PODCAST

Choosing Better

Enoch Hill and Tim Taylor

Conversations about wacky ideas, economics, and the art of living well.

science social sciences

All Episodes

00:58:44

Missionary Economics: The Art of Going, Giving, and...

Choosing Better ·

2026/02/26

Many Christians feel the pull toward missionary work, but how do you know if you should go, when to go, or where? Enoch and Tim apply economic thinking to one of the church's most important decisions, exploring how to discern a calling, how to best support those who go, and also discuss some of the research connecting missions to the development of democratic institutions and access to women's health. *While originally recorded with a live audience at Wheaton College (2/18/2026), this is a

00:56:59

A Knowledge Paradox: Collectively Brilliant,...

Choosing Better ·

2026/02/13

Do you know more than a Saxon born in 500AD? Hard to say, but you likely know different knowledge than your ancient Saxon counterpart. And while most Saxons shared a similar set of knowledge about food production and daily survival, you likely have a very different knowledge than even your neighbor down the street. Join Enoch and Tim as they discuss shared knowledge and overlapping knowledge compared to specific and distinct knowledge in modern society. They marvel at the gains from adding up

00:45:21

You Are What You Love: How Our Desires Shape Who We Are

Choosing Better ·

2026/01/30

Our desires define us. From how we spend our money, use our time, talk with our friends, or dominate our thoughts, our passions consume our resources and form our lives. But what shapes our desires and how can we choose better passions to guide our lives? Join Enoch and Tim as they discuss the overarching loves of our lives and propose strategies to recognized disordered loves and how to be intentional with our formation.Credits: Drew Elliot (music) with additional thanks to the ⁠Wheaton Center for

00:34:09

[Bonus Episode] Analyzing Trump’s Grab for Greenland

Choosing Better ·

2026/01/23

Throughout his second term, President Trump has wanted the United States to own Greenland. Beginning with offers to buy the island, his demands have escalated through threatening to use military force. The crisis over Greenland reaches far beyond the Arctic and Denmark as old alliances are challenged. Join Enoch and Tim as they discuss why President Trump wants the United States to own Greenland and how the effects ripple across North America and Europe.Credits: Drew Elliot (music) with additional

00:45:31

Economics and Life Hacks: Using Economic Thinking to...

Choosing Better ·

2026/01/16

How can thinking like an economist improve your decision-making? Join Enoch and Tim as they discuss several common pitfalls people fall into in making decisions. Whether it’s buying and selling stocks, choosing to start a business, or simply deciding to keep reading an arduous novel, we often make irrational decisions. Sunk costs, loss aversion, and the endowment effect are explored in this first of a multiple episode series on using economic thinking to improve your decisions.Credits: Drew Elliot

00:45:17

[Bonus Episode] The Venezuela Operation: Inside the...

Choosing Better ·

2026/01/09

On January 3, 2026, President Donald Trump authorized the United States military and CIA to capture and extradite Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro to face federal criminal charges. The operation was completed within five hours with few casualties—no Americans were killed in the operation. Join Enoch and Tim in this special current events episode as they break down the operation, discuss Venezuela's devastating economic collapse over the past decade, and explore the implications for

00:54:56

Uneven Information: Helpful Strategies When...

Choosing Better ·

2026/01/02

How can we know if the car we want to buy is not a lemon? Or how can we sincerely communicate how much we love a romantic partner? Oftentimes in life we encounter information asymmetries. We struggle to make ideal decisions with incomplete knowledge or even to signal our own intentions when an audience may not believe us. Enoch and Tim talk about examples in or everyday lives and discuss strategies to help live in a world with uneven information.Credits: Drew Elliot (music) with additional thanks to

00:38:23

Special Christmas Episode: The Economics of Gift Giving

Choosing Better ·

2025/12/19

In this episode, Enoch and Tim explore the fascinating and sometimes controversial economics of gift giving. They breakdown the “deadweight loss of Christmas” to explain the inefficiency of gift exchange. But these two grinches explain why giving gifts does so much more than retail cost valuations insofar as the process of finding and buying a gift demonstrates a unique act of love and care.Credits: Drew Elliot (music) with additional thanks to the Wheaton Center for Faith, Politics &

01:03:14

What We Can Learn from the Saints (with Matthew...

Choosing Better ·

2025/12/12

The saints are more than folk tales and stories for children. They are true lives of Christian men and women who lived faithfully. Professor of Art History at Wheaton College, Dr. Matthew Milliner, joins Enoch and Tim as they discuss how we can benefit from learning deeply from the saints. They compare the Catholic and Protestant traditions and share how choosing to be influenced by examples of saints may form and strengthen our faith.Credits: Drew Elliot (music) with additional thanks to

00:48:38

DDNR: Digital Do Not Resuscitate

Choosing Better ·

2025/11/28

In this episode, Enoch and Tim explore the emerging practice of using AI and deepfake technology to create interactive digital replicas of deceased people. While these tools are marketed as aids to grief and memory preservation, we examine the philosophical and moral hazards of digitally "resurrecting" the dead—from questions of consent and exploitation to concerns about whether such practices impede genuine grief work and erode the meaning we make from mortality itself.Credits: Drew

01:05:25

Worldviews: A Pastoral Conversation with Del Tackett

Choosing Better ·

2025/11/14

Enoch and Tim interview Dr. Del Tackett, an acclaimed educator whose teaching materials have impacted over 20 million people across more than 100 countries. The conversation centers on the critical role that meta-narratives, or worldviews, play in shaping what individuals believe and pursue in their personal pursuits of flourishing. Their conversation challenges the widespread assumption of neutrality, arguing that everyone operates from an underlying worldview whether they acknowledge it or not

01:22:09

Dating Economics: Heartbreak and Optimizing the...

