Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford - Introducing: Cautionary Tales

Episode Date: October 22, 2019

Coming November 15 from Tim Harford and Pushkin Industries, Cautionary Tales relates a true story of a time when something did not go according to plan. Some of these true stories are tragic, some are comic, but like the great fables and parables, each of them has a moral. Equipped with the latest research from psychology, economics and the social sciences, Harford explains why things went so awry – and teaches us lessons that we won’t forget. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pushkin I opened the wrapping paper, hurriedly, with nervous hands, excited to get at the gift inside. Little did I know, disaster was about to enter my previously happy childhood. No, don't worry, it wasn't a disaster for me. It was a catalogue of disasters for everyone else. The gift was a book titled The World's Greatest Mistakes. Some of the stories were absurd, the bride who accidentally married the best man. Some of them were famous tragedies, like the Titanic, swallowed by the ICC. Some of them were famous tragedies like the Titanic swallowed by the ICC.

All of them fascinated me. And I realized, learning from other people's mistakes is a lot less painful than learning from your own. My name is Tim Hafen. Some people call me the undercover economist. I use scientific ideas to help people think more clearly about the world. In my books, my BBC Radio shows, and my column for the Financial Times. Now I'm using the same rigorous research to understand what we can learn from other people's errors.

My new podcast, Corsinary Tales, takes you aboard a doomed airship. It sits you on a concert stage in front of a broken piano and puts you in a room with cult members counting down the final seconds before the end of the world. Helping me tell these Corsionary Tales are some marvelous actors such as Alan coming and Archipandjabi from the good wife The Bond villain Toby Stevens and Russell Tovey from Quantico We also present the acting debut of a certain Mr Malcolm Gladwell I am spellbound. This is the most beautiful creature. I have ever listened to spellbound. This is the most beautiful creature I have ever listened to.

Together we weave stories of human error, of tragic catastrophes and hilarious fiascoes. Fast oil tankers head for the rock. Oskars go to the wrong movie. And the world's most brilliant economist becomes the world's most famous financial basket case. When or lose this high stakes gambling amuses me. Alongside the drama, each story has a moral. Each story will make you wiser. Corsinary tales from Pushkin Industries launches on November 15th. Subscribe now on Apple podcasts or wherever you get your shows.

Trust me, it would be a mistake not to.