018: Danny Finkelstein on moderation, proportion, Cialdini & political psychology

Fellow BSers,

Welcome to another episode of 'A Load of BS: The Behavioural Science Podcast' with me Daniel Ross.

From Lineker last week down the middle to Finkelstein centre right, I'm ringing the changes for this midweek game to welcome writer, Times newspaper commentator and Conservative Party moderniser, moderate, maven and former advisor to William Hague, George Osborne and David Cameron - the Baron of Pinner, Danny Finkelstein.

Prior to his work helping to transition the Conservatives between Major key, very minor key and then David Cameron, Danny was Director of the think tank the Social Market Foundation. He was also the Chairman of the Policy Exchange, an independent charity seeking free market and ‘localist’ solutions to public policy questions. 

And to give you a titbit away from the LinkedIn theocracy, Danny is an obsessive Beatles fan. Indeed, his study desk and bookshelf are split between Holocaust tomes, reflecting, in part, research for a book on his family which he's currently in the process of writing, and Paul McCartney lyric sheets.

Danny was named political commentator of the year at the Editorial Intelligence Comment Awards in 2010, 2011 and 2013. Last year, he published 'Everything in Moderation', a compilation of his Times essays over the last 20 years which reflect, indeed, his sense for moderation, proportion and social psychology.

You can find all my podcasts on all the usual platforms: do subscribe on Apple, Spotify and others, and give me a 5 star review! And let me know what you think of it all on Twitter @danielsjross.

If you’re new to A Load of BS, subscribe here to get the pods and newsletter straight into your inbox.

Today, Danny and I discuss:

Perspective and empathyWhy a sense of proportion mattersWhy politics mattersBourgeois stability and big ideasRobert Cialdini's 'click, click, run'COVID, Brexit and self-interestEconomic growth as the driver of polarisation vs. congenialityJournalism's role in policing our systems

Books referenced by Danny:

'Everything in Moderation: The must-read collection of Daniel Finkelstein’s greatest columns in The Times''The Best and the Brightest', by David Halberstam

Please leave a review if you like the podcast; and share with friends. Your support makes us very happy!

Get the podcast in your inbox every week by subscribing here
Access our exclusive speaker events by subscribing here
Follow Daniel on Twitter
Podcast music: Tamsin Waley-Cohen's Mendelssohn's violin concerto