This week, Dan and Sean dive into the deep end of economic uncertainty—from the philosophical origins of “the economy” to the lived reality of layoffs, inflation, and shifting trade routes. Why do oil rigs in North Dakota matter to the price of cheese? Are we witnessing demand destruction or just another panic? And what does “creative destruction” really look like when the grenades are turning into landmines?

Along the way: internal combustion nerdery, fourth turning fatigue, and a fair bit of macroeconomic exasperation.

If you’re feeling off-balance in today’s economy, you’re not alone. We're all just trying to stay afloat in choppy waters—and sometimes the best you can do is keep your head up and wait for the next swell.

Books Discussed:

• In This Economy? – Kyla Scanlon

• A Splendid Exchange – William J. Bernstein

• Amusing Ourselves to Death – Neil Postman

• The Fourth Turning – William Strauss and Neil Howe

• The Siege – Ben Macintyre

• The Fifth Risk (and a new companion) – Michael Lewis

Podcasts Referenced:

• Odd Lots

• Hidden Forces (Grant Williams + Demetri Kofinas – The Hundred Year Pivot)

• The Fed Guy (Joseph Wang)

Quote of the Week:
“They’re not grenades anymore—they’re landmines we’ve set for ourselves.”

Chapters:
00:00 – Weekend work and the managerial grind
01:00 – Oilfield layoffs and sour vs. sweet crude
04:00 – Why internal combustion is still the apex of engineering
06:00 – What does “economy” actually mean? (spoiler: it’s Greek)
10:00 – Sheep barons, trade routes, and the roots of specialization
14:00 – Consumer sentiment vs. reality: is the mismatch getting worse?
18:00 – Tariffs, inflation, and the risk of stagflation
24:00 – Layoffs, rate cuts, and the Fed’s boxed-in dilemma
30:00 – Budget gaps, fake fixes, and the math that doesn’t math
34:00 – The future of global trade (with or without us)
39:00 – Will the Fed move fast enough—or too late again?
45:00 – NIH cuts and the role of scientific “waste”
51:00 – A fresh read from Michael Lewis + other book recs
56:00 – The fourth turning isn’t over: the ecpyrosis continues
59:00 – Swimming, surfing, or just floating through it all
1:04:00 – Walmart’s margins and the myth of “just eating” tariffs
1:10:00 – Median income, optionality, and the meaning of wealth
1:13:00 – Outro: shifting sands and the promise (or threat) of change