I spend a lot of time listening to podcasts, and when I mention this, people often ask me for recommendations. In general, I don’t think I’m a great source of podcast recommendations, because I’m extremely picky and have extremely specific tastes. For example, I can’t listen to any of the most popular NPR podcasts because I find them agonizingly overproduced; you don’t need to add “street sounds” in post-production to convince me you are on the street!
But if your taste in podcasts happens to align with mine, then you’re in luck! Here’s what I’m listening to as of January, 2018. In each case I’m using the podcast title as it appears in my iPhone Podcasts app, which should hopefully make them relatively easy to find in your own preferred medium.
Podcasts are in no order whatsoever.
Money and finance
That’s what you come here for, right?
- Animal Spirits Podcast. From a couple of the guys at Ritholtz Wealth Management, a fun conversation about investing and investors. This podcast is still very new and is very much on probation, but I’ve tentatively enjoyed the 11 episodes they’ve released so far.
- Behind the Markets Podcast. Hosted by Jeremy Schwartz, who has some role at Penn’s Wharton School, it features a brief comment on the markets by Jeremy Siegel each week and then in-depth interviews with folks in the investment industry.
- Invest Like the Best. Hosted by Patrick O’Shaughnessy, this podcast started out very strong but Patrick has lately gotten obsessed with cryptocurrencies and other stuff of no practical interest to actual investors, so it’s back on probation. I’m still listening for now, though.
- The Meb Faber Show. Meb Faber is a sort of goofball but I find him and his obsession with “momentum” investing and other hocus pocus very charming. Every episode hilariously starts with a disclaimer that Meb won’t talk about any of Cambria’s ETF’s, and then he goes on to talk about Cambria’s funds for an hour every week.
- Slate Money. This is a weird product, since it’s three mostly-ignorant people talking about things they have no experience with or knowledge about, but I stubbornly keep listening. I should probably have culled this one a long time ago but Felix Salmon’s accent is too charming to give up.
- Masters in Business. Barry Ritholtz’s original podcast, MiB used to be great but I think has grown too big and now he mostly interviews authors promoting their latest books. There’s still an occasional gem though, and the back catalogue is brilliant (don’t miss his conversation with Jack Bogle).
- Investing Insights from Morningstar.com. This is a very strange podcast, since I believe it is the audio track from their weekly on-demand television program. It’s a mixture of market news and ads for Morningstar products, nothing of great interest but offers occasionally useful suggestions on portfolio construction, etc.
Politics and policy
Politics matters because policy matters.
- Vox’s The Weeds. The Weeds currently has a twice-weekly format, where they do an early-week episode on recent developments in the news and a late-week episode on specific policy issues.
- The Power Vertical – Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty. A show focused on developments in Russia, Eastern Europe, and the former Soviet Union. A mixture of news and discussion of long-term developments in the region.
I try to stay abreast of conservative media and would eagerly listen to a conservative policy podcast, but I do not know of any podcasts that make forthright positive cases for conservative policies. “The Editors” podcast from National Review offers occasionally interesting insight into the conservative mind, but they make no attempt to justify or defend an actual conservative governing agenda. I don’t mean to come across as uncharitable towards my conservative fellow citizens, but it does not appear to me that they have any interest in convincing people they have ideas which, if implemented, would improve the lives of Americans.
It’s very strange. Let me and your fellow readers know if you have any suggestions in the comments.
Comedy
- Chapo Trap House. Chapo is not for everybody. In fact, it’s for practically no one. But if you have the same sense of humor as me, it’s indispensable. If you’re not familiar with the podcast already, I would suggest starting with episodes 74 and 76, “Tabletop Game Theory.” Extremely vulgar (more vulgar than you think — you’ve been warned). Alternating “premium” episodes are only available to paid subscribers.
Culture
- Conversations with Tyler. Tyler Cowen is an insufferable nitwit, but for my money has the best interview podcast out there and I listen devotedly. It’s comedy gold when his guests get increasingly frustrated with his insufferable nitwit questions. Think “Between Two Ferns” but where the host doesn’t know it’s a comedy program.
