Absolute Beginners - LSE Lecture

The hall at the LSE tonight was packed for an open public lecture by Professor Paul Dolan for a talk on behavioural economics and public policy but this was a talk long on boring and dry emphasis on sampling and survey questioning rather then exciting a diverse audience in areas in which public policies might be changed or re-designed to influence behaviour.

The subject matter is deeply interesting but sadly the lecture failed almost entirely to live up to expectations and seemed to disappoint a large number of A level students who had been attracted to the LSE for the evening. One pointed out to me without prompting that, it takes a poor lecture that comes in way below what was expected for one to really appreciate those that flow, and resonate with the spirit. Having heard Paul Ormerod and Dan Ariely recently on these issues, perhaps I was chancing my luck by going for a hat-trick of stand-out talks. I will happily forgive Professor Dolan for being a West Ham fan but here was a dry academic trying to be funny and failing. Once or twice the issues connected with the audience but this was a lecture hall that was largely silent.

Right from the off, Professor Dolan kept looking at his watch every few minutes, he was not the only one! Fortunately I had some good reading to keep me company.