Bonus: Why We Believe What Isn't True (with Axios Today)
Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford
Pushkin Industries
4.7 • 6.4K Ratings
🗓️ 12 February 2021
⏱️ 14 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
We're no stranger to stories about misinformation or deliberate disinformation. We live in a world where now more than ever, you have to be skeptical. That skepticism can be healthy, but it also can be used to cast more doubt and misinformation on data and statistics that are very real. Tim Harford talks to Niala Boodhoo, from the news podcast Axios Today, about why people believe things that aren't true.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Pushkin |
| 0:13.0 | Hello cautionary tales listeners, as I'm getting ready to kick off my second season on the 26th of February, |
| 0:20.5 | I wanted to share my appearance on a different show from my friends at Pushkin and Axios. |
| 0:27.0 | On this episode of Axios Today, I talk with host Nila Boudou about my book The Data Detective |
| 0:34.0 | and why people believe things that aren't true. |
| 0:37.0 | We live in a world where now more than ever you have to be skeptical. |
| 0:41.0 | That skepticism can be healthy but it can also be used to cast doubt on data and statistics |
| 0:48.0 | that are very real and to spread misinformation. |
| 0:52.0 | Listen to my conversation with Nila and subscribe to Axios Today, wherever you get your podcasts. |
| 0:59.0 | Here's the show. |
| 1:01.0 | Tim Hartford is a senior columnist with the Financial Times and he's also author of The Data Detective |
| 1:07.0 | which is just out this week. |
| 1:09.0 | Hi Tim, welcome to Axios Today. |
| 1:11.0 | Oh thank you very much for having me. |
| 1:13.0 | So I have to first just ask you the title of this is How to Make the World Add Up Outside the US. |
| 1:20.0 | It's the Data Detective here in the US. |
| 1:22.0 | This is like a Harry Potter situation. Why do we have a different title? |
| 1:26.0 | Yeah, I'm hoping for the Harry Potter sales. That would be nice. |
| 1:29.0 | Yeah, it's as simple as the UK publisher didn't like the US title, the US publisher didn't like the UK title |
| 1:35.0 | and I just have to explain it to everybody that I talk to. |
| 1:38.0 | Oh, I thought it had some greater significance like statistically about the way that Americans interpret words. |
| 1:44.0 | It's exactly the same book all over the world, just a different title. |
... |
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