465. Introducing a New “Freakonomics of Medicine” Podcast

That’s the worry. Even the humble eyeglass industry is dominated by a single firm. 

We look into the global spike in myopia, how the Lemtosh got its name, and what your eye doctor knows that you don’t. (Part two of a two-part series.)

• SOURCES:
  • Maria Liu, professor of clinical optometry at the University of California, Berkeley.
  • Harvey Moscot, C.E.O. of MOSCOT Eyewear and Eyecare.
  • Zachary Moscot, chief design officer of MOSCOT Eyewear and Eyecare.
  • Cédric Rossi, equity research analyst at Bryan Garnier.
  • Tim Wu, professor of law, science and technology at Columbia Law School.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Meta in Talks to Buy Stake in Eyewear Giant EssilorLuxottica," by Salvador Rodriguez and Lauren Thomas (The Wall Street Journal, 2024).
  • "The Story Behind Soaring Myopia Among Kids," by Manoush Zomorodi, Katie Monteleone, Sanaz Meshkinpour, and Rachel Faulkner White (Body Electric, 2024).
  • "Why So Many People Need Glasses Now," by Christophe Haubursin (Vox, 2023).
  • "Eyes on World Sight: Taking Action to Advance Eye Health in China," by EssilorLuxottica (2022).
  • "Global Prevalence of Myopia and High Myopia and Temporal Trends from 2000 through 2050," by Brien A. Holden, Timothy R. Fricke, Serge Resnikoff, et al. (Ophthalmology, 2016).
  • "Increased Prevalence of Myopia in the United States Between 1971-1972 and 1999-2004," by Susan Vitale, Robert D. Sperduto, and Frederick L. Ferris (Archives of Ophthalmology, 2009).

• EXTRAS:
  • "The Economics of Eyeglasses," series by Freakonomics Radio (2024).

A single company, EssilorLuxottica, owns so much of the eyewear industry that it’s hard to escape their gravitational pull — or their “obscene” markups. Should regulators do something? Can Warby Parker steal market share? And how did Ray-Bans become a luxury brand? (Part one of a two-part series.)

• SOURCES:
  • Neil Blumenthal, co-founder and co-CEO of Warby Parker.
  • Dave Gilboa, co-founder and co-CEO of Warby Parker.
  • Jessica Glasscock, fashion historian and lecturer at the Parsons School of Design.
  • Neil Handley, curator of the British Optical Association Museum at the College of Optometrists.
  • Ryan McDevitt, professor of economics at Duke University.
  • Cédric Rossi, equity research analyst at Bryan Garnier.
  • Tim Wu, professor of law, science and technology at Columbia Law School.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Leonardo Del Vecchio Dies at 87; Transformed Eyeglass Industry," by Jonathan Kandell (The New York Times, 2022).
  • Making a Spectacle: A Fashionable History of Glasses, by Jessica Glasscock (2021).
  • "Dave Gilboa and Neil Blumenthal: ‍A Vision for Business," by Lucy Handley (CNBC, 2020).
  • "The Roots of Big Tech Run Disturbingly Deep," by Tim Wu and Stuart A. Thompson (The New York Times, 2019).
  • "The Spectacular Power of Big Lens," by Sam Knight (The Guardian, 2018).
  • The Curse of Bigness: Antitrust in the New Gilded Age, by Tim Wu (2018).
  • "Statement of the Federal Trade Commission Concerning the Proposed Acquisition of Luxottica Group S.p.A. by Essilor International (Compagnie Generale d’Optique) S.A.," FTC File No. 171-0060 (2018).
  • Cult Eyewear: The World's Enduring Classics, by Neil Handley (2011).
  • A Far-Sighted Man, by Luca Goldoni (1991).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Direct-to-Consumer Mattresses," by The Economics of Everyday Things (2024).
  • "Are Two C.E.O.s Better Than One?" by Freakonomics Radio (2023).
  • “Are We in a Mattress-Store Bubble?” by Freakonomics Radio (2016).

You wouldn’t think you could win a Nobel Prize for showing that humans tend to make irrational decisions. But that’s what Richard Thaler has done. In an interview from 2018, the founder of behavioral economics describes his unlikely route to success; his reputation for being lazy; and his efforts to fix the world — one nudge at a time.

• SOURCES:
  • Richard Thaler, professor of behavioral science and economics at the University of Chicago.