Choosing Better ·

2025/10/31

For some dating is an adventure while for others dating is a daunting gamble. Is there a way for a person to optimize their approach to dating? Join Enoch and Tim as they discuss an economic approach to dating, tell stories, and try to make dating more approachable. Sure, dating risks rejection and heartbreak, but the benefits of finding a lifelong mate just may outweigh the risks. Credits: Drew Elliot (music) with additional thanks to the Wheaton Center for Faith, Politics & Economics.Recording

00:57:18

Holy Shekels: Ancient Welfare Meets Modern Economics

Choosing Better ·

2025/10/17

Summary: Enoch and Tim challenge the assumption that welfare policy is a modern invention by exploring social safety nets in ancient societies. The conversation centers on the Old Testament's laws of Jubilee, examining the theological and practical purposes behind these ancient provisions for economic redistribution and debt relief. Rather than treating these historical practices as mere curiosities, they draw connections between ancient wisdom and contemporary welfare debates, asking what

00:48:14

Nothing Is Really Yours

Choosing Better ·

2025/10/03

Is ownership a natural right, a social contract, or just God’s loan? Join Tim and Enoch for a mix of humor, history, and hard questions.Credits: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Drew Elliot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (music) with additional thanks to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wheaton Center for Faith, Politics & Economics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Recording Date: 4 September, 2025

00:38:47

[Bonus Episode] Immigration for Sale? The High Cost...

Choosing Better ·

2025/09/26

In this bonus episode of Choosing Better, Enoch and Tim dig deep into the sweeping changes to the U.S. H-1B visa system following the shock announcement of a $100,000 application fee. They break down the policy’s potential upsides and downsides, discuss its implications, and explore what it might mean for the future of American immigration. The U.S. immigration system is overviewed and some shocking trivia is revealed.Credits: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Drew Elliot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (music) with additional thanks to the

00:44:23

From Boys 2 Men? The Growing Crisis in Male Achievement

Choosing Better ·

2025/09/19

Are boys and men falling behind? Enoch and Tim unpack the widening gap between men and women in education, leadership, volunteerism, and broader civic life. They spotlight striking statistics—like how university enrollment now stands at 59% female and only 41% male—and explore what this shift means for the future of families, communities, and society. The conversation traces how public attention has only recently turned to this issue and considers the long-term consequences of a generation of men

00:53:28

From Data to Disaster: What Happens When Governments...

Choosing Better ·

2025/09/05

Why does it matter if inflation, unemployment, or GDP numbers get nudged to “look better” than they are? Enoch and Tim explore why keeping politics out of economic data is critical for good policy and stability. They discuss the recent dismissal of the BLS commissioner, walk through how data is collected, why it might be trusted and the lessons that can be drawn from case studies of Argentina, Mexico, and Greece. Credits: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Drew Elliot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (music) with additional thanks to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wheaton

00:41:55

Believe, Behave, Belong: Why Costly Behaviors Are...

Choosing Better ·

2025/08/22

We all long for meaningful belonging—a place where we’re seen, accepted, and part of something greater than ourselves. But true belonging often comes at a cost. In this episode, Enoch and Tim explore why shared beliefs and behaviors—especially the difficult ones—are essential to forming lasting, purpose-driven communities. Building on their previous episode about the global rise of Christianity and renewed interest in faith, they dive into howcommitment, conformity, and even sacrifice shape

00:32:12

Unbelievable: From Secular Decline to Spiritual Renewal

Choosing Better ·

2025/08/08

After years of slow decline, belief is growing. Not just in the US but across cultures and continents. In this episode, Enoch and Tim dive into surprising data about Christianity's recent rise, the return of young men to church, the increased attention from academics and influencers, and the influence of Christian underpinnings for society more broadly. Credits: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Drew Elliot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (music) with additional thanks to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wheaton Center for Faith, Politics & Economics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.Recording

01:08:40

Information or Influence? The Cost of Taking Sides...

Choosing Better ·

2025/07/25

What do journalists and CIA analysts have in common? To be effective and trusted, both must present detailed information from a neutral perspective. But what happens when professionals in these fields feel an issue is important enough to cross the line into advocacy? Join Tim and Enoch as they sit down once again with former CIA executive Tim Buch to unpack the critical distinction between sharing information and pushing an agenda. In this timely conversation, they explore why neutrality matters,

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Choosing Better

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