Economic Rockstar

Connecting Brilliant Minds in Economics and Finance

152: David Kyle Johnson on Economics and Philosophy in Soylent Green

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152: David Kyle Johnson on Economics and Philosophy in Soylent Green

This is a 3rd instalment of my interviews with Professor David Kyle Johnson, an  Associate Professor of Philosophy at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.

We catch up again after watching the 1973 dystopian movie ‘Soylent Green‘ and discuss some economics and philosophical themes that run through the movie.

In this Episode, we cover:

  • Scarcity
  • Choice
  • Over-population
  • Consumption
  • Inflation
  • Production
  • Automation
  • Altruism
  • Theft
  • Black market economy
  • Pricing
  • Equilibrium
  • The Invisible Hand

Social Issues Discussed Include:

  • Social class/status,
  • Feminism
  • Poverty

Philosophical Questions Addressed Include:

  • Should we resort to cannibalism to save the human race?
  • Should we have the right to die with dignity in the face of a terminal illness, the loss of hope or over our moral principles?
  • Is there a god?
  • And more.

Movies:

Other Episodes to Check Out:

146: David Kyle Johnson on Science Fiction as Philosophy and Finding Nietzsche’s Übermensch in Economics

151: Unreleased Bonus Episode with David Kyle Johnson

Books:

Patreon

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113: Jonathan McEvoy on Globalisation, National Autonomy, Capitalism and the Economic Resonance in Timeless Songs

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113: Jonathan McEvoy on Globalisation, National Autonomy, Capitalism and the Economic Resonance in Timeless Songs

Jonathan McEvoy is currently an undergrad student of economics at Waterford Institute of Technology in jonathan-mcevoy-economic-rockstarIreland.

He was recently recognised for being in the top 5% of the Business School at W.I.T, earning the honour of being on the Deans List for Academic Achievement.

Jonathan has a unique understanding of the world around us and, together with his love of economics, has a unique perspective on the economics discipline.

Jonathan’s desire to discover and explore the multitude of economic thinking, from Keynesianism to Marxism, has resulted in him creating a blog called Economics – Thoughts of a Student which can be found at jonathanmcevoy888.blogspot.com.

His recent career history has prepared him well to be great public speaker and communicator.

Jonathan is also an athlete and a top soccer player, having spent time with English Premier League clubs Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.

Jonathan’s interests also include Health, Human Rights, Politics, Civil Rights, Poverty Alleviation and Science and Technology.

Economics:

In this episode, Jonathan discusses and mentions: production possibility frontier, comparative advantage, production, services, efficiency, technology, foreign direct investment, tariffs, income, vertical farming, externalities, capitalism, profit, inequality, welfare, labour costs, GDP, economics of war and economics of romance.

Economists:

In this episode, Jonathan discusses and mentions: Adam Smith, John Maynard Keynes, Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels and David Ricardo.

In this episode you will learn:

  • about the balance required between globalisation and national autonomy.
  • about Ireland’s role in CERN.

  • whether future-tech will improve humanity’s standard of living?

  • how economics and technology are inextricably interlinked.
  • why economists and technologists should increase collaboration for the betterment of society.
  • how the world’s production possibility frontier can move outward to reach once unimagined and unattainable outcomes.
  • whether ‘planetisation’ can be a reality.
  • the use of songs to capture the economic and social setting of an era.
  • and much much more.

People Mentioned in this Episode:

Links:

Where to Find Jonathan McEvoy:

Books:

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