Anti-lock brakes make many motorists drive faster. Introducing helmets and face masks in football raised the risk of concussions. Financial regulators and central bankers played a role in creating conditions that led to the 2008 mortgage meltdown.
The illusion of safety can lead to reckless behavior. These fascinating insights are part of "Foolproof- Why Safety Can Be Dangerous and How Danger Makes Us Safe", the recently published book by Greg Ip, chief economics commentator at The Wall Street Journal.
#31: 2015 in Review: Some of Our Best Moments
If you want to get of sense of what we're about, this highlights show may be a good place to start. We've put together a "best of" podcast that reflects our values and makes the argument for why we're worth listening to.
Read more#24 Why The Federal Reserve Is So Unpopular Roger Lowenstein: How Do We Fix It?
The Federal Reserve plays a fundamental role in our economy. But many Americans loathe The Fed - furious that it bailed out banks and other huge financial firms during the 2008 financial crisis.
Our guest, Roger Lowenstein, is the author of "America's Bank - The Epic Struggle to Create The Federal Reserve." His book is a dramatic account of the chaotic years before The United States became the last major industrialized nation to form a central bank.
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