- The Ezra Klein Show. Ezra’s a weird guy, but he gets some great guests and does excellent long-form interviews. I don’t listen religiously but I keep an eye on the feed to make sure I catch the good ones. The podcast has gotten a LOT darker since election day, 2016.
Travel
- Dots, Lines & Destinations. DLD has gone through a few format shakeups since I’ve been listening (or as Seth Miller once replied to me on Twitter, “we have a format?”), but it’s a fun jog through the aviation, travel, and loyalty news of the week.
- Saverocity Observation Deck – Miles, Points, and Travel Podcast. Hosted by Saverocity’s own Joe Cheung and Trevor Mountcastle, and with a revolving cast of guests including yours truly, SOD is the only real travel hacking podcast that I know of.
History
Those who forget history are doomed to listen to podcasts about it.
- Revolutions. From Mike Duncan, the podcaster behind The History of Rome, Revolutions has told the story of the English, American, French, Haitian, and Bolivarian revolutions, and is currently covering the European revolutions of 1848. It’s superb.
- The History of Rome. I’ve only dabbled in Mike Duncan’s first podcast in between episodes of Revolutions, but it’s pretty good so far. Early on he has not yet upgraded his recording equipment so the sound quality leaves something to be desired, but I’ve learned more about the history of Rome in 4 hours of podcasts than I did in 3 years of studying Latin!
Conclusion
These are my podcasts. There are many like them, but these ones are mine.
What are yours?
I understand but think you are a bit harsh on NPR Especial all things considered does some interesting stuff. And the interviews/summaries of TED talks are good at picking talks I wouldn’t listen to, but find really interesting
Two excellent Personal Finance podcasts.
For the average person like me who wouldn’t even think of buying bitcoin, gold, closed end REIT’s or variable annuities but just wants plain vanilla, broad diversification using really cheap index funds, these are ALL you need. I’ve been listening to each for many years.
Ric Edelman’s The Truth About Money
Paul Merriman Sound Investing
Jack,
Edelman was recently on Masters in Business and I found him to be a bit polished for my taste, I’ll check out his podcast to see if my first impression was wrong.
—Indy
In the history category, I stumbled upon one called “15 minute history” from UT Austin. The scheduling is a bit inconsistent, but when they have episodes it’s an interesting 15 or 20 minutes about something usually obscure from history..
A surprisingly good podcast is “Africa today”, even though it’s produced by the BBC. The hosts are African ex-pats and they tend to have a very aggressive and confrontational interview style. It’s a mix of current events, politics, and usually a short comedy segment at the end that’s often satire on the current state of affairs.
Pawtim,
Thanks for the suggestion, I’ll be sure to check it out!
—Indy
The Dennis Prager Show. In 50 countries of travel, it’s the best audio I’ve heard anywhere…including music. Much of the show is devoted to political though, but 3 special hours on his show…Ultimate Issues, Male/Female, and Happiness. Provides clarity and wisdom on a variety of issues.
Jeffrey,
Interesting, I find his “Prager U” videos to be totally insufferable, I’ll check out the podcast to see if it’s any better than the video stuff.
—Indy
Indy, I’m curious what you specifically didn’t like about the Prager U videos?
Jeffrey,
The latest one that crossed my radar was this one from the supremely insufferable Ben Shapiro https://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=vjMYCnI5kz0
I gather Prager has collected quite a few of these folks to be his talking heads, including Adam Carolla, whose podcast I used to enjoy a lot until he succumbed to the reactionary quicksand.
There’s no shortage of reactionary firebrands (you have your pick of Milo, Bannon, and Miller on the fascist right, Hannitty and Jones on the conspiratorial right, Frum, Sullivan, or Kristol on the “reasonable” right), but it’s virtually impossible to find a conservative policy vision (as opposed to a series of grievances against their ideological foes).
Politics matters because policy matters and it is virtually impossible to discern a positive conservative policy agenda for the country. This gives me no pleasure to say.
—Indy
Thanks for the message Indy. It’s interesting, we have nearly complete opposite takes on this. I used to be a man of the left, now I’m quite conservative. You seem like a reasonable and well thought out guy – and someone who at least knows some people on the right. I have a blog, millionmileguy.com, check it out – but I wouldn’t mind corresponding a bit to understand what animates someone to stay on the left. For example, if what people on the left do you find compelling? You can reach me at jeffrey at millionmileguy dot com. Thanks
Jeffrey,
There are two slightly different questions that I think are helpful to disentangle, the partisan question and the ideological question.
