The Great Antidote

Send us Fan Mail Philosopher Rebecca Lowe (Mercatus Center) joins me to do an ideas-only deep dive: what freedom really is, why it matters, how it intersects with equality, and how to tell coercion from choice. We talk charitable argument (steelmanning), the social value of clear definitions, and Rebecca’s agent-focused view of freedom—plus why doing something freely can have value even when the act is bad. Support the show Never miss another AdamSmithWorks update. Follow us on Faceboo...

Send us Fan Mail Is tech panic new—or just history on repeat? Judge Glock (Manhattan Institute) walks through what past tech scares (lead gasoline, CFCs, TV) got right and wrong, why “externalities” matter more than vibes, and how to think about AI regulation today—transparency mandates, liability vs. preclearance, “AI pauses,” and realistic optimism. We end with his own journey from socialism to markets. Support the show Never miss another AdamSmithWorks update. Follow us on Facebook,...

Send us Fan Mail AEI Economist Derek Scissors joins Juliette Sellgren to unpack the reality of China’s economy, U.S.–China relations, and whether China is truly a threat. From demographics to debt and political control, Scissors explains what’s really driving China’s trajectory, and why it matters for America’s future. Support the show Never miss another AdamSmithWorks update. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Send us Fan Mail Why does freedom matter? How can we defend it in an age of rising authoritarianism? In this episode, I sit down with Tom Palmer to explore the ideas, virtues, and strategies that keep liberty alive. We cover: · The rise of authoritarian movements and global threats to liberty · The morality of freedom: how to know what to fight for and when · January 6th as a failure of duty, and what true constitut...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when people stop trusting rules—and start rewriting them? In this episode, we are joined by economist Edward Lopez about the life and legacy of James M. Buchanan, the Nobel Prize-winning founder of public choice economics. We begin by unpacking Buchanan’s biography and intellectual roots: what shaped his worldview, who influenced his thinking, and why his work remains foundational to understanding government, rules, and freedom. From there, we dive into the rich ...

Send us Fan Mail Remember the Amazon HQ2 frenzy? When nearly every U.S. state competed to become Amazon’s next home, offering billions in tax breaks and incentives? I do — I grew up right next door to Crystal City, Virginia, the site Amazon ultimately chose. In this episode, I talk with economist Peter Calcagno about targeted economic incentives—the controversial policy tool that fueled the Amazon HQ2 bidding war and countless other corporate deals. We explore questions like: What are targete...

Send us Fan Mail What is it like to grow up under a dictatorship? The speakers of The Dissident Project don’t have to wonder — they’ve lived it. And they’ve escaped. In this episode, Grace Bydalek joins us this week to discuss her work with The Dissident Project, which brings survivors of authoritarian regimes into American high schools to share their powerful, firsthand stories. From Cuba and Venezuela to Russia and beyond, these voices bring the reality of life without freedom into the clas...

Send us Fan Mail We’ve talked about objectivism before on the podcast, but that was fairly introductory. Today, for the first time ever, I host two guests on the podcast to discuss the limitations of objectivism and where it fails to depict the good life. We talk about how they got interested in Rand’s thought, how they philosophically dealt with works that were mostly fiction, and where their philosophy, individualistic perfectionism, diverges from Rand’s and fills in some important blanks.&...

Send us Fan Mail Bob Ewing is the founder of the Ewing School and hosts a Substack called Talking Big Ideas (go check it out). He has also gifted me most of the great books that I’ve read. Today, we talk about how he got started and how many of the great lessons in life are learned. We talk about counter-intuitive ideas, how to find the answers to them, and how to effectively communicate them. He talks to us about kettle bells and quotes (almost) every great author under the sun. ...

Send us Fan Mail Jo Jensen is the founder of MovieGoer and she’s currently the SVP of Digital and Entertainment Strategy at Touchdown Strategies, a PR firm. and is an Aspen Institute Civil Society Fellow. Since all fellows have ventures over there, she’s currently writing a book called “America Has a Girlfriend Problem.” Today, we talk about the anxiety of my generation and how to unplug, attempting to grow comfortable with discomfort. We talk about how things have changed and how we c...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome back. Continuing our ongoing exploration of what it means to be an individual living in a liberal society, today I am happy to host Charlotte Thomas to talk to us about what it means to learn and the importance of the liberal arts. Join us to find out what it truly means to be “educated” and how to do it. A mix of personal, inspirational, and relatable, Professor Thomas brings her knowledge of teaching in the classroom into our conversation. Of course, ra...

Send us Fan Mail Thomas Jefferson was a complicated figure. Essential to the start of our country and the university I attend, he is impossible to ignore. Yet, he held slaves, and at the same time said “all men are created equal.” What’s up with that?! Yet, we need to be able to talk about him. We also need to be able to acknowledge the contributions he has made to the world, while also acknowledging the flaws in his character and behavior. His legacy is complicated, and he was a complicated ...