Choosing Better

1 h 4 mins Enoch and Tim examine capital punishment in the United States, not only whether the death penalty can be morally justified, but whether the modern state can carry it out justly and humanely. From lethal injection and nitrogen gas to the return of the firing squad, they explore recent failed and contested executions, the arguments for and against the death penalty, and what these cases reveal about justice, human dignity, repentance, and the limits of state power. C

1 h Longtime behind-the-scenes listener and former student Donovan Gleeson joins Enoch and Tim to ask why political disagreement now feels more personal than religious disagreement. They explore what happens when politics shifts from facts and opinions to belief and identity, why masks and yard signs became tribal signals, and how COVID forced churches to pick sides and sorted congregations along political lines. Credits: Drew Elliot (music)

1 h 5 min Is freedom doing whatever you want, or becoming what you were made to be? Enoch and Tim trace the shift from classical to modern freedom, from Adam Smith to John Stuart Mill's harm principle, and ask what we lost along the way. Why can we only argue about usury, cheating, or assisted suicide in terms of harm and victims, when what many of us really believe is "it's just wrong"? Credits: Drew Elliot (music)

1 h 2 min AEnoch and Tim discuss privacy in an age of data, AI, and mass surveillance. Using Flock cameras as a central example, they explore the benefits and drawbacks of the new technology that has drawn such backlash. They compare Flock tocorporate data systems like Ring, consider how privacy laws might have such a hard time catching up with technology, and challenge the idea that “nothing to hide” means nothing to fear. Correction: In the episode Enoch incorrectly state

1 h 2 min America is coming apart. The most likely place for a college educated adult to meet their spouse is at university. This is not just true for some college and universities; it is true for just about every university. But what happens when intelligent people leave their hometowns for university study, meet “the one”, and then settle down? We begin to sort our very neighborhoods and towns my education and merit. Fewer than half of Americans have a college degree, yet m

1 h 2 min What if America’s political divide is no longer just playing out at the ballot box, but at the wedding altar and in the nursery? Enoch and Tim discuss how ideology is increasingly shaping who people marry, why nearly 80% of spouses now share the same political outlook, and what this reveals about the deep social sorting underway in the United States. The conversation then turns to the growingfertility gap between conservatives and liberals, with Tim sharing insights

1 h 6 min When does prenatal screening determine whether a child will be born at all? In this episode of Choosing Better, Enoch and Tim explore Down syndrome, abortion, eugenics, and the quiet social pressures that shape “choice.” From viral controversy and global termination rates to Tim’s research on Down syndrome birthrates, they ask what we are missing when children with disabilities are screened out and disappear from our communities. The conversation ends with a call to

1 h 2 min Brigadier General Joe Rank, U.S. Army (Ret.), joins Choosing Better to discuss what recent events in the Middle East reveal about deterrence, resilience, and the future of regional security. General Rank and Tim explore how missile, drone, cyber, and information threats are reshaping modern conflict; why integrated air and missile defense and interoperability matter more than ever; and how Gulf states are balancing diplomacy, deterrence, and national resilience. The

1 h 2 min Are we entering a dystopian future of grocery shopping if your personal data is being used to set hyper-specific prices just for you? And what if that price changes based upon the day of the week, time of day, how fast you drove to the grocery store, or in what order you did your shopping? Maryland recently became the first state to ban AI-enabled “surveillance pricing” on grocery stores. That sounds like a good thing, but what if we benefit from targeted prices? Jo

54 min 39 sec Why does a war in Gaza dominate global headlines while equally devastating conflicts like Sudan barely register in public consciousness? Enoch and Tim explore this striking imbalance, noting that the disparity is especially pronounced in Western contexts while many Asian societies follow Israel–Gaza with far less urgency. They suggest this pattern reveals something deeper than geopolitics: the enduring civilizational influence of the Abrahamic traditions on West

