What happens when the money supply grows too slowly or too quickly? From gold-standard deflation to QE-driven inflation and inequality, we trace the lessons of monetary history, and what we can do today to protect ourselves in an age of infinite money.Topics covered include:How is the money supply measured, and why is it a subjective exerciseWhat is an example of a negative money shockWhy an optimal monetary policy would lead to deflation, and why that is a good thingWhat causes inflationHow quantitative easing contributed to wealth inequalityWhat is demurrage currencyThe unorthodox way Richard Nixon sought to combat high inflation and a strong dollarHow to increase our wealth in an era of infinite moneySponsorsLinkedIn Jobs – Use this link to post your job for free on LinkedIn JobsDelete Me – Use code David20 to get 20% offShow NotesDistribution of Household Wealth in the U.S. since 1989—The Federal ReserveM2 (M2SL)—FREDGood Versus Bad Deflation: Lesson from the Gold Standard Era by Michael D. Bordo, John Landon Lane, and Angela Redish—NBERSpeech by Richard Nixon (15 August 1971)—CVCEUS - Total Market Cap Divided by M2 Money Supply—MacroMicroDid Quantitative Easing Increase Income Inequality? by Juan Antonio Montecino and Gerald Epstein—CEPWebDoes Quantitative Easing Affect Inequality: Evidence from the US - Nektarios MichailDemurrage currency—WikipediaDebt: The First 5,000 Years by David GraeberRelated Episodes482: Unlocking the Power of Positive Skewness: Strategies for Investing, Business, and Creativity431: The Long-term Bullish Case for Gold336: Own What Is RealSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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25:53
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25:53
Forests, Fakes, and the Fight for the Real
From salmon leaping along the Vancouver Island coast to fake bands on Spotify, this episode explores the divide between the physical and digital economy, and what lumber markets, managed forests, and everyday life teach us about staying connected to the real.Topics covered include:How timber investing works and why it is reflective of how industries evolveWhat percent of economic output is physical versus digital, and how has that changed over the past fifty yearsHow households spend their leisure timeWhy live events stand out in an AI-infested worldDoes it matter if ad images, videos, and podcasts are fake?Why we need to stay connected to the realSponsorsClaude.ai - Sign up for Claude today and get 50% off Claude ProDelete Me – Use code David20 to get 20% offShow NotesLumber Prices Are Flashing a Warning Sign for the U.S. Economy by Ryan Dezember—The Wall Street JournalLumber Price—Trading EconomicsJ.Crew used A.I. to counterfeit their own vibes—Blackbird SpylaneAmerican Time Use Survey Summary—U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsRelated Episodes535: Six Principles for Thriving Under Uncertainty and How Big Tech Is Doing the Opposite 531: Will AI Wipe Out Half of White Collar Jobs or Is There an AI Bubble?60: Are You Hoarding Or Investing?See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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22:30
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22:30
Why Central Banking Is So Hard and Why Fed Independence Matters
Central bankers set policy with incomplete information, unobservable targets, and constant trade-offs between growth, inflation, and employment. In this episode, we delve into how the fight for Federal Reserve independence could impact markets, interest rates, and your financial future.Topics covered include:What Federal Reserve Chair Powell said at the Fed's annual Jackson Hole SymposiumWhat is the Federal Reserve's mission statementWhy is it normal for U.S. presidents to disagree with the Federal Reserve's policy stance?Why attacking the Fed's independence is harmful and could lead to higher interest rates and a weakening dollarWhat causes inflation, and why is it difficult to know the correct level of interest ratesSponsorLinkedIn Jobs – Use this link to post your job for free on LinkedIn JobsInsiders Guide Email NewsletterGet our free Investors' Checklist when you sign up for the free Money for the Rest of Us email newsletterOur Premium ProductsAsset CampMoney for the Rest of Us PlusShow Notes2025 Statement on Longer-Run Goals and Monetary Policy Strategy—The Federal Reserve BoardTrump says U.S. interest rate is at least 3 points too