Set up as an anthropological study, Luyendijk spent a year and a half in the London City interviewing around 200 bankers, so-called quants, recruiters and everyone willing to participate in his experiment -published as a blog on The Guardian website. His mission was to get answers to questions as ‘What Happened?’ and ‘Have adequate measuresContinueContinue reading “Dit kan niet waar zijn – Joris Luyendijk (2015)”
Tag Archives: Economie & Filosofie
Whoops! – John Lanchester (2010)
With great wit Lanchester describes what went wrong during the prelude to the financial crisis and who is to blame (answer: the risk takers, i.e.bankers, but also you and me). In plain language CDO’s, securitization and the difference between debt and deficit are explained, helping to better grasp the painful reality: Why everyone owes everyoneContinueContinue reading “Whoops! – John Lanchester (2010)”
De Prijs van een Slecht Geweten – Arend Jan Boekestijn (2010)
Boekestijn, a historian and former liberal MP, is on a mission. He is specifically interested in the (potential) damage aid does to poor countries and he formulates a detailed list of policy recommendation, making this book a great attempt to really influence the debate and policy on a practical level. Which to a certain extentContinueContinue reading “De Prijs van een Slecht Geweten – Arend Jan Boekestijn (2010)”
Why Nations Fail – James A. Robinson & Daron Acemoğlu (2012)
It’s subtitle reads The Origins of Power, Prosperity an Poverty. And that’s exactly what I took from the book. Help is needless if a society doesn’t have working institutions, rule of law and respect for private ownership. I read the book while in Mali, a country which proves the book’s thesis to be right.
Thinking Fast and Slow – Daniel Kahneman (2011)
Brilliant. If I had to choose one book to take with me to a deserted island, this is the one. It’s insightful, erudite, innovative (at least to me). It took me a while to read, because every single page is interesting and makes one think. For example; we all suffer from focusing illusion: nothing inContinueContinue reading “Thinking Fast and Slow – Daniel Kahneman (2011)”
Antifragile – Nassim Nicholas Taleb (2012)
An eye-opener on how systems should work to be able to confront the future (not robust, but anti-fragile), from a man I regard as a kind of a hero. Completely independent, extremely smart, but also horrible a presenter and storyteller, as I learned first-hand during a workshop on this book. Anti-fragilty is now part ofContinueContinue reading “Antifragile – Nassim Nicholas Taleb (2012)”
Todo lo que era sólido – Antonio Munoz Molina (2014)
Essays on Spain in times of crisis – have enjoyed the beautifully written, dense Spanish sentences, again demonstrating the uniqueness the baroque writing of Spanish authors. Molina is clearly a leftist, blaming the capitalist conspiracy for Spain’s trouble.
The Great Escape – Angus Deaton(2013)
Insightful study into the reasons why nations prosper and why some don’t. And proves the case of the pejorative effect of aid. A must read for anyone working in developing countries or with international NGO’s.
The Rational Optimist – Matt Ridley (2010)
Absolutely delightful book. This is how one should live – technology, science and human creativity will solve our problems. I am a convert, cynicism is the easy choice, to be a rational optimist is the inspiring way to live.
PEPIJN VAN DIJK 