taking personal advice from an economist

From an audio interview or the transcript of the interview by Ari Shapiro with Tim Harford with NPR (hat tip: John Cobin)... (The link also includes excerpts from the book-- written in the form of an advice column.)

"There is a certain irony in economists who have the least developed emotional register of any social scientist, giving dating advice," says economist Tim Harford, who lives that irony every day.

Harford is the author of the new book, Dear Undercover Economist: Priceless Advice on Money, Work, Sex, Kids, and Life's Other Challenges....It's a collection of advice columns he has written over the years for the Financial Times, where he is on the editorial board....

The advice given by The Undercover Economist is, well, unique.

"There's no consideration of morality," says Harford, who channels his pure inner economist when he writes the advice column.

And he sees that pure inner economist almost as an evil twin who doesn't care how rude he is or how much he cuts through the emotional complexities of a situation....

So why should someone skip Ask Amy and go right to The Undercover Economist?

"Well, sometimes because the answers are fun." Harford says. "But also sometimes the advice seems to be quite good."

And rather human.

Take the question of should a husband put down the toilet seat at home....

Believe it or not, economics can make the world a better place.