high—ReutersTrump warns of economic slowdown unless Fed cuts rates, triggering selloff by Howard Schneider and Ismail Shakil—ReutersWhat is the neutral rate of interest? by Sam Boocker, Michael Ng, and David Wessel—BrookingsTrump Moves to Fire Fed’s Cook, Setting Up Historic Fight by Jonnelle Marte and Myles Miller—BloombergDifferent Types of Central Bank Insolvency and the Central Role of Seignorage by R. Reis—Semantic ScholarPowell's Econ 101: Jobs not inflation. And forget about the money supply by Howard Schneider—ReutersRelated Episodes453: The Price of Money – 700 Years of Falling, Can Interest Rates Keep Rising?312: What the Federal Reserve’s New Policies Mean For Your Finances295: Federal Reserve Insolvency and Monetizing the National Debt246: What Central Banks Don’t Know Should Concern YouSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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24:36
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24:36
How To Invest During a Bubble
From the dot-com boom to today’s AI frenzy, bubbles follow a familiar script. This episode explores how to recognize them, what sustains them, and how to position your portfolio without getting swept up in the hype.Topics covered:How U.S. stock markets are the most concentrated and most expensive of all timeWhat constitutes a bubble and what sustains itHow to invest during a bubbleChanges David recently made in his portfolio in response to the AI bubbleSponsorLinkedIn Jobs – Use this link to post your job for free on LinkedIn JobsInsiders Guide Email NewsletterGet our free Investors' Checklist when you sign up for the free Money for the Rest of Us email newsletterOur Premium ProductsAsset CampMoney for the Rest of Us PlusShow NotesI'm Changing How I Manage My Money Because of AI by Hank Green—YouTube% S&P 500 share of top 10 companies by market cap %—Apollo AcademyCharted: S&P 500 Market Concentration Over 145 Years by Kayla Zhu—Visual CapitalistAI’s Moment and Insights from Themes Past by Anil Rao—MSCIHow Pimco Outmaneuvered Apollo and KKR to Win $29 Billion Meta Deal by Carmen Arroyo and Laura Benitez—BloombergHow to invest in a stock market bubble by Stuart Kirk—The Financial TimesBubble, Bubble, Toil and Trouble by Rob Arnott, Bradford Cornell, and Shane Shepherd—Research AffiliatesRelated Episodes535: Six Principles for Thriving Under Uncertainty and How Big Tech Is Doing the Opposite 503: U.S. Stocks Have Never Been This Overhyped or Expensive500: The S&P 500 Index and the Decade Ahead365: Why Some Asset Bubbles Don’t BurstSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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21:25
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21:25
Six Principles for Thriving Under Uncertainty and How Big Tech Is Doing the Opposite
A practical framework for making better decisions, managing risk, and finding opportunity in unpredictable environments. We contrast these principles with the massive $2.9 trillion AI data center build-out by Big Tech, which is betting big on a single superintelligence future. Episode SponsorsLinkedIn Jobs – Use this link to post your job for free on LinkedIn JobsDelete Me – Use code David20 to get 20% offInsiders Guide Email NewsletterGet our free Investors' Checklist when you sign up for the free Money for the Rest of Us email newsletterOur Premium ProductsAsset CampMoney for the Rest of Us PlusShow NotesInside the relentless race for AI capacity—The Financial TimesInside the AI race: can data centres ever truly be green?—The Financial TimesThe Kanye/Data Center Crossover by Paul Kedrosky—Paul KedroskyRelated Episodes531: Will AI Wipe Out Half of White Collar Jobs or Is There an AI Bubble?520: Where Are We Heading?501: Strategy and Systems Want Your Money496: Are You Taking Enough Aspirational Risk?492: The Power of Optionality: Small Bets, Big Payoffs482: Unlocking the Power of Positive Skewness: Strategies for Investing, Business, and CreativitySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
A personal finance and investing podcast on money, how it works, how to invest it and how to live without worrying about it. J. David Stein is a former Chief Investment Strategist and money manager. For close to two decades, he has been teaching individuals and institutions how to invest and handle their finances in ways that are simple to understand. More info at moneyfortherestofus.com
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