Conversations with Tyler 2021 Year in Review
Host: Tyler Cowen
Guest/Interviewer: Jeff Holmes (Executive Producer)
Date: December 29, 2021
Overview
In this special retrospective episode, Tyler Cowen sits down in person with his producer Jeff Holmes to reflect on the past year of "Conversations with Tyler." They analyze highlights, revisit predictions, discuss memorable episodes and guests, and interrogate the changing landscape of podcasting, live events, and intellectual exchange. The conversation is candid and wide-ranging, mixing meta-analysis, behind-the-scenes insights, and Cowen’s signature curiosity.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
Life Changes, UFOs, and Simulation Theory
[02:50 – 05:42]
- Tyler jokes about being featured on "Ancient Aliens" and recounts that more people now ask his opinion on UFOs.
- “People ask me, what are my latest thoughts about UFOs. [...] It should change all of our lives more than it does.” — Tyler Cowen [03:19]
- Discussion about simulation theory, referencing both the John Brennan and David Deutsch episodes. Tyler expresses skepticism about literal simulation hypotheses, distinguishing between computational universe ideas and the popular “we are a science project” narrative.
- “If you view the universe as somehow just being about computation in the broadest sense of the word, it seems under all scenarios, the universe as a whole properly construed is a kind of simulation.” — Tyler Cowen [05:17]
Reflections on Predictions from 2020 & COVID’s Impact
[06:24 – 09:17]
- The duo revisits Tyler’s prior-year predictions about movie-going and live events, noting how COVID variants (Delta, Omicron) disrupted expectations.
- Tyler went to about 30 movies as soon as possible post-vaccination (“I went on a binge once I could. What can I say? Intertemporal substitution, right?” [07:45])
- First in-person CWT interview post-pandemic was with "Alexander the Great"—outside, due to the guest’s “no fixed address.”
Podcast Logistics: Remote vs. In-Person
[09:36 – 10:39]
- Only 3 out of potentially 28 episodes were recorded in person in 2021.
- Jeff notes remote interviews allow for a more diverse set of guests.
- Tyler prefers meeting guests face-to-face for the personal experience (“I like airports, actually.” [10:38]) and finds the snippy dynamic of remote podcasting double-edged.
Most Downloaded Episode: Amiya Srinivasan
[11:08 – 13:52]
- The episode with philosopher Amiya Srinivasan generated the highest downloads and engagement due to intense, fundamental pushback against Cowen’s questioning.
- “She gave much more what you might call fundamental pushback to my questions than I was expecting. [...] If someone wants to sort of fight a war over the terms of discourse, my view is bring it on.” — Tyler Cowen [11:51]
- Tyler views robust philosophical sparring as a sign of respect and as preferred for such guests.
Gender, Guests, and Metrics
[15:08 – 16:34]
- Discussion of listenership statistics and gender, with Tyler asserting the women guests are often more substantial in their responses and, on average, his preferred podcast episodes.
- “I think on average the women on Conversations with Tyler do better than the men. [...] I prefer the podcast with women as a whole.” — Tyler Cowen [16:05]
- Recommendation for listeners: “If you are considering skipping an episode, that is in fact a good sign that you should absolutely listen to it.” — Jeff Holmes [16:23]
Underrated & Overrated Episodes
[17:45 – 19:37]
- Tyler’s picks for underrated episodes: Ruth Scurr (Napoleon), David Salle (visual arts), Richard Prum (ornithology). He highlights the energy and expertise of guests like Dana Gioia and Neil Ferguson.
- “Richards a great person to study, I think to learn how to be successful and that is to care more than the others. You have to do more than that. But it's a great starting point.” — Tyler Cowen [27:38]
Name That Production Function (Guest Quotes Game)
[20:13 – 28:12]
- Jeff quizzes Tyler using guests' notable lines about their “production functions.”
- Examples:
- “I've always been good at finding things [...] I could go to a whole patch of clover and reach in and find the four-leaf clover.” (Sarah Parcak, space archaeologist) [20:34]
- “The instrument that I play is really just dialogue and discourse. I've got a strongly evolutionary mindset...” (Noubar Afeyan, Moderna chairman) [22:27]
- “The fact that science is hard. A lot of people will go and say, well, if I'm going to expend a lot of energy, I better do something that somebody else thinks is important. [...] I think about the research subject, and I think, what is the coolest thing that I could do with my time now...” (Richard Prum, ornithologist) [27:06]
- “The most important thing you can do in that remaining part of your life must be intellectual succession and planning. [...] We need new institutions and I want to spend more time on institution building and less time on book writing [...] that should strike terror in my enemies' hearts.” (Niall Ferguson) [28:12]
On Institutional Innovation: University of Austin
[28:29 – 30:39]
- Tyler is optimistic but cautious about the University of Austin, advising them to be truly radical and not just “not woke.” The project is in early stages; success may lie in recruiting young talent, not famous tenured faculty.
