Incentives Are for Losers (with Adam Mastroianni)

Psychologist Adam Mastroianni argues that blindly obeying bad incentives is 'loser behavior,' a surrender of the human task of figuring out right from wrong. In conversation with Russ Roberts, they explore Le Guin's Omelas, the 'big fish' that can upend a worldview, Charles Sumner's near-fatal courage, and whether good people or good incentives ultimately matter more. The discussion ranges from the moral costs of academic careerism to personal stories of resisting toxic norms.