Freakonomics Radio

When Richard Thaler first published Nudge, the world was just starting to believe in his brand of behavioral economics. In this 2021 episode, we ask: How has nudge theory held up in the face of a global financial meltdown, a pandemic, and other existential crises? SOURCES:Richard Thaler, professor of economics at the University of Chicago. RESOURCES:Nudge: The Final Edition, by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein (2021).Sludge: What Stops Us from Getting Things Done and What to Do About It, by Cass Sunstein (2021)."Sludge: Americans Spend 11.4 Billion Hours Filling Out Federal Paperwork," by Cass Sunstein (Big Think, 2021)."Carbon Taxation in Sweden," by Government Offices of Sweden Ministry of Finance (2021)."The Climate Club: How to Fix a Failing Global Effort," by William Nordhaus (Foreign Affairs, 2020)."Organ Donation: Presumed Consent and Focusing on What Matters," by Rebecca Brown (The Journal of Medical Ethics Blog, 2017). EXTRAS:"Sludge," series by Freakonomics Radio (2025).“People Aren’t Dumb. The Worl