Jim Gaffigan discusses the irrationality of gift giving in this stand up special. People continue to give clothing as gifts even though the received doesn’t like the item. Gaffigan makes a good point that he would rather throw away the gift than return it because then returning it creates an errand for him.
Christian Finnegan — What Kind of Monopoly Player Are You?
There are two types of people who play the game of Monopoly. There are a batch of people who have their lives together and pay their bills online, but then there are people like Christian Finnegan who are more present-oriented. The present-oriented players tend to be a bit riskier in the hopes of earning large payoffs early in the game.
Original Video here: http://www.cc.com/video-clips/9mxydo/comedy-central-presents-monopoly
Pat Dixon — The 5th Beer is the Best Beer
Pat Dixon describes how he loves the fifth beer because it makes him look good, which are good qualities for a day drinker. This clip can be used to teach about diminishing marginal utility and increasing marginal cost. For Dixon, the 5th beer is the optimal beer.
Jerry Seinfeld — Enough comedy?
Jerry Seinfeld asks where we can we ever have enough comedy on tv? Is there a point where diminishing returns kicks in and people no longer want any more chuckles?
Richard Jeni — Coming to America
Stand up comedian, Richard Jeni, discusses the calculus behind immigrants moving to the country. In the calculation of the net present value of migration, movers are expected to weigh the costs and benefits of a move. Jeni points on that we don’t see Americans leaving by boat, but we do see people risking their lives for an improvement in their lives.
Thinkbox — Every Home Needs a Harvey
How do you differentiate yourself from the other dogs in a dog shelter? You show off all your skills, of course! Harvey does a great job differentiating himself from his competitors in order to win their business.
EconStores — Keynes vs Hayek Debate
The great debate between Keynes and Hayek in rap form!
The Colbert Report — College Credit
Stephen goes through the issues associated with the earning potential of various degrees. This satirical piece points out that college students receive credit for different courses, but they aren’t charged differently for their credit. He then goes through examples of ways colleges could break down credit into three tiers and charge based on potential gains to the students.
Adam Ruins Everything — Student Loans
Adam Ruins Everything is a half-hour informational comedy were host, Adam Conover, debunks popular myths. Each episode is divided into 3 segments with some common theme. In the Spring of 2018, James Tierney and I sat down to go through all three seasons of Adam Ruins Everything to pick out examples in each episode that could be used in an economics course. If you’re curious about the paper, you can read about it here.
Adam is back to discuss how student loan providers have turned so evil. When traditional institutions didn’t step in to provide loan services to students, the government tried to rectify the situation, but may have made things worse.
Funny or Die — Marry Poppins Quits
A very interesting mix of Mary Poppins and minimum wage policy. Kristen Bell, as Mary Poppins, quits her job because minimum wage isn’t paying enough to help keep her above the poverty wage after taking out taxes. The video discusses how big of an impact a $3 increase could make in her life.