David McRaney is a science journalist with a deep interest in brains, minds, and culture. He is the creator of the blog, book, and podcast "You Are Not So Smart," which was initiated to understand self-delusion and motivated reasoning. His journey, however, began with diverse experiences, including construction work, selling leather coats, and owning two pet stores. In 2009, McRaney started his blog, which quickly evolved into an internationally bestselling book, translated into 17 languages, and later into a popular podcast. This podcast, once a part of Boing Boing, features interviews with scientists exploring the psychology of reasoning, decision-making, and judgment. McRaney has authored two more books: "You Are Now Less Dumb," released in 2013, and "How Minds Change," released in 2022. Additionally, he travels globally to give lectures on these subjects. His early career as a newspaper reporter saw him covering Hurricane Katrina, NASA's rocket testing, and more. Beyond journalism, McRaney's career includes roles as an editor, photographer, voiceover artist, television host, journalism teacher, lecturer, and even a tornado survivor. Following "How Minds Change," McRaney wrote, produced, and recorded a six-hour audio documentary delving into the history of the concept and the term "genius." Today, we learn about David’s childhood, and early passion for journalism. We have a deep, broad discussion about our decision-making with a realization that we are not that smart. David has some strong comments about the dance between the emotional and the rational brain. We tie it back to investing, the field where we are supposed to be rational and without emotions, but is it really the best advice? My guest shares some thoughts about changing our minds, and how to go about it. Stay tuned until the end, when we talk about the meaning of the word genius. As much as the word might feel familiar, I’ve been looking at it differently since my conversation with David. https://www.davidmcraney.com/ NEVER INVESTMENT ADVICE. IMPORTANT: As a reminder, the remarks in this interview represent the views, opinions, and experiences of the participants and are based upon information they believe to be reliable; however, Sicart Associates nor I have independently verified all such remarks. The content of this podcast is for general, informational purposes, and so are the opinions of members of Sicart Associates, a registered investment adviser, and guests of the show. This podcast does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any specific security or financial instruments or provide investment advice or service. Past performance is not indicative of future results. More information on Sicart Associates is available via its Form ADV disclosure documents available ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠adviserinfo.sec.gov⁠⁠⁠ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/talking-billions/message