• RESOURCES:
  • “Behavioral Economics,” by Richard Thaler (The Past, Present, and Future of Economics: A Celebration of the 125-Year Anniversary of the JPE and of Chicago Economics, December 2017).
  • Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics, by Richard Thaler (2015).
  • Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness, by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein (2008).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Farewell to a Generational Talent," by Freakonomics Radio (2024).
  • "Why Is Richard Thaler Such a ****ing Optimist?" by People I (Mostly) Admire (2021).
  • "All You Need Is Nudge," by Freakonomics Radio (2021).
  • "How to Launch a Behavior-Change Revolution," by Freakonomics Radio (2017).
  • “How To Win A Nobel Prize," by Freakonomics Radio (2015).
  • The Big Short, film by Adam McKay (2015).

Daniel Kahneman left his mark on academia (and the real world) in countless ways. A group of his friends and colleagues recently gathered in Chicago to reflect on this legacy — and we were there, with microphones.

• SOURCES:
  • Maya Bar-Hillel, professor emeritus of psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
  • Shane Frederick, professor of marketing at the Yale School of Management.
  • Thomas Gilovich, professor of psychology at Cornell University.
  • Matt Killingsworth, senior fellow at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Barbara Mellers, professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Eldar Shafir, director of the Kahneman-Treisman Center for Behavioral Science & Public Policy at Princeton University.
  • Richard Thaler, professor of behavioral science and economics at the University of Chicago.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Experienced Well-Being Rises With Income, Even Above $75,000 Per Year," by Matthew A. Killingsworth (PNAS, 2021).
  • "The False Allure of Fast Lures," by Yigal Attali and Maya Bar-Hillel (Judgment and Decision Making, 2020).
  • "Learning Psychology From Riddles: The Case of Stumpers," by Maya Bar-Hillel and Tom Noah (Judgment and Decision Making, 2018).
  • Thinking, Fast and Slow, by Daniel Kahneman (2011).
  • "High Income Improves Evaluation of Life but Not Emotional Well-Being," by Daniel Kahneman and Angus Deaton (PNAS, 2010).
  • "Varieties of Regret: A Debate and Partial Resolution," by Thomas Gilovich, Victoria Husted Medvec, and Daniel Kahneman (Psychological Review, 1998).
  • "Some Counterfactual Determinants of Satisfaction and Regret," by Thomas Gilovich and Victoria Husted Medvec (What Might Have Been: The Social Psychology of Counterfactual Thinking, 1995).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Remembering Daniel Kahneman," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2024).
  • "Academic Fraud," series by Freakonomics Radio (2021).
  • "Here’s Why All Your Projects Are Always Late — and What to Do About It," by Freakonomics Radio (2018).
  • "The Men Who Started a Thinking Revolution," by Freakonomics Radio (2017).

American politics is trapped in a duopoly, with two all-powerful parties colluding to stifle competition. We revisit a 2018 episode to explain how the political industry works, and talk to a reformer (and former presidential candidate) who is pushing for change.

• SOURCES:
  • Katherine Gehl, former president and C.E.O. of Gehl Foods.
  • Michael Porter, professor at Harvard Business School.
  • Andrew Yang, co-chair of the Forward Party and former U.S. presidential candidate.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Why U.S. Politics Is Broken — and How to Fix It," by Andrew Yang (TED, 2024).
  • The Politics Industry: How Political Innovation Can Break Partisan Gridlock and Save Our Democracy, by Michael Porter and Katherine Gehl (2020).
  • “Why Competition in the Politics Industry is Failing America,” Katherine Gehl and Michael Porter (Harvard Business School, 2017).
  • “Stronger Parties, Stronger Democracy: Rethinking Reform,” by Ian Vandewalker and  Daniel I. Weiner (Brennan Center for Justice, 2015).
  • On Competition, by Michael Porter (2008).
  • Competitive Strategy: Techniques for Analyzing Industries and Competitors, by Michael Porter (1980).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Andrew Yang Is Not Giving Up on Politics — or the U.S. — Yet," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2021).
  • "The Future of New York City Is in Question. Could Andrew Yang Be the Answer?" by Freakonomics Radio (2021).
  • "Why Is This Man Running for President? (Update)," by Freakonomics Radio (2019).
  • “Ten Ideas to Make Politics Less Rotten,” Freakonomics Radio (2016).

It’s hard to know whether the benefits of hiring a celebrity are worth the risk. We dig into one gruesome story of an endorsement gone wrong, and find a surprising result.