1 h 8 min What are you really paying for when you fill up your tank? Enoch and Tim unpack the true cost of a gallon of gasoline, and it is far beyond crude oil, refining, and taxes. Using the recent closure of the Strait of Hormuz as a real-time case study, they trace how a distant geopolitical chokepoint drove U.S. gas prices over 50% in just weeks, despite America’s “energy independence.” Along the way, they explore the hidden prices embedded in every gallon: U.S. Navy prot

32 min 48 sec In this second episode, Enoch and Tim go deeper into the machinery of professional sports economics. How do salary caps really work, and who do they really help? What is a player actually worth to a team? And when a city spends hundreds of millions of dollars to build a new stadium, is it a good deal for taxpayers? The answers turn out to be more surprising than most sports fans may expect. Credits: Drew Elliot (music)

1 h 2 min Economics isn't just for the classroom or the boardroom; it's baked into every corner of professional sports. In this first installment of their Sports and Economics series, Enoch and Tim explore how leagues deliberately design institutions andrules to shape competition, and how economic reasoning shows up in surprising places: from the structure of the NFL draft to the direction of a penalty kick (and why we may want to roll a dice before taking a penalty kick). Cr

41 min 26 sec Should we change how we raise our kids, preparing them for the future, knowing they will enter college and begin their careers with AI? Enoch and Tim reflect on how the rise of AI should shape the way we raise and prepare our children. They discuss the reality that today’s kids will enter college and careers with AI as a constant companion, and they wrestle with how to cultivate habits, character, and critical thinking that lead to genuine flourishing amid rapid

(55 min 11 sec) How we test students reveals what we truly value in education and simultaneously shapes the incentives of everyone in the classroom. Enoch and Tim discuss the economics of educational assessment, arguing that every test design sends signals to teachers and students about what is worth knowing and how it should be taught. They explore testing practices, from Finland's minimal standardized testing culture to the high-stakes approaches found in other countries, e

(53 min 48 sec) In the second part of this series, Enoch and Tim talk about more ways economics can help us make better decisions and live more joyful lives. They discuss the endowment effect, how we tend to overvalue things in our possession, to understand when to let things go. And perhaps most important of all, they discuss opportunity costs and a holistic view of income to help us maximize decisions and think carefully about the use of our time and what we value. We hope

(58 min 16 sec) Jason Long returns to Choosing Better to discuss why some nations are rich and others are poor. We take another journey through time to understand how simple laws and norms shape the very bedrock of societies with some countries being wealthy and prosperous while others are underdeveloped and poor. Enoch and Tim turn the conversation to the strength of property rights in the United States before focusing on a recent case study in early 2026 of the US governmen

(1 hr 5 min) In the first days of a rapidly escalating U.S.–Israel conflict with Iran, strikes rippled across the region and global tensions spiked. In this bonus episode, former CIA senior executive and Iran expert Tim Buch joins the show to break down what actually happened, and just as important, why. We examine how intelligence shaped military decisions, how Iran is likely to respond, and what this conflict means for the broader Middle East. Finally, we look ahead: What c

(56 min 59 sec) Many Christians feel the pull toward missionary work, but how do you know if you should go, when to go, or where? Enoch and Tim apply economic thinking to one of the church's most important decisions, exploring how to discern a calling, how to best support those who go, and also discuss some of the research connecting missions to the development of democratic institutions and access to women's health. Referenced Article: The Surprising Discovery About Those C

(56 min 59 sec) Do you know more than a Saxon born in 500AD? Hard to say, but you likely know different knowledge than your ancient Saxon counterpart. And while most Saxons shared a similar set of knowledge about food production and daily survival, you likely have a very different knowledge than even your neighbor down the street. Join Enoch and Tim as they discuss shared knowledge and overlapping knowledge compared to specific and distinct knowledge in modern society. They

