I am especially excited about today's episode because my guest is Sindel Mullinaten, one of

my absolute favorite people in the world. Sindel is a world-class economist and MacArthur

genius recipient and holds a university professorship at the University of Chicago.

A special position reserved for only the most highly esteemed faculty,

only ten of the university's three thousand faculty members have that title.

What makes Sindel so special is mix of brilliance and childlike curiosity, make him

unlike anyone I've ever known. His research reflects his curiosity. He's written about everything

from racial bias and artificial intelligence algorithms to the psychological effects of poverty

from the determinants of CEO pay to corruption and who gets the driver's license in India.

Welcome to People I mostly admire with Steve Levitt.

I've known Sindel for 25 years but it wasn't until he left Harvard to come to the University of

Chicago a few years back that I came to fully appreciate him. Lots of people are interesting if

you only talk to them once a year but not many people can make everyday conversation fascinating.

He just never fails to amaze me with his creativity and breath of knowledge and I'm quite confident

that once you hear him talk you will agree.

Sindel I always eagerly look forward to our conversations and two reasons I love talking to you are

first there's always something that has you so excited you can barely contain yourself

in second what that something will be is completely unpredictable so the last time we talked

it was an Oculus virtual reality headset that had transformed your life so is your love for

the Oculus still going strong? Absolutely I have to say it is one of the more amazing inventions

I'm sure that lots of people out there who've been using it for years or like how is this an insight

but these media for communication by which we can translate ideas to each other they may start off

...