Episode · EconTalk · 2020-10-05
Books mentioned on Zena Hitz on Lost in Thought
Philosopher and author Zena Hitz of St. John's College talks about her book, Lost in Thought, with EconTalk host Russ Roberts.
Zena Hitz recommended Bullshit Jobs by David Graeber, and discussed The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X and The Castle by Franz Kafka. Russ Roberts discussed The Theory of Moral Sentiments by Adam Smith.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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The Autobiography of Malcolm X
The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X and Alex Haley is a classic account of coming of age, civil rights, and speaking truth to power.
Discussed“So I talk in my book about the autobiography of Malcolm X.”
Where to get it
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The Theory of Moral Sentiments
The Theory of Moral Sentiments by Adam Smith is a seminal 1759 work of moral philosophy that examines the psychological foundations of human judgment, empathy, and social order.
Discussed“And my joke is that in today's times I wish I were I try to sometimes immerse myself in Adam Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments of 1759.”
Where to get it
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The Castle
The Castle by Franz Kafka is a surreal, unfinished novel that delves into the nightmarish nature of bureaucratic systems and the absurd inaccessibility of authority figures.
Discussed“I remember him telling me when when I was a child that his favorite book was Kafka's The Castle.”
Where to get it
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Bullshit Jobs
David Graeber's sociological examination investigates the proliferation of pointless administrative occupations and their psychological toll on modern workers.
Recommended“Now there's this uh book that I really like by uh David Graeber, the sociologist who just recently died, uh called Jobs, uh and um it's about high-prestige, high-paid jobs which are actually pointless.”
Where to get it
Other mentions in this episode (3) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“She is the author of Lost in Thought, The Hidden Pleasures of an Intellectual Life.”
“And why am I doing that? Yeah. Uh well, I'm doing that because I want more people to recognize this activity and to live it out and to uh uh teach it in schools.”
“Her book is Lost in Thought.”