- “The Beatles didn't try to hire Frank Sinatra, did they?” — Tyler Cowen [30:48]
Book and Culture Reflection: Revisiting 2011’s Picks
[32:03 – 40:24]
- Jeff reads back Cowen’s 2011 picks in film, books, and music, with Tyler offering updates and context on his “hits” and “misses.”
- On movies: Praises directors Denis Villeneuve (“Incendies,” “Dune”) and the audacious “Uncle Boonmee.”
- On books: Steven Pinker’s “Better Angels of Our Nature,” Isaacson’s “Steve Jobs,” and Murakami’s “IQ84” (“He should have won a Nobel Prize by now.” [37:48]).
- On music: From Abigail Washburn to St. Vincent and the Beach Boys’ “Smile Sessions.”
- “Some of the greatest music ever created in the 20th century.” (on Beach Boys) [40:14]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On UFOs:
“It seems to me a major puzzle. No matter what it is, it should change all of our lives more than it does.” — Tyler [03:19] -
On Simulation Theory:
“Are we living in a simulation? Almost certainly. Are we the product of somebody's experiment? That seems less likely to me.” — Tyler [05:22] -
On Podcast Formats:
“It's easier to be snippy with people remote. That may be good or it may be bad, but I find that's one difference. But for me, a big motive in doing these is getting to meet the people. So remote in that sense makes it less desirable for me. I'm still going to do them, but I miss meeting all the people. And I like airports, actually.” — Tyler [10:22] -
On Interviewing Philosophers:
“When people interview philosophers, they should take them more seriously and actually try to get at whether their propositions are correct.” — Tyler [14:25] -
On Gender and Guest Quality:
“One of the great injustices of podcast life underreported.” — Tyler [15:33] -
On the Underrated:
“David Salley. A lot of people just are not connected to the visual arts and painting. That's probably an underrated episode.” — Tyler [17:52] -
On Institutional Innovation:
“I think innovation in higher ed should be encouraged, but I'm not part of the process.” — Tyler [28:48]
Audience Questions & Reflections
Podcast Self-Rating
[42:37]
- Tyler contends women guests’ episodes are most underrated, CEOs episodes often overrated.
Teaching People to Ask Better Questions
[43:08]
- “Apparently it taught him. That's a good question. Right?” (on teaching better questions via podcast) [43:08]
Revisiting David Deutsch & Popper
[43:25]
- “Deutsch convinced me there's often a lot of hot air behind Popper. [...] He seemed to me in some fundamental ways a dogmatist and not really able to defend Popper very well.” — Tyler [43:25]
On Education and Parenting
[44:36 – 49:08]
- Tyler critiques age-grouping in K–12 education and values more cross-age mentorship.
- On parenting: “What you are and how you are is more important than anything you tell them. And how you treat your spouse or partner is more important than how you treat them. They will learn by example.” [45:31]
Information Diet & Value of Context
[49:38 – 51:58]
- “Context is that which is scarce.” — Tyler [49:38]
- He prizes context over new ideas, finding it increasingly rare and valuable in the age of social media.
Recommendations & Reflections
On New Knowledge
- “Realizing [context] is more important than I thought, at least for me right now, has been maybe my biggest mental change.” — Tyler [50:25]
On Changing Consumption
- Tyler is investing more time in visual arts and “contextual” learning, including African architecture.
On Podcasting
- The team may consider producing a “10-point guide to understanding Conversations with Tyler” to help onboard new listeners needing context.
Team Acknowledgments
[54:40 – 55:16]
- Tyler and Jeff thank the full CWT production and support team, reiterating the show’s collaborative nature.
Closing
This year-in-review episode provides a meta-conversation marked by self-examination, transparency about the quirks and aims of the show, and insights into cultural, philosophical, and practical dimensions of intellectual life during pandemic times. Both diehard fans and new listeners will find value in Tyler and Jeff’s exploration of what makes a great conversation, what sorts of guests “click,” and how curiosity and context shape understanding in an age of information overload.