Tim Harford on Persuasion and Popular Economics

<div> <p><span data-contrast="auto">To Tim Harford, mistakes are fascinating. “We often only understand how something works when it breaks,” he says, explaining why there’s such an emphasis on errors throughout his work. They also tend to make great stories, which can stoke the curiosity necessary to change minds. A</span> <span data-contrast="auto">former</span> <span data-contrast= "auto">persuasive speaking champion, he was made an Officer of the O</span><span data-contrast="auto">rder of the British Empire “for</span> <span data-contrast="auto">services to improving economic underst</span><span data-contrast= "auto">a</span><span data-contrast="auto">nding,”</span> <span data-contrast="auto">which he’s achieved through</span> <span data-contrast="auto">appearances on</span> <span data-contrast="auto">the BBC</span><span data-contrast= "auto">, columns for the</span> <em><span data-contrast= "auto">Financial Times</span></em><span data-contrast= "auto">,</span> <span data-contrast="auto">several</span> <span data-contrast="auto">T</span><span data-contrast="auto">ED Talks and</span> <span data-contrast="auto">books, and</span> <span data-contrast="auto">now</span> <span data-contrast= "auto">his</span> <span data-contrast="auto">latest podcast series</span> <a href= "https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/cautionary-tales/id1484511465" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><span data-contrast= "none">Cautionary Tales</span></em></a><span data-contrast= "auto">. </span></p> <p><span data-contrast="auto">Tim joined Tyler to discuss the role of popular economics in a politicized world, the puzzling polarization behind Brexit,</span> <span data-contrast="auto">why good feedback is necessary (</span><span data-contrast="auto">and rare</span><span data-contrast="auto">)</span><span data-contrast= "auto">,</span> <span data-contrast="auto">the limits of fact-checking</span><span data-contrast="auto">, the “tremendously British” encouragement he received from Prince Charles,</span> <span data-contrast="auto">p</span><span