Complex ideas can be communicated in different ways, so why not a rap? On the podcast we are joined by Dr. Russ Roberts. Roberts is the Smith Scholar at the Mercatus Center and a Professor of Economics at George Mason University. Along with his popular blog Café Hayek and famed podcast Econ Talk, Dr. Roberts the co-creator with filmmaker John Papola of the rap video “Fear the Boom and Bust”. In this economic rap video, John Maynard Keynes and F. A. Hayek, two of the great economists of the 20th century, come back to life to attend an economics conference on the economic crisis. Before the conference begins, and at the insistence of Lord Keynes, they go out for a night on the town and sing about why there’s a “boom and bust” cycle in modern economies and good reason to fear it.
On the podcast, Roberts discusses how they came up with the idea for a rap about economics, what audiences they are reaching, and the economic implications of some of the Keynesian based policies implemented to deal with the current deficit. Also, tune into hear what more to expect from Papola and Roberts at Econstories.tv in the future.