Thinking Like an Economist: A Guide to Rational Decision Making

By: Randall Bartlett, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Randall Bartlett

Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

Economic forces are everywhere around you. But that doesn't mean you need to passively accept whatever outcome those forces might press upon you. Instead, with these 12 fast-moving and crystal clear lectures, you can learn how to use a small handful of basic nuts-and-bolts principles to turn those same forces to your own advantage.

Requiring no previous economics background, Professor Bartlett presents some of the fundamental principles and concepts that shape the lenses through which economists view the world. He then shows you how to use these simple analytical tools to understand what you see through those lenses. By learning to identify the many varied situations in which economics affects your life and how to wield the tools that can help you make the wisest choices in those situations, you'll enhance not only your understanding of daily life but your own success in living it.

Packed with case studies, helpful strategies, economic insights, and more, this series will equip you with a reliable toolkit for thinking more like an everyday economist and approach the issues in your own life with a more educated, seasoned eye. And after these dozen lectures with Professor Bartlett, things really will look very different. You'll see how basic economic ideas like incentives, risks, rewards, and rationality are not just the province of professional economists, government policymakers, or your local bank's loan officer, but instead lie at the root of nearly every decision you must make in your daily life.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2010 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2010 The Great Courses

Great Perspectives

Great lecture on how to change your perspective or view scenarios through a different lens. Great tools for making rational decisions.

Eye opening view on life

This book is one of the greats. From becoming a millionaire through compound interest to the horrors of purchasing tv warrenties, each chapter zones in on a single gem of wisdom.

Practical and useful

very good book to listen to and apply concepts. practical for everybody and applications at work.

Rereading it already

A fantastic guide for knuckle-heads like myself who are puzzled by the descisions made by myself and others. The section on false incentives was very eye opening. Bartlett does an excellent job explaining the math and reasoning behind why we do what we do and why it might not always be the best possible choice.

Excellent, practical book!

Really liked this book, as the lectures are well explained and you can apply everything to your day to day. Very enjoyable book.

Outstanding

Great overview & refresher of core economic principles, with practical, easy-to-relate-to examples. Well worth the opportunity cost. :)

Life changing

I thought this might be boring, but I was wrong. This is stuff that should be mandatory in public education. We would all be better off if we thought like economists. I for one will take this new found knowledge to improve the quality of my life.

I enjoyed it.

I tend to subscribe to a more Libertarian/Laissez-faire view of economics. This book is not that but it was very informative and it's nice to have a different prospective from other economists I enjoy.

Enlightening is an understatement

Where does Thinking Like an Economist: A Guide to Rational Decision Making rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

This is one of the best that I have listened to among the Great Courses.

What other book might you compare Thinking Like an Economist: A Guide to Rational Decision Making to and why?

I cannot think of one

Have you listened to any of Professor Randall Bartlett’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not listened to him before

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The story he told about purchasing the flat screen TV made me feel like he operated like a real person. That having this knowledge did not mean I had to always be able to apply this to my real life at a moment but to really use it professionally.

Any additional comments?

It is far from daunting. I was studying a MOOC in economics at the time which was beyond boring but this was exciting and I intend to apply the skills learned.

Great Narration!

Would you listen to Thinking Like an Economist: A Guide to Rational Decision Making again? Why?

Yes. It has great examples with lessons that can be inculcated in life.

Have you listened to any of Professor Randall Bartlett’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No

Any additional comments?

This is the best of the "Great courses" that I have heard so far. Great narration and awesome examples. Something for everyone to learn.