In this episode of the Econ Nerds podcast, hosts Matt Hill and Ariel Slonim explore various economic themes ranging from pole vaulting incentives to the impact of tariffs on job creation. They discuss the implications of NYC's free bus proposal, the economic contributions of K-Pop sensation BTS, and the evolving landscape of creative jobs in the age of AI.

Then a life advice involving Bitcoin and personal finance decisions.

The episode concludes with reflections on community initiatives like the Buy Nothing group and the hidden costs associated with them.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and News Quiz Kickoff

16:52 AI and Art: The Future of Creativity

32:25 Life Advice

35:47 Consumer Surplus vs. Deadweight Loss: Buy Nothing

In this episode of Econ Nerds Live, hosts Matt Hill and Ariel Slonim delve into the pressing issue of national debt, exploring its implications and the government's options for managing it. Then a news quiz segment, where they test each other's knowledge on current events and economic trends. Then they unveil their new segment: "Not Investment Advice", where they give investment advice. The episode wraps up with discussions male friendships, homesteading and Lego Masters

00:00 - Government Spending and Economic Consequences

10:15 - Transitioning to Current Economic News and Quizzes

Investing Insights: Predictions and Market Trends

23:24 - NOT Investment Advice: Tattoo Removal

30:12 - Consumer Surplus and Deadweight Loss: Male Friendships, Homesteading and Lego Masters

Articles mentioned

All articles for the news quiz can be found at our substack: https://econnerds.substack.com/

Supersonics are back

https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2025/06/supersonics-takeoff.html

Male Friendships

https://www.aaronrenn.com/p/male-friendship

Homesteading:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/home/2025/06/05/i-tried-homesteading/

In this episode of Econ Nerds, hosts Matt Hill and Ariel Slonim discuss the recent legal challenges surrounding tariffs, the economic implications of presidential power over tariffs, and the collective action problems faced by Congress. They explore how uncertainty in tariff policies affects businesses and consumers, and delve into the broader economic concepts at play. The conversation also includes a fun news quiz that highlights various economic principles. Then they try to figure out the pricing strategies of Trader Joe's. Finally, Ariel and Matt debate the best place to get wands.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Personal Anecdotes

03:00 Tariff Pause and Legal Challenges

09:02 Congressional Power and Collective Action Problems

12:10 Impact of Tariffs on Business and Consumers

18:10 News Quiz and Economic Insights

34:26 Understanding Trader Joe's Pricing Strategy

45:39 Consumer Surplus and Deadweight Loss

50:23 Experiential Marketing: The Magic of Harry Potter World

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