Dead People's Money

Interview with Dr. Andrew Odlyzko (U. of Minnesota) about investment bubbles, the Nigerian prince scam's long history, and how to know when investors are gullible.

0:05 Intro

3:05 How a landscape painter arbitraged snooty aristocrats

6:40 Isaac Newton's stock losses (the real story)

11:50 the South Sea Bubble

21:28 Investment bubbles in history

25:43 the South sea bubble wasn't THAT crazy after all

29:45 An investment "of great advantage, but no-one to know what it is"

32:16 could we create a gullibility index?

33:48 the Nigerian prince scam pre-dates the internet

36:50 Why trust is key in bubbles

37:01 2 types of bubbles

40:31 Is failure good for society as a whole?

48:50 Conversations over coffee: explain what's important

*Dr. Andrew Odlyzko is Professor of Mathematics at the University of Minnesota.

*Find his most recent writings about Isaac Newton and the South Sea Bubble here: https://physicstoday.scitation.org/journal/pto

*His website is here: http://www.dtc.umn.edu/~odlyzko/

*A list of his writings on financial history are here: http://www.dtc.umn.edu/~odlyzko/doc/bubbles.html

Joe explores the long and relevant history of pandemic and panic in history, with lessons from history for how to navigate tough times.

Joe explores the (mostly false) myth of Isaac Newton "losing his shirt" in the South Sea stock bubble. What can we learn from the real history of Issac Newton the investor?

Joe explains how capitalism has transformed modern life into something our great-great-great grandparents would barely recognize. We live longer, eat cheaper, live in better housing, and have more stuff than ever before. So, why isn't anyone pumping that sunshine?

From deadpeoplesmoney.com