(34 min 9 sec) Throughout his second term, President Trump has wanted the United States to own Greenland. Beginning with offers to buy the island, his demands have escalated through threatening to use military force. The crisis over Greenland reaches far beyond the Arctic and Denmark as old alliances are challenged. Join Enoch and Tim as they discuss why President Trump wants the United States to own Greenland and how the effects ripple across North America and Europe. Credit

(45 min 17 sec) On January 3, 2026, President Donald Trump authorized the United States military and CIA to capture and extradite Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro to face federal criminal charges. The operation was completed within five hours with few casualties—no Americans were killed in the operation. Join Enoch and Tim in this special current events episode as they break down the operation, discuss Venezuela's devastating economic collapse over the past decade, and exp

(45 min 21 sec) Our desires define us. From how we spend our money, use our time, talk with our friends, or dominate our thoughts, our passions consume our resources and form our lives. But what shapes our desires and how can we choose better passions to guide our lives? Join Enoch and Tim as they discuss the overarching loves of our lives and propose strategies to recognized disordered loves and how to be intentional with our formation. Credits: Drew Elliot (music) with addi

(38 min 23 sec) In this episode, Enoch and Tim explore the fascinating and sometimes controversial economics of gift giving. They breakdown the “deadweight loss of Christmas” to explain the inefficiency of gift exchange. But these two grinches explain why giving gifts does so much more than retail cost valuations insofar as the process of finding and buying a gift demonstrates a unique act of love and care. Credits: Drew Elliot (music) with additional thanks to the Wheaton Ce

(48 min 38 sec) In this episode, Enoch and Tim explore the emerging practice of using AI and deepfake technology to create interactive digital replicas of deceased people. While these tools are marketed as aids to grief and memory preservation, we examine the philosophical and moral hazards of digitally "resurrecting" the dead—from questions of consent and exploitation to concerns about whether such practices impede genuine grief work and erode the meaning we make from mortal

(45 min 31 sec) How can thinking like an economist improve your decision-making? Join Enoch and Tim as they discuss several common pitfalls people fall into in making decisions. Whether it’s buying and selling stocks, choosing to start a business, or simply deciding to keep reading an arduous novel, we often make irrational decisions. Sunk costs, loss aversion, and the endowment effect are explored in this first of a multiple episode series on using economic thinking to impro

(54 min 56 sec) How can we know if the car we want to buy is not a lemon? Or how can we sincerely communicate how much we love a romantic partner? Oftentimes in life we encounter information asymmetries. We struggle to make ideal decisions with incomplete knowledge or even to signal our own intentions when an audience may not believe us. Enoch and Tim talk about examples in or everyday lives and discuss strategies to help live in a world with uneven information. Credits: Drew

(1 hr 22 min) For some dating is an adventure while for others dating is a daunting gamble. Is there a way for a person to optimize their approach to dating? Join Enoch and Tim as they discuss an economic approach to dating, tell stories, and try to make dating more approachable. Sure, dating risks rejection and heartbreak, but the benefits of finding a lifelong mate just may outweigh the risks. Credits: Drew Elliot (music) with additional thanks to the Wheaton Center for Fai

(1 hr 3 min) The saints are more than folk tales and stories for children. They are true lives of Christian men and women who lived faithfully. Professor of Art History at Wheaton College, Dr. Matthew Milliner, joins Enoch and Tim as they discuss how we can benefit from learning deeply from the saints. They compare the Catholic and Protestant traditions and share how choosing to be influenced by examples of saints may form and strengthen our faith. Credits: Drew Elliot (music

(1 hr 5 min) Enoch and Tim interview Dr. Del Tackett, an acclaimed educator whose teaching materials have impacted over 20 million people across more than 100 countries. The conversation centers on the critical role that meta-narratives, or worldviews, play in shaping what individuals believe and pursue in their personal pursuits of flourishing. Their conversation challenges the widespread assumption of neutrality, arguing that everyone operates from an underlying worldview w

