of truth and validity – in a world of social media and increasing power concentration.    / @thenewenlightenmentwithash8465   Show notes, and more info: https://www.thegreatsimplification.co... 0:00 - Intro 3:31 - Behavioral Economics 7:15 - Game Theory 11:42 - Collective Action 15:00 - The New Enlightenment 18:02 - Peter Turchin 21:20 - The Matthew Principle 24:32 - Power Inequality 31:25 - Hopes of the New Enlightenment 37:55 - The Younger Generation 43:21 - Blockchain 44:53 - The Ruts of Current Debates 52:45 - How Academics Can Help 54:38 - Personal Advice 1:00:02 - What Do You Care Most About? 1:01:12 - How Would You Use a Magic Wand? 1:03:30 - Future Topic