EPISODE · Jun 20, 2026 · 31 MIN
The Measurement Problem
from Signal & Noise · host Podcaster
Inflation is the number everyone quotes and almost no one understands — not because the math is hidden, but because what we choose to measure, and what we quietly leave out, is a political decision dressed up as a statistical one. This week, we pull apart how the Consumer Price Index actually gets built, who benefits from the way it's constructed, and why the gap between the official rate and what people feel in their daily lives isn't a perception problem — it's a design feature. If last week was about the credit infrastructure no one was watching, this week is about the economic scoreboard we're all watching wrong. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
What this episode covers
Inflation is the number everyone quotes and almost no one understands — not because the math is hidden, but because what we choose to measure, and what we quietly leave out, is a political decision dressed up as a statistical one. This week, we pull apart how the Consumer Price Index actually gets built, who benefits from the way it's constructed, and why the gap between the official rate and what people feel in their daily lives isn't a perception problem — it's a design feature. If last week was about the credit infrastructure no one was watching, this week is about the economic scoreboard we're all watching wrong.
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The Measurement Problem
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