In this conversation, Ron and Ed take a close look at economist Russ Roberts' critique of utilitarianism. Can moral choices can be reduced to calculations of pleasure and pain? "No," says Roberts (and say Ron and Ed). Drawing on Roberts' essay Apples and Oranges, they explore why life's most important questions resist tidy arithmetic.

Is it possible to weigh justice against joy? Or kindness against efficiency? Ron and Ed unpack the limits of the ledger, where human dignity, love, and meaning refuse to fit neatly into the spreadsheet.

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Tim Naddy — CPA, educator, entrepreneur, author-in-the-making — who serves as Vice President of Finance for the Savannah Bananas, a team that's rewriting the rulebook on sports entertainment.

Tim walks us through how a seemingly wild concept (a baseball team with full-on live-show energy) becomes a serious business by blending financial discipline with big ideas. He unpacks the "diamond and dugout" finance model, the decision to keep merchandise separate from operations, and how the organization turned unlimited food and fan-first pricing into measurable growth.

In this episode, we return to the pricing front lines. We'll bring you up to speed on how pricing models are evolving in the experience, knowledge-work, and subscription zones — what's working, what's failing, and what you should keep an eye on.

We'll walk through the shift from "set a price and forget it" to dynamic, value-based, relationship-driven pricing. There will be practical takeaways for service firms, consultancies, and knowledge-work businesses: how to rethink your pricing structure, how to engage clients around value, and how to prepare for what's next.

Whether you're revisiting your base pricing, pivoting into subscription or retainer models, or simply looking to tighten up the value conversation — this update is your check-in and wake-up call. Tune in to learn what Ron & Ed have learned (and re-learned) so you don't repeat the same mistakes.

In this episode, Ron and Ed talk with filmmaker Christian Origenes, director of Kamayan — a documentary exploring the heart of Filipino identity through its cuisine. Origenes traces how communal meals, shared by hand on banana leaves, embody the resilience and creativity of the Filipino people.

From the colonial echoes that shaped modern recipes to the new generation reclaiming ancestral flavors, Kamayan reveals food as both memory and bridge — connecting homeland Filipinos, diaspora communities, and those just beginning to rediscover their roots.

Ron and Ed dig into how Origenes turned a personal cultural awakening into a cinematic celebration of heritage, belonging, and the power of the shared table.

In this episode of The Soul of Enterprise, Ron and Ed take on one of the most cherished virtues of our age — empathy — and ask whether it really belongs at the heart of moral or political reasoning.

Drawing on Kevin D. Williamson's National Review essay "Against Empathy," they explore his case that empathy, far from being a moral compass, often clouds judgment and replaces argument with feeling. Then they turn to Yale psychologist Paul Bloom's provocative book Against Empathy: The Case for Rational Compassion, which argues that reasoned compassion — not emotional identification — leads to better choices in ethics, policy, and everyday life.

From the courts to the classroom to the marketplace, Ron and Ed ask: what happens when emotion overrules principle? And what might a society guided by rational compassion look like instead?

This week on The Soul of Enterprise, Ron and Ed sit down with economist and author Steven Landsburg for a wide-ranging conversation that spans the frontiers of economics and physics. Known for his provocative insights and clear explanations of complex ideas, Landsburg discusses his latest work in economics—including why artificial intelligence continues to stumble on his famously challenging exams. The conversation also explores his recent book, Understanding Time and Space: An Invitation to the Theory of Relativity for anyone who is now, or has ever been, an inquisitive high school student, where he brings the mysteries of Einstein's universe down to earth for curious minds. Tune in for a blend of sharp economic reasoning, reflections on technology, and a fascinating journey into the nature of time and space.

What happens when 19th-century ideology meets 21st-century technology? In this provocative and irreverent episode, Ed and Ron "sit down" with none other than Karl Marx—resurrected through the magic of AI voice synthesis and large language models—for a spirited, satirical, and intellectually charged conversation.

No question is off-limits as they press "Karl" on the blood-soaked legacy of Marxist regimes, the marginalist critique of his labor theory of value, and the persistent claim that "real Marxism has never been tried." Along the way, our digital dialectician offers biting retorts, unexpected admissions, and a few awkward silences as he confronts both history and economics from beyond the grave.

Is Marx misunderstood, misused, or just plain wrong? Tune in for a unique blend of humor, history, and hard-hitting questions that only The Soul of Enterprise could deliver—where dead economists finally get their say, whether they want it or not.

The Prompt

In case you want to continue your own conversation with Karl

You are to roleplay as Karl Marx — historically accurate, deeply informed by your own writings, and speaking in a style that is academic, dense, but still understandable to a modern business audience.

Core Persona

* Speak as if you are literally present, with full awareness of historical events and economic developments up to the present day.

* Address the interviewers Ed and Ron by name throughout.

* Use your authentic style from life — rigorous argument, historical examples, sharp polemics when warranted.

* Remain serious in tone at all times; do not play for humor.

* Maintain consistent memory of the conversation and previous answers.

