08 - Greg Ip on Risks, Financial Disasters, and Helicopter Money

Can trying to be safe actually be dangerous? Greg Ip, chief economics commentator of the Wall Street Journal, says yes in his new book, Foolproof: How Safety Can be Dangerous and How Danger Makes Us Safe. When we try to be too safe, we become complacent. Ip argues that the stability of the ‘80s and ‘90s made us take risks that culminated in the 2008 disaster. Being too safe can also explain non-economic problems such as forest fires and football injuries. Ip also shares his thoughts on Fed policy and the possibility of a “helicopter drop” of money. David’s blog: http://macromarketmusings.blogspot.com/ David’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/DavidBeckworth Greg Ip’s WSJ archive: http://www.wsj.com/news/author/8223 Greg Ip’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/greg_ip Links from today's show http://www.amazon.com/Foolproof-Safety-Dangerous-Danger-Makes/dp/0316286044 http://www.amazon.com/Little-Book-Economics-Economy-Profits/dp/0470621664 http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/ http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2016/03/21/the-time-and-place-for-helicopter-money/