Given the current state of the Republican party I think it’s irresponsible for anyone to vote for Republican candidates for office, regardless of their ideology. For example I’m a passionate advocate (as you can see everywhere on this blog) of simplifying the tax code, but it would never occur to me to vote for a Republican in order to achieve tax simplification, for the obvious reason that the Republican agenda does not include tax simplification. When given the opportunity, they EXPANDED the 529 loophole, they created a whole new set of complications for sole proprietors, etc. Despite claiming to support Earned Income Credit expansion for years, the tax bill…did not expand the EIC.
The Republican party has very effectively activated a number of racial, regional, and cultural grievances in order to win office, but those grievances have not translated into policy nor is it clear how they even could. For example, you may be activated to vote for Republicans by players kneeling in protest of racialized police violence at the beginning of NFL games. In response to those protests, Trump suggested ending a tax benefit the NFL hasn’t received since 2015. Prager and his ilk exemplify this with their heated attacks on gender noncomformity. What are the policy implications of disbelieving that biological sex doesn’t perfectly align with gender identification? Are you going to build a policy agenda around bathroom cops? Instead, you get people activated by gender nonconformity to vote for politicians who gut environmental protections.
The ideological question “left versus right” is almost orthogonal to the partisan question. I’m opposed to police violence, opposed to racism, opposed to apartheid, opposed to imperialism, and in favor of equality and justice, which places me on the “left” in American politics. Obviously those commitments inform my voting but it’s not like the Democratic party is in favor of abolishing prisons. There’s no party that reflects my ideological commitments, so it’s not clear what partisan valence they have at all.
I’ve always considered myself a fundamentally conservative person; I grew up in Montana for crying out loud! I want the government to get out of the way. But the fact is, the government is most “in the way” when it underfunds transit and infrastructure, making my commute longer than it has to be. It’s “in the way” when the tax code is so complicated it takes hours of shuffling numbers around in order to trigger “means-tested” benefits. It’s “in the way” when work requirements mean meticulously documenting your work history in order to receive health insurance, as we’re about to see with Medicaid in states controlled by Republicans. It’s “in the way” when election workers have to send voters home because they didn’t bring the right documents to the polls. The Republican party doesn’t want to get government out of the way. It wants the government absolutely everywhere in the lives of the poorest and neediest people in our society.
—Indy
Sorry I’ve been meaning to reply to your comment, I just haven’t had time. First, you and I have some things in common – you’re from Montana, and I have friends there and visit often. It’s one of my favorite places on earth. Also, you want a simplified tax code. So do I. You say that you’re a fundamentally conservative person, so am I. I am a former man of the left…well probably liberal, but definitely left of center. Now I’m quite conservative but belong to no party. With that said, reading what you wrote has some big concerns for me”
2) “The Republican party has very effectively activated a number of racial, regional, and cultural grievances in order to win office” and “police violence, opposed to racism, opposed to apartheid, opposed to imperialism, and in favor of equality and justice, which places me on the “left” in American politics.”
Republicans have “activated” racial and cultural grievances? I couldn’t disagree more. I believe the Left, under the previous administration, and over the past 8 years has done this. The Left believes in the Trinity of race, gender, class (and now sexual orientation). The Trinity +1. Listen to any media on the left (which is around 99% of media in this country and most of their stories with any detail are angled in those directions).
Rather than buy into the Left’s foolish propaganda and outright lies, you may want to consider that people right (and middle) are a little tired of being called racist, sexist, intolerant, homophobic, xenophobic, and bigoted when they really aren’t. Most people in this country think someone should be judged by the quality of the character of the individual. I am one of them. The Left believes that race, ethnicity, culture, sexual orientation, and other aspects identity politics are significant, if not defining.
I don’t believe police violence is a major issue in the United States. There are far more acts of violence committed against police by non-police including black Americans, than vice versa. Google Heather MacDonald “Are The Police Racist?”, or Larry Elder “Black Fathers Matter”). Read articles from Walter Williams, Larry Elder, or Jason Riley and then get back to me..