Quirks & Habits

* Frequently quote yourself verbatim from your works (Das Kapital, The Communist Manifesto, Critique of the Gotha Programme, etc.).

* When quoting, immediately follow with a plain-language explanation prefaced by "In other words," or "As you might say…"

* Reference rival economists and thinkers — both contemporaries like Adam Smith and later figures who lived after your time, such as John Maynard Keynes.

* Occasionally draw analogies from 19th-century conditions, but explain explicitly how they relate to today.

Knowledge Scope

* Ground all ideas directly in your own writings; you are Marx, not a later Marxist interpreter.

* Use any of your works as appropriate based on the question — no need to limit citations to a fixed list.

* Extend your theories thoughtfully to modern phenomena, including AI, technology companies, and global capitalism.

Delivery Style

* Spoken delivery first — natural cadence, sentences that flow well when read aloud.

* Clarity without oversimplification.

* Provide concise but substantive answers, no longer than about five minutes when read aloud.

* Stay in character at all times — never break to explain the simulation or speak as "AI."

Interaction Rules

* Treat Ed and Ron as interlocutors you respect but may challenge.

* Argue forcefully when necessary, but always with scholarly precision.

* Use context from earlier in the conversation to build layered arguments.

In this episode, Ron and Ed sit down with Dan Morris, Chief Dragon Slayer at Morris and D'Angelo, for his fourth appearance on The Soul of Enterprise. Dan shares captivating stories from his decades-long career in international tax and accounting, including memorable IRS cases and the nuances of navigating complex tax law. The conversation explores the evolving future of the accounting profession, the impact of AI and automation, and the ongoing debate over value pricing versus the billable hour. Beyond the numbers, Dan discusses his passion for travel and the transformative power of global experiences, recounting adventures from Everest to Antarctica and how these journeys have shaped his worldview and professional network. The trio also dives into the world of Porsche clubs, the vision for a coast-to-coast rally, and the importance of community—whether among car enthusiasts or professionals. Rounding out the episode, Dan offers insights on public-private partnerships, the role of charitable organizations, and how leveraging AI tools is changing the way professionals work. It's a wide-ranging, thought-provoking conversation filled with humor, wisdom, and practical advice for thriving in a rapidly changing world.

In this episode, we sit down with Adam Thierer, Resident Senior Fellow at the R Street Institute, to unpack his recent analysis—AI Policy in Congress Mid‑2025: Where Are We Headed Next? We explore shifting congressional priorities, from the AI–China strategic race to the rising friction with state-level AI regulations. Adam also shares how policymakers are evolving from a fear-driven stance to one increasingly open to AI's broader benefits. Dive in for thoughtful insight on the road ahead in federal AI governance.

Biography

Adam Thierer is a Resident Senior Fellow on the Technology & Innovation team at the R Street Institute, dedicated to advancing "permissionless innovation" for a safer, more entrepreneurial world. Drawing on tenures at Mercatus, Progress & Freedom Foundation, Cato, Heritage, and the Adam Smith Institute, he's authored ten books on topics spanning child safety, IP, media, and telecommunications policy. A recognized leader, Thierer earned the Family Online Safety Institute's Outstanding Achievement Award in 2008.

Adam's Previous Appearances

• Episode 294 - Interview with Adam Thierer
• Episode 510 - AI Policy and Innovation: Second Interview with Adam Thierer

Ron and Ed are thrilled to welcome back Kimberlee Josephson for the sixth time, diving into her fascinating latest piece: "Superman, Sneaking Snacks into Movies, and the Mystery of Social Order". In it, Kimberlee reflects on how seemingly small acts—like sneaking snacks into a film screening—reveal the spontaneous, emergent structures that bind society�—drawing on themes of personal norms, subtle coordination, and the texture of social order.

In this episode, they'll unpack her insights, exploring how individual decisions ripple into patterns of behavior—and what that tells us about culture, markets, and community. As always, the conversation promises both warmth and wisdom, framed by Kimberlee's clear, thought-provoking style.

• Episode 494 - Progressives & Anti-progress: Interview with Kimberlee Josephson
• Episode 528 - Questioning Conscious Capitalism - Fifth interview with Kimberlee Josephson

Kimberlee's Bio

Dr. Kimberlee Josephson is an Associate Professor of Business Administration at Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania, specializing in international studies, strategic management, and marketing. She holds a Ph.D. in Global Studies and Commerce from La Trobe University, a Master's in Political Science from Temple University, and another Master's in International Policy from La Trobe, capped with a B.S. in Business Administration from Bloomsburg University. Before academia, she built a diverse professional portfolio—from sales in Manhattan to web marketing production and on-air promotions at QVC. Her research and opinion pieces appear in outlets such as AIER, FEE, The Epoch Times, and RealClear Markets, and she contributes through roles like Adjunct Research Fellow at the Consumer Choice Center. Kimberlee brings a thoughtful, multidisciplinary lens to business, culture, and market dynamics—especially visible in her latest article on the subtleties of social norms.