Should we change how we raise our kids, preparing them for the future, knowing they will enter college and begin their careers with AI? Enoch and Tim reflect on how the rise of AI should shape the way we raise and prepare our children. They discuss the reality that today’s kids will enter college and careers with AI as a constant companion, and they wrestle with how to cultivate habits, character, and critical thinking that lead to genuine flourishing amid rapid technological change. Rather than offering simple answers, the conversation models a thoughtful, values-driven approach to parenting in an uncertain AI future. And they share what majors they recommend when AI presents uncertainty.

Record Date: March 19, 2026

Credits: Drew Elliot (music)

How we test students reveals what we truly value in education and simultaneously shapes the incentives of everyone in the classroom. Enoch and Tim discuss the economics of educational assessment, arguing that every test design sends signals to teachers and students about what is worth knowing and how it should be taught. They explore testing practices, from Finland's minimal standardized testing culture to the high-stakes approaches found in other countries, exploring the tradeoffs embedded in each model. Highlighting the remarkable story of Mississippi, which overhauled its approach to reading instruction and assessment after sitting at the bottom of national literacy rankings, Enoch and Tim unpack how a deliberate change in testing philosophy helped drive some of the most significant gains in childhood literacy seen anywhere in the country.

Record Date: February 12, 2026

Credits: Drew Elliot (music)

In the second part of this series, Enoch and Tim talk about more ways economics can help us make better decisions and live more joyful lives. They discuss the endowment effect, how we tend to overvalue things in our possession, to understand when to let things go. And perhaps most important of all, they discuss opportunity costs and a holistic view of income to help us maximize decisions and think carefully about the use of our time and what we value. We hope these episodes help you to choose better.

Link to Economics and Life Hacks Part I

Credits: Drew Elliot (music)

Recording Date: January 8, 2026

Jason Long returns to Choosing Better to discuss why some nations are rich and others are poor. We take another journey through time to understand how simple laws and norms shape the very bedrock of societies with some countries being wealthy and prosperous while others are underdeveloped and poor. Enoch and Tim turn the conversation to the strength of property rights in the United States before focusing on a recent case study in early 2026 of the US government threatening to destroy AI giant, Anthropic, as a means of retaliation. Is this a fleeting moment or a pivotal juncture in the US trajectory of the rule of law with respect to property rights?

Credits: Drew Elliot (music)

Recording Date: March 5, 2026

In the first days of a rapidly escalating U.S.–Israel conflict with Iran, strikes rippled across the region and global tensions spiked. In this bonus episode, former CIA senior executive and Iran expert Tim Buch joins the show to break down what actually happened, and just as important, why. We examine how intelligence shaped military decisions, how Iran is likely to respond, and what this conflict means for the broader Middle East. Finally, we look ahead: What could Iran look like by 2030 if this war continues?

Credits: Drew Elliot (music) with additional thanks to the ⁠⁠Wheaton Center for Faith, Politics & Economics⁠⁠.

Recording Date: March 2, 2026

Many Christians feel the pull toward missionary work, but how do you know if you should go, when to go, or where? Enoch and Tim apply economic thinking to one of the church's most important decisions, exploring how to discern a calling, how to best support those who go, and also discuss some of the research connecting missions to the development of democratic institutions and access to women's health.

*While originally recorded with a live audience at Wheaton College (2/18/2026), this is a re-recorded conversation.

Credits: Drew Elliot (music) with additional thanks to the ⁠Wheaton Center for Faith, Politics & Economics⁠.

Recording Date: February 26, 2026

Do you know more than a Saxon born in 500AD? Hard to say, but you likely know different knowledge than your ancient Saxon counterpart. And while most Saxons shared a similar set of knowledge about food production and daily survival, you likely have a very different knowledge than even your neighbor down the street. Join Enoch and Tim as they discuss shared knowledge and overlapping knowledge compared to specific and distinct knowledge in modern society. They marvel at the gains from adding up millions of different sets of knowledge, but consider what may be lost when we have less in common with each other.

Credits: Drew Elliot (music) with additional thanks to the Wheaton Center for Faith, Politics & Economics.

Recording Date: February 5, 2026

Our desires define us. From how we spend our money, use our time, talk with our friends, or dominate our thoughts, our passions consume our resources and form our lives. But what shapes our desires and how can we choose better passions to guide our lives? Join Enoch and Tim as they discuss the overarching loves of our lives and propose strategies to recognized disordered loves and how to be intentional with our formation.

Credits: Drew Elliot (music) with additional thanks to the ⁠Wheaton Center for Faith, Politics & Economics⁠.

Recording Date: December 16, 2025