• SOURCES:
  • John Cawley, professor of economics at Cornell University.
  • Elizabeth (Zab) Johnson, executive director and senior fellow with the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Alvin Roth, professor of economics at Stanford University.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Kanye and Adidas: Money, Misconduct and the Price of Appeasement," by Megan Twohey (The New York Times, 2023).
  • "The Role of Repugnance in Markets: How the Jared Fogle Scandal Affected Patronage of Subway," by John Cawley, Julia Eddelbuettel, Scott Cunningham, Matthew D. Eisenberg, Alan D. Mathios, and Rosemary J. Avery (NBER Working Paper, 2023).
  • "How Celebrity Status and Gaze Direction in Ads Drive Visual Attention to Shape Consumer Decisions," by Simone D'Ambrogio, Noah Werksman, Michael L. Platt, and Elizabeth Johnson (Psychology & Marketing, 2022).
  • "Consumer Responses to Firms’ Voluntary Disclosure of Information: Evidence from Calorie Labeling by Starbucks," by Rosemary Avery, John Cawley, Julia Eddelbuettel, Matthew D. Eisenberg, Charlie Mann, and Alan D. Mathios (NBER Working Paper, 2021).
  • "Consumer Heterogeneity and Paid Search Effectiveness: A Large Scale Field Experiment," by Thomas Blake, Chris Nosko, and Steven Tadelis (NBER Working Paper, 2014).
  • "The Economics of Obesity," by John Cawley (The Reporter, 2013).
  • "Repugnance as a Constraint on Markets," by Alvin Roth (Journal of Economic Perspectives, 2007).

• EXTRAS:
  • "Does Advertising Actually Work? (Part 2: Digital)," by Freakonomics Radio (2020).
  • "Does Advertising Actually Work? (Part 1: TV)," by Freakonomics Radio (2020).

Broadway operates on a winner-take-most business model. A runaway hit like Stereophonic — which just won five Tony Awards — will create a few big winners. But even the stars of the show will have to go elsewhere to make real money. (Part two of a two-part series.)

• SOURCES:
  • David Adjmi, author and playwright.
  • Sonia Friedman, theater producer and founder of Sonia Friedman Productions.
  • John Johnson, theater producer and co-founder of Wagner Johnson Productions.
  • Tom Pecinka, actor.
  • Sarah Pidgeon, actor.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Tony Award Winners 2024: The Full List," by Rachel Sherman (The New York Times, 2024).
  • "Everything to Know About the Stranger Things: The First Shadow Play in London," by Tara Bitran (Tudum, 2024).
  • Stereophonic, by David Adjmi, Will Butler, and Daniel Aukin (2023).

• EXTRAS:
  • "How to Make the Coolest Show on Broadway," by Freakonomics Radio (2024).

The Berlin dance mecca Berghain is known for its eight-hour line and inscrutable door policy. PJ Vogt, host of the podcast Search Engine, joins us to crack the code. It has to do with Cold War rivalries, German tax law, and one very talented bouncer.

• SOURCES:
  • Lutz Leichsenring, executive board member of Clubcommission Berlin and co-founder of VibeLab.
  • PJ Vogt, reporter, writer, and host of the podcast Search Engine.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Berghain: 36 Hours Inside the World's Most Exclusive Nightclub," by Linux (Paper Magazine, 2022).
  • Berlin Bouncer, documentary by David Dietl (2019).
  • "High Culture Club: Berghain Secures Same Tax Status as Berlin Concert Venues," by Philip Oltermann (The Guardian, 2016).
  • "One Eye on the Door, the Other on His Photography," by Nicholas Kulish (The New York Times, 2011).
  • Lost and Sound: Berlin, Techno and the Easyjet Set, by Tobias Rapp (2009).

• EXTRA:
  • Search Engine, podcast by PJ Vogt.

Hit by Covid, runaway costs, and a zillion streams of competition, serious theater is in serious trouble. A new hit play called Stereophonic — the most Tony-nominated play in history — has something to say about that. We speak with the people who make it happen every night. (Part one of a two-part series.)

• SOURCES:
  • David Adjmi, author and playwright.
  • Sonia Friedman, theater producer and founder of Sonia Friedman Productions.
  • John Johnson, theater producer and co-founder of Wagner Johnson Productions.
  • Tom Pecinka, actor.
  • Sarah Pidgeon, actor.

• RESOURCES:
  • Stereophonic, by David Adjmi, Will Butler, and Daniel Aukin (2023).
  • Lot Six: A Memoir, by David Adjmi (2020).
  • "On the Performing Arts: The Anatomy of Their Economic Problems," by W. J. Baumol and W. G. Bowen (The American Economic Review, 1965).

Every December, a British man named Tom Whitwell publishes a list of 52 things he’s learned that year. These fascinating facts reveal the spectrum of human behavior, from fraud and hypocrisy to Whitwell’s steadfast belief in progress. Should we also believe?

