EPISODE · Jan 21, 2026 · 14 MIN
Episode 8: GDP: The Scoreboard That Shapes Nations — And Misleads Them
from The Polymath · host Achintya Krishnan
GDP is the number governments obsess over, markets react to, and journalists repeat — but few people understand what it actually measures. This episode reveals GDP as a measurement system, a political story, and a deeply imperfect proxy for real life. We explore what GDP counts, what it ignores, why disasters can increase it, and why GDP can rise even when people feel poorer. You’ll learn how GDP shapes policy, elections, and global power — and why polymaths always ask, “What’s missing from the metric?”
What this episode covers
GDP is the number governments obsess over, markets react to, and journalists repeat — but few people understand what it actually measures. This episode reveals GDP as a measurement system, a political story, and a deeply imperfect proxy for real life. We explore what GDP counts, what it ignores, why disasters can increase it, and why GDP can rise even when people feel poorer. You’ll learn how GDP shapes policy, elections, and global power — and why polymaths always ask, “What’s missing from the metric?”
NOW PLAYING
Episode 8: GDP: The Scoreboard That Shapes Nations — And Misleads Them
No transcript for this episode yet
Similar Episodes
Mar 26, 2026 ·1m
Mar 19, 2026 ·34m
Feb 18, 2026 ·11m
Feb 11, 2026 ·45m