(38 min 47 sec) In this bonus episode of Choosing Better, Enoch and Tim dig deep into the sweeping changes to the U.S. H-1B visa system following the shock announcement of a $100,000 application fee. They break down the policy’s potential upsides and downsides, discuss its implications, and explore what it might mean for the future of American immigration. The U.S. immigration system is overviewed and some shocking trivia is revealed. Credits: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Drew Elliot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (music) wi

(57 min 18 sec) Enoch and Tim challenge the assumption that welfare policy is a modern invention by exploring social safety nets in ancient societies. The conversation centers on the Old Testament's laws of Jubilee, examining the theological and practical purposes behind these ancient provisions for economic redistribution and debt relief. Rather than treating these historical practices as mere curiosities, they draw connections between ancient wisdom and contemporary welfare

(44 min 23 sec) Are boys and men falling behind? Enoch and Tim unpack the widening gap between men and women in education, leadership, volunteerism, and broader civic life. They spotlight striking statistics—like how university enrollment now stands at 59% female and only 41% male—and explore what this shift means for the future of families, communities, and society. The conversation traces how public attention has only recently turned to this issue and considers the long-ter

(53 min 28 sec) Why does it matter if inflation, unemployment, or GDP numbers get nudged to “look better” than they are? Enoch and Tim explore why keeping politics out of economic data is critical for good policy and stability. They discuss the recent dismissal of the BLS commissioner, walk through how data is collected, why it might be trusted and the lessons that can be drawn from case studies of Argentina, Mexico, and Greece. Credits: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Drew Elliot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (music) with add

(48 min 14 sec) Is ownership a natural right, a social contract, or just God’s loan? Join Tim and Enoch for a mix of humor, history, and hard questions. Credits: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Drew Elliot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (music) with additional thanks to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wheaton Center for Faith, Politics & Economics⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

(41 min 55 sec) We all long for meaningful belonging—a place where we’re seen, accepted, and part of something greater than ourselves. But true belonging often comes at a cost. In this episode, Enoch and Tim explore why shared beliefs and behaviors—especially the difficult ones—are essential to forming lasting, purpose-driven communities. Building on their previous episode about the global rise of Christianity and renewed interest in faith, they dive into howcommitment, confo

(32 min 12 sec) After years of slow decline, belief is growing. Not just in the US but across cultures and continents. In this episode, Enoch and Tim dive into surprising data about Christianity's recent rise, the return of young men to church, the increased attention from academics and influencers, and the influence of Christian underpinnings for society more broadly. Credits: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Drew Elliot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (music) with additional thanks to the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wheaton Center for Faith, Politics

(1 hr 8 min) What do journalists and CIA analysts have in common? To be effective and trusted, both must present detailed information from a neutral perspective. But what happens when professionals in these fields feel an issue is important enough to cross the line into advocacy? Join Tim and Enoch as they sit down once again with former CIA executive Tim Buch to unpack the critical distinction between sharing information and pushing an agenda. In this timely conversation, th

(1 hr 1 min) In a dramatic late-night session, Congress passed the sweeping “One Big Beautiful Bill,” signed into law by President Trump on July 4, 2025. The legislation squeaked through the Senate in a 50-50 tie, broken by Vice President Vance, and passed the House by just four votes (218-214). But what exactly is in this massive bill—and why has it sparked such fierce debate? Enoch and Tim break down the key provisions, discuss why the bill is so controversial, and react ca

1 h 6 min Is AI coming for your job? In this episode, Enoch and Tim dive into centuries of techno-panic, from the Luddites and the ATM to ChatGPT and spreadsheet nostalgia. Is a world without work a dystopian nightmare or an opportunity to rethink purpose, productivity, and... pneumatic tubes? Join us as we laugh, learn, and maybe panic a little about the future of labor. Link to referenced episode with Jason Long Credits: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Drew Elliot⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (music) with additional thanks

