#197 Why having less things and activities gives us more freedom and happiness. Why low probability risks are unacceptable if the consequences affect all of us. More information, including show notes, can be found here. Episode Summary The inspiration behind this episode came from the idea of the power of local and less, from Nassim Nicholas Taleb’s book Skin in the Game. David discusses the power behind experimenting at the local level in order to avoid systemic risk, as well as why less is more when it comes to happiness. Living in a via negativa mindset can set you free Taleb writes extensively about “via negativa” in his book, which explains that “The act by removing is more powerful than acting by addition.” If having nice things means working long hours at a job you hate while sacrificing time with your loved ones, then perhaps having nice things shouldn’t be the end goal in life. If you’re not concerned with physical “stuff,” then you are free to live your life and pursue your greatest joys without the burden of material goods. David argues that if you’re not happy with less, then you certainly won’t be happy with more. By removing the negative aspects of your life, you can increase your level of overall happiness. A simple landscaping example illuminates this idea perfectly. If a wonderful hotel has impeccable landscaping, but the surrounding grounds are littered with trash and clutter, then the only thing one must do to improve the overall situation is to remove the clutter – not add more landscaping! Since via negativa states removing unnecessary or unwanted parts of your life will result in greater levels of happiness, it only makes sense to conclude that adding things will not give you the same result. People spend decades collecting items that they do not need or truly want. And the more they seek, the less happiness they find. For true happiness, one must appreciate all the good things in life and simply live day to day in a joy mindset. Why taking action against climate change is so critical, due to the precautionary principle While seemingly unrelated to via negativa, the second major principle discussed on this episode is just as critical. The precautionary principle is what drives Nassim Nicholas Taleb to take action against the global threat of climate change. Taleb argues that If an action could potentially destroy the planet, it is on those who pollute to show a lack of tail risk. So much of the controversy regarding climate change is about the accuracy of the scientific models, but what would the correct policy be if we had no reliable models? We only have one planet. Even a risk with a very low probability is unacceptable when it affects all of us – there is no reversing a mistake of that magnitude. If we don’t fully understand something, and it has a systemic effect, we should avoid it completely. This episode of Money For the Rest of Us makes an undeniable case for why every single person should care about climate change, and you need to hear it. How to change the world at the micro level, starting with a single business Changing the world on the macro-scale sounds romantic, but it is simply not feasible for the vast majority of people. To truly do good in the world and make a difference, David urges his listeners to simply start at the local level. Start a business in your community and spend freely at other local businesses. Get to know your neighbors and care about their lives. Take bounded risks, don’t attempt to change the entire system, and tinker at the micro level until you see some good come from it. All this and more is covered on this encouraging episode of Money For the Rest of Us. In This Episode You’ll Learn [1:00] David introduces his topic for this episode, “the power of local and less” [2:12] The first main idea for the episode, via negativa, is discussed [6:47] So how do we solve this pursuit of unreachable happiness? [9:29] A second example of living through via negativa [12:45] David shares a third example of a via negativa lifestyle [15:51] Why David and author Nassim Nicholas Taleb believe in taking action against climate change, due to the precautionary principle [21:20] How to change the world by starting a business See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

#195 Why duties and other actions are necessary to address trade disputes, but across the board tariffs are a blunt instrument that can lead to a devastating trade war and global recession. More information, including show notes, can be found here. Episode Summary With President Trump recently unveiling new tariffs, many investors and economists are asking the question, “has a trade war begun?” On this episode of Money For the Rest of Us, David Stein explores this idea and explains the new tariff plans, the potential impacts on the steel and aluminum industries, and why there are better solutions to the complex trade system than just blanket tariffs. Why new tariff plans were created and the concern surrounding national security When President Trump unveiled his new tariff plan and claimed via Twitter that “trade wars are good and easy to win,” the stock market fell 2% and people across the world began asking countless questions. Are these tariffs going to apply to every single country, even longstanding US trade partners? How will this impact the US economy? To answer these questions, David explains that trade investigations regarding steel, aluminum and oil imports have occurred several times in the past, and one of the main goals is to determine if competition from imports is having a negative impact on national security. National security goes beyond just national defense and include impacts on the overall domestic economy. Recent findings and insights on the 2018 aluminum report The January 2018 report on the aluminum industry found that there is a connection between the economic welfare of the US and national security because of the loss of skills, higher amounts of foreign investments, the unemployment rate of US forces, and many other reasons. Since the US aluminum industry is only operating at 43% of capacity, and aluminum imports comprise 90% of consumption and are up 60% from 2012, the Department of Commerce determined that aluminum imports are directly impacting national security. The report found domestic aluminum production was becoming unstable and nearing a point where US forces would be unable to respond to a national emergency that would require an increased level of production. How do the findings on the steel industry differ from those of the aluminum industry? When compared to the findings of the aluminum study, the US steel industry and the impact of foreign steel are not nearly as dramatic. While imports have increased due to foreign competition, there’s no shortage of domestic steel. Imported steel only makes up approximately 30% of US consumption, and the Department of Commerce recommendation for taking action was because steel imports were weakening the U.S. economy rather than there being insufficient steel to meet national defense needs. Additional solutions that could prevent a trade war and why trade needs to be viewed as a complex system After reviewing the latest findings on steel and aluminum in the United States, David explains why there are more effective solutions to global trade and imports than just blanket tariffs. Even if tariffs are deemed to be the best solution, they should be addressed on a country-by-country basis. Existing legislation such as the Defense Production Act of 1950 and the Buy American Act of 1933 already address the issue of foreign imports. Across the board tariffs could negatively impact longstanding trade partners, and U.S. exports could be taxed at a much higher rate in the coming months. While it is normal to want to protect a nation’s workforce and industries, it cannot be done in such a way that jeopardizes a country’s ability to interact with other countries’ economies. Global trade is a complex system that must be viewed as a whole, rather than individual parts. The long-term impacts of these recent developments are sure to spark continuing conversations, but to hear a stellar synopsis of the trade issue today be sure to listen to this podcast episode of Money For the Rest of Us. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.