Zero Down

Zero Down is back again with a topic any Social Media addict would love to learn more about- INFLUENCERS Well, to be specific, the Influencer Economy In this episode, Amulya and Niranjana go in depth on how your favourite influencers earn those big bucks, ups and downs of this economy and even about your favourite instagram shops! Tune in to this fun and punny episode to learn how this new money m...

In this episode of Zero Down, Chandrika talks about the Economics Of Sleep and about how insufficient sleep leads to a loss of billions of dollars to the flourishing economies of industrialized countries. Netflix binge-watching and late-night coffee have become our daily ritual but do we know it affects our productivity as a workforce!? This episode discusses how these micro-level consequences of...

In this episode of Zero Down the hosts, Reeti and Disha delve deep into the Economics behind the Olympic Games and discuss whether the games are even remotely profitable. Starting from breaking down the costs of the games, they discuss various case studies of Olympics that had failed economics and left countries in financial ruin. Talking about countries which have recently pulled out their bids,...

In this episode of Zero Down Shots, the host Bhumika Malhan delve into the emerging concept of Gig Economy - the concept and the emergence. This episode deals with pointing out the present conditions of the gig workers along with glimpsing the future of the workforce. How did the technological growth backed the emergence of gig work? Though constituting a larger fraction of workforce, why is gig e...

In this episode of Zero Down, the hosts Grace and Khushi delve deep into the ongoing debate on whether or not Helicopter Money is a policy measure that can help spur economies out of the recessions they've been facing after they were hit by the COVID-19 crisis. Starting from the coinage of the term by Milton Friedman in 1969 to why helicopter money remains a taboo among most economic strategists a...

In this episode of Zero Down, Fabiha and Riya get down to the basics of caring about the care economy. The importance of care work in the functioning of an economy has been unacknowledged for ages leading to the ignorance of the growth potential of the care economy. This negligence has not only contributed to solidifying outdated social norms but has also increased gender disparity in labour. Tune...

In this episode, Garima and Nandini talk about one of the most influential frameworks to ever exist in behavioral science, i.e. Prospect Theory. Through real-life examples, they defog the ideas that lie behind the decision-making processes under situations involving risk and uncertainty. Tune in to find out how people perceive gains and losses differently and why they throw their rational thoughts...

In this episode of Zero Down, Supriya and Preksha talk about Attention Economics and about how mindless scrolling on social media helps companies capitalize on our attention and how this impacts our efficiency. This episode talks about the moral fiber of the companies and their increasingly aggressive tactics and how we react to them.

In this episode of Zero Down, Sampada and Vedika analyse how governance impacts economies. Did triumphalism get the best of India? How can countries improve their economies through governance? What changes need to be adopted for better economic development? Listen along as they traverse different countries, time periods and economic indicators to discover the secret ingredients of good govern...

In this episode of Zero Down, Shreeyam and Sredha talk about volatile sentiments brought on by social media and it’s possible repercussions on the economy, hence the term ‘Viral Economics’. This episode connects the dots of all of those recent events that may have blown up on your feed and made you curious on what exactly went down. They’re going to analyse whether there is an evident pattern to a...

In this episode of zero down Supriya and Anchal discuss ‘Bitcoin a revolution or a con’ highlighting the goods and bads of the bitcoin with emphasis on the recent changes in the bitcoin space. Grab your earphones and play the episode to discover 'if cryptocurrency is our new future'.  

In this episode of Zero Down, Vedika and Nandini discuss the biggest player in the pandemic proof industry of OTT; Netflix. In the face of increasing competition from big production houses and a number of popular shows being pulled out from under its banner, Netflix had to step up its game. And it does so! Grab your earphones and listen to "Netflix's Gambit" to find out what exactly did Netflix do...

In this episode of zero down, Fabiha and Khushi take on a question that troubles a lot of economists, development thinkers and public policymakers: whether public transport should be free of cost for the masses. They talk about the feasibility of a full cost recovery rate in public transit, arguments in favour of free public transport systems, exploring fare resistance movements as well as the con...

In this episode of Zero Down, Aditi and Garima have talked about 'The Decoy Effect In Economics' and have explored it's relation with Neuroeconomics. Throughout the episode, they bring out real-life examples to explain how this strategy affects our day-to-day decision making, without us even realising! So, get your earphones and delve into the episode to know the ins and outs of this fascinating e...

In this episode of Zero Down, Ananya and Shreeyam explain the nuances of Economic voting and different instances which have taken place as testimony to the same globally, with emphasis on the US presidential elections. Grab your earphones and play the episode to discover how the economy of a country can have utmost influence on candidacy of an individual and how many incumbents have fallen prey to...

In this episode of Zero Down, Bharati, Sampada and Deshna talk about Disaster Capitalism, its instances throughout history and its relevance with respect to the pandemic both in the global and the Indian context. Tune in to know how governments pass "pro-business" laws during disasters and how your favourite influencer might also be a propagator of disaster capitalism.

Professor Richard Wolff is one of America's leading Marxist Economists. He is a visiting professor of the Julien J. Studley Graduate Program in International Affairs at The New School, and Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He is the founder of the non-profit media Democracy at Work and the host of their weekly show Economic Update. His latest book, "...

Professor Richard Wolff is one of America's leading Marxist Economists. He is a visiting professor of the Julien J. Studley Graduate Programs in International Affairs at The New School, and Professor Emeritus of Economics at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He is the founder of the non-profit media Democracy at Work and the host of their weekly show Economic Update. His latest book,...

There’s been an ongoing tussle on whether policies like immigration, technological advancement and protectionism spell trouble for the economy. These policies make workers’ hackles rise because they assume that jobs in the economy are fixed so any wave of change would render them jobless. But is the size of the economic pie really fixed? Should we shut our economy and save our jobs only for the na...

Why have wealth taxes failed in many countries? Could taxing the wealthy solve the problem of income inequality? How is a wealth tax different from income tax? In this episode of Zero Down, we explore all this and much more.

Movies often tell a story of people, their culture, of human emotions and of historic events. But they also weave for us a representation of the economy of the period. Moreover, cinema often has the power to influence the economy by providing numerous jobs, being successful foreign exports, by dictating our consumer behaviour, our travel plans and even by ushering in new technology! In the latest...

Today, the idea of consumerism is perceived in two contrasting ways. One is the benevolent view of the consumer interests, consumer protection, and the power of the consumer. It emphasizes on consumers having information of the products available in the marketplace, giving them legal mechanisms to empower their participation in the marketplace etc. The other is of consumerism being selfish, shallo...

Climate change and environmental degradation are a few of the most pressing challenges of our time. This episode of zero down evaluates the economic aspects of the problem. It brings together environmentalism and economics and explores the political, practical, and moral aspects of economics in environmentalism. This episode urges us to question whether we are banking on the right set of ideas to...

Have you ever wondered what is the price one pays for whistleblowing, if not more importantly, questioned whether there should be a price for whistleblowing in the first place? In this episode, Zero Down explores the consequences and costs of whistleblowing, which range from being fired to being exiled to even being murdered.

Copyright is something we're all vaguely familiar with and often even unknowingly interact with. Zero Down explores copyright, fair use, and what might be ahead for both.