584. How to Pave the Road to Hell

This podcast episode explores the idea of unintended consequences in policymaking and how well-intentioned policies can sometimes have negative outcomes. The episode discusses several examples, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and pay transparency policies, and highlights the research conducted by economists such as Josh Angrist, David Autor, Zoe Cullen, Peter Blair, Ben Pozmanek, and Marina Gertzberg. It addresses the challenges faced by disabled workers, the impact of salary secrecy on wage negotiations, the different types of pay transparency policies, the effects of pay transparency on wages, the unintended consequences of the Me Too movement on collaborations in academia, and the potential negative impacts of policies aimed at achieving gender equity. The episode emphasizes the importance of considering tradeoffs and unintended consequences when designing and implementing policies.