38 min 59 sec On June 21, 2025, the U.S. launched direct airstrikes against three Iranian nuclear facilities—marking a dramatic escalation in its military posture and aligning with Israel in a deepening regional conflict. In this bonus episode of Choosing Better, Enoch and Tim break down what led to this moment, the international reactions, and what it signals for the future. They also dive into the broader history of U.S. military interventions: How often has America formall

1 h 3 min Unemployment…presidential elections may be won or lost, stock markets rise or tumble, and our very optimism or pessimism is strongly attached to this one measurement. But how is unemployment measured and what exactly does it entail? Join Enoch and Tim on their first learning primer as they explain unemployment, labor force participation, and how it impacts the economy and even our identities. This is your chance to learn about unemployment and explore how different

55 min 37 sec In this thoughtful and humorous episode, Enoch and Tim explore how having more choices can sometimes change not just what we pick—but how we feel about what we pick. The presence of certain choices—especially morally charged ones—can alter how we evaluate other options and even diminish our satisfaction with them. Referenced Article by Scott Alexander Credits: Intro/Outro music - Drew Elliot Thanks to the Wheaton Center for Faith, Politics & Economics

52 min 38 sec Fact: Married adults tend to live longer than their non-married counterparts. They also tend to make more money, have lower suicide risk, work more stable jobs, and are evenmore likely to avoid incarceration. But these differences are most seen among men! Women tend to have similar outcomes regardless of their marital status while men seem to differ quite a bit. Enoch and Tim discuss these differences and then ask if marriage makes better men or if better men te

41 min 6 sec Join Tim and Enoch as they sit down with former CIA executive, Tim Buch — an insider who’s briefed four U.S. presidents and ran the Near East and South Asia office — for an exclusive look at the past, present, and future of India and Pakistan. From recent tensions to the deep-rooted history of the subcontinent, this is one conversation you won’t want to miss. Credits: Intro/Outro music - Drew Elliot Thanks to the Wheaton Center for Faith, Politics & Economics

55 min 42 sec How do we know the difference between right and wrong? Laws often legislate morality, but we cannot necessarily use laws to inform our knowledge and behaviors on good versus evil. Join Enoch and Tim as they discuss laws and morality as a means to guide our behaviors. They consider when laws should enforce morality for all and how we should live in a diverse pluralistic society where we do not necessarily agree. Note: A previous episode, Just Price or Just a Pric

53 min 43 sec Inequality is generally presented as a major problem to be corrected. It has become such a talking point that many people even conflate inequality with poverty. But should we truly seek a society of equality where everyone is given the same number of resources… does the same go for compliments? Join Enoch and Tim as they discuss what may be lost when equality becomes the driving force of a workplace or community. Credits: Intro/Outro music - Drew Elliot Thanks t

1 h 1 min Is one being generous if they enjoy the very act of giving? Or is giving only a virtue if it hurts in some way? Join Enoch and Tim as they discuss the pleasure in generosity and why we may want to cultivate in ourselves, and others, the “warm glow” that comes from altruism. They tell stories and question whether we should consider efficiencies and effectiveness in our giving. Credits: Intro/Outro music - Drew Elliot Thanks to the Wheaton Center for Faith, Politics

47 min 56 sec On April 2nd, 2025, President Donald Trump announced the most expansive set of tariffs (taxes on imports) in modern history with the United States setting a baseline tariff rate of 10% on over 180 countries. And further tariffs will be added to particular countries including China, Japan, Taiwan, and the European Union. Rarely does a global event intersect so closely with the academic work of both Enoch and Tim, so they too are stepping into unprecedented terrai

1 h 18 min In a world where even waving a flag feels like picking a fight, what does it really mean to belong to a nation? Is nationalism a unifying force or a political powder keg? Come join Dr. Taylor and Dr. Hill in their first ever live recording as they try to untangle the good, the bad, and the downright weird of national identity—when it inspires, when it divides, and when it just gets awkward. Enoch and Tim record their first podcast with a live audience at Wheaton Co