👂Just a few cautionary tales lest history repeat itself. In Tim Harford’s podcast, CautionaryTales, the English economic journalist delivers an engaging audio experience that fuses storytelling with history and social sciences. He delves deep into the archives of human failures; from economic disasters to catastrophic decisions. The objective? Teach listeners a lesson. By dissecting past failures, Harford hopes to help new generations avoid new ones.

The podcast doesn’t just recite historical facts, it dissects them through an analytical lens. Such has become synonymous with Harford’s work as witnessed on the popular BBC podcast More or Less, and through his writing on The Financial Times. In Cautionary Tales, Harford ups his game. Each episode is more of an audio play than a traditional podcast; think dramatic sound effects and expert narration. With Cautionary Tales, it’s easy to stay engaged — and trust us, you’ll want to. Dramatics aside, the podcast draws from academic studies and myriad scientific theories, so not only are you entertained, you’re educated.

In one particular episode, Harford dissects Chicago’s 2008 agreement to lease its parking meters to a private investment group for 75 years. The city was in a financial crisis, and its officials resorted to a solution that was quick, yet proved to be very costly and myopic. Harford then explains the psychology behind decision-making, and how short-term thinking, time constraints, and lack of transparency led to a flawed decision. The case is then contrasted with other public-private partnerships that went awry.

It’s storytelling meets intellectual depth — and we love it. Through both thorough research and engaging storytelling, Harford hits a home run. The show invites listeners to think critically and reflect on the past — pivotal advice if we don’t want history to repeat itself.

WHERE TO LISTEN- You can listen to Cautionary Tales on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Anghami | Deezer | Amazon Music | Audible | iHeart | YouTube | YouTube Music.

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