The dearest Tyler Cowen joins The Hope Axis for a fun and wide ranging conversation. We talk about hope for insiders and outsiders, the competitive and the obsessed, immigrants and hard workers, talent and luck, why America is so special, whether Internet Utopia is over, GenZ and rebellion — and Jack Nicholson, John Stuart Mill, driving around Eastern Europe, the Enlightenment of AI, and why the courageous inherit the Earth. Hope you enjoy!

A full transcript of our conversation can be found here.

Important Links

• Tyler’s X: https://x.com/tylercowen
• Marginal Revolution: https://marginalrevolution.com/

• Conversations with Tyler: https://conversationswithtyler.com/
• Tyler's book 'GOAT' https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2023/10/goat-who-is-the-greatest-economist-of-all-time-and-why-does-it-matter.html
• Tyler book with Daniel Gross 'Talent' https://www.amazon.com/Talent-Identify-Energizers-Creatives-Winners/dp/1250275814
• We also mention Josh Rosen's podcast with Tyler https://marginalrevolution.com/marginalrevolution/2025/08/my-biographical-podcast-with-joshua-rosen.html

Show notes:

(0:00:00) Guest Introduction

(0:02:44) Is Tyler Inside or Outside?

(0:06:41) How Big is Our World?

(0:10:26) Eastern Europe's Perpetual Liminal Space

(0:14:34) Toronto's Underrated Suburbs

(0:22:00) America and Freedom

(0:25:28) Who are Today's Insiders?

(0:31:45) The Rise of Oral Culture

(0:38:28) Envisioning the Future

(0:45:50) You Can Always Move to New York

(0:50:58) America Loves Well-Adjusted Weirdos

(0:54:24) The Dance Between Competition and Obsession

(1:01:23) Civilizationism

(1:11:51) On Voting and Influence