• SOURCES:
  • Tom Whitwell, managing consultant at Magnetic.

• RESOURCES:
  • "Supercentenarian and Remarkable Age Records Exhibit Patterns Indicative of Clerical Errors and Pension Fraud," by Saul Justin Newman (Working Paper, 2024).
  • "52 things I learned in 2023," by Tom Whitwell (Magnetic Notes, 2023).
  • "Job Satisfaction 2023," by The Conference Board (2023).
  • "What Fax Machines and Floppy Disks Reveal About Britain’s Productivity Problem," (The Economist, 2017).
  • Fighting Traffic: The Dawn of the Motor Age in the American City, by Peter D. Norton (2008).
  • "Beyond Propaganda," by John Kenney (The New York Times, 2006).

Earlier in September we released a Boston Marathon special about qualifying for this iconic race. In today’s show, we’re giving you our expert tips on how to train for the Boston Marathon or any other marathon you might have planned this spring.

As this episode airs, we’re now about 4 months out from the Boston marathon which is the perfect time to start your training in order to make sure you’re in the best shape possible for race day. Boston is a challenging course with lots of hills. If you managed to qualify, you’ll want to make sure you’re prepared for the specific challenges of this race. And, if you’re running a different race, then these same training strategies will give you the preparation to tackle just about any marathon course with confidence.

In today’s show we’ll be covering training topics including:

• Why this is the perfect time to start your spring marathon training
• How to incorporate hill training into your plan
• How to manage tough weather conditions in training and on race day
• And we’ll break down how your plan might change at different stages of training

Strength Workouts for the Boston Marathon

Key Workouts for Boston

How to Incorporate Hills in Training

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Marathons form very unique bonds within the running community, but when your life is in your guide’s hands it’s truly a bond like no other.

That’s where Six Star hopeful Mark Rogerson’s story sheds light on the joys of running - he joins us on this week’s Marathon Talk fresh from a PB-setting Tokyo race with guide runner Katie Garrity.

Join us this week as we round off all the other stories from the first Abbott World Marathon Major of the year, from surprising slow runs, to sprint-finish drama in the Women’s Wheelchair race.

In this episode of Marathon Talk:

• 0:00 - Martin and Deena kick things off with a retrospective on the Indoor Athletics World Championships, and Martin’s endeavours to dust off the road bike in spite of some savage weather conditions

• 8:55 - We round up the hottest news from the first Abbott World Marathon Major of the season, with shock slumps from Kipchoge and Hassan, the sprint finish in the Women’s Wheelchair race, and the 2,628 runners earning their sixth Star

• 22:20 - Training Talk this week tackles the vital final five weeks of race prep, and the emphasis on nailing that all-important final long run

• 29:10 - Mark Rogerson and Katie Garrity talk us through the complexities of training on opposite sides of the Atlantic, their emotional Tokyo experience, and how they’ll take on that all-important sixth Star

Marathon Talk is proudly powered by Abbott World Marathon Majors, who create, build and support opportunities for all to discover the power of the marathon community. Learn more at https://www.worldmarathonmajors.com/

You don’t need to have set personal best times this year to find a success story, and it’s those success stories that’ll help drive you to glory in 2023.

The year’s end marks a wonderful time for Martin and Deena to look back over 2022, and help you use your highlights, achievements, struggles and ambitions to plan for a marvellous year ahead!

In this episode of Marathon Talk:

• 7:30: How Deena reflected on her performances during her most successful seasons
• 10:45: The questions you should ask yourself to extract the most value from the past year
• 26:15: Projecting forward and setting your sights on success in 2023
• 31:20: A very special 6 Questions for a 6 Star Finisher
• 32:50: Highlighting the staggering number of national records set this year, and wrapping up the running year

Marathon Talk is proudly powered by Abbott World Marathon Majors, who create, build and support opportunities for all to discover the power of the marathon community. Learn more at https://www.worldmarathonmajors.com/

As we run towards welcoming in the New Year, join us in this special podcast episode where hosts Martin & Deena reflect upon the Top 10 most exciting Marathon Moments of 2023. 

Count down a remarkable list featuring multiple world records, major championship performances and standout wins. 

This episode includes:

• Catherine Debrunner’s late-season charge to the Series Title

• Ernst Van Dyk, a legend of wheelchair racing, bidding farewell to the sport.

• Hassan’s remarkable marathon year

• Martin & Deena’s Christmas Plans & goals for 2024

Marathon Talk is proudly powered by Abbott World Marathon Majors, who create, build and support opportunities for all to discover the power of the marathon community. Learn more at https://www.worldmarathonmajors.com/