For at McKay here and welcome to another edition of the Art of Manliness Podcast.

As an economist, Russ Roberts has been taught to approach decision-making by conducting an

analysis, weighing trade-offs, and then rationally budgeting resources to get the most bang

for his buck.

But as he explains in his new book, Wild Problems, a guide to the decisions that define us,

he found this approach woefully inadequate for grappling with life's biggest decisions.

Things like figuring out whether to get married or how to live a meaningful life.

Today on the show, Russ and I delve into why the pros and cons approach to decision-making

is deficient when facing what he calls wild problems.

Russ explains that what makes life's big decisions so difficult to deal with is the fact

that we don't know what they'll be like before we make them.

The decisions themselves will transform us into different people, and their effects can

be permanent.

Making such decisions akin to choosing to become a vampire.

From there, we turn to strategies for dealing with the inherent uncertainty around wild problems,

being looking beyond basic happiness, considering tradition, and trying things out by experience.

After the show is over, check out our show notes at a-wim.is slash wild problems.

Russ Roberts, welcome back to the show.

Great to be back.

So we had you on several years ago to discuss your book How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life.

You are an economist, so you spend a lot of your time thinking about how people make

decisions and how to make the best decisions.

...