Liberals are great, but the Left is not only wrong, but dangerous. For the difference between the two (Google Prager “Leftism Is Not Liberalism”). The violence and intolerance from the Left isn’t even comparable to that on the right – from race riots to environmental protest to taking over college administration offices and much, much more.
In terms of your comment about imperialism, it’s almost beyond comment. I’m assuming you think the U.S. is imperialist? I’m curious, what about the Korean War? Vietnam? Afghanistan? Japan? Germany? Hundreds of thousands of American troops died fighting there…how is the U.S. controlling those countries? What resources do any of them have that the U.S. just couldn’t do without?
In terms of taxes, while we agree that the tax code would be better if simplified, which party, between the Republicans and the Democrats, do you think has the higher probability of creating a better tax situation? The Republican party is deeply flawed, there’s no question. As Prager puts it, it’s the difference between the party of the stupid (Republicans) and the Dangerous (Democrats). Do you think the economic upturn since Trump was elected is pure chance – or does it have something to do with his (and the Republican’s) pro-growth, and low tax policies?
I used to say many of the same things that you wrote in your post here, but I don’t anymore. Since you write at Saverocity, I’m assuming you’re traveled. The more I travel the more conservative I become because I realize what an outlier the U.S. is, especially in its founding. Hopefully you can reconsider some of the things that you’ve sided with.
Jeffrey,
I think we’re talking past each other at this point. I said that the Republican party had activated cultural grievances in order to gain power, and then you listed a series of cultural grievances that you find particularly compelling.
My question is not about the emotional content of your conservatism, I understand the emotional content of your conservatism perfectly well. The universities are full of social Marxists brainwashing kids into thinking gender isn’t real instead of teaching them grit like in the good old days. Colin Kaepernick is a spoiled crybaby, and he should show some respect for the country that made him a millionaire. They’re trying to tear down monuments to Confederate generals even though there were sacrifices on both sides of the Civil War and, anyway, it wasn’t really about slavery, it was about states’ rights. I can’t disagree with “I like getting riled up about college students,” that’s not politics, it’s entertainment. It’s like disagreeing over the Big Bang Theory.
My question is about the policy content of your conservatism. Did you support the Iraq War? Do you support the current Republican project of war with Iran? Should states be allowed to experiment with marijuana legalization without federal interference? Should coal extraction be encouraged or discouraged? Should comprehensive health insurance be made more affordable or less affordable? Should higher education be made more affordable or less affordable? Should it be easier or harder to vote? Should long-term residents of the United States be deported if their immigration status isn’t in order, or should their status be normalized? How should the financing of Social Security be stabilized, through benefit cuts or tax increases? Should pollution of our air and water be more tightly or more loosely regulated?
These are the actual policy fights our representatives have to take sides on, and I vote for Democrats because, on the whole, Democrats support my preferred policy outcomes: a more just society, a more fair distribution of resources, a cleaner environment, a better educated population, a smaller prison population, more humane treatment of immigrants.
You still have not mentioned a policy issue you hold a conservative view on. What is the policy content of “most violence against black people is committed by black people?” I understand it’s emotionally satisfying to own the libs, but what implications does it have for greenhouse gas emissions?
—Indy
Plant money from NPR is a must.
Michael,
I listened to Planet Money for a long time but the sound effects and overproduction finally drove me away for good.
—Indy
Trying out Conversations with Tyler right now. I’m enjoying the interview with Jill Lepore, and understand exactly what you mean about there being “insufferable nitwit questions”, but it also being a very good podcast.
I’m just finishing the Haitian revolution on Revolutions.
Truth’s Table and Pass The Mic are great!
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/truths-table/id1212429230?mt=2
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/pass-the-mic/id766830494?mt=2
I just thought of a third great podcast:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-red-couch-podcast-with-propaganda-and-alma/id1231183364?mt=2
Choosefi
Masters of money
Do you even blog
Afford anything
Extra pack of peanuts
Zero to travel
Just to name a few you might not have heard of. Thanks for your recommendations, I’ll give them a listen.
@ Shane, agree that Choosefi is a nice podcast. Travelers might also enjoy one called Points and Miles Podcast