• For a study published in the Journal of Consumer Research, Ahir Gopaldas evaluated the different categories of emotions that drive consumers to “ethical consumption,” like buying organic produce or free-trade stuff, even when it costs them more money. They are: “contempt for villains, concern for victims and celebration of heroes.”
• According to the Wall Street Journal, the federal government puts more time and energy into collecting student loan debt than it does into pursuing corporate fraudsters (via David Dayen).
• Today in Billionaires: Well, gosh, they’re just absolutely everywhere. “The world economy is going through a rough patch, yet the world’s billionaire population is at an all-time high,” reports CNBC. “A new survey shows that 155 new billionaires were minted this year, pushing the total population to a record 2,325 – a 7 percent increase from 2013.”
• We’re looking forward to tonight’s debate in New York, “Where Did the Future Go?” featuring Peter Thiel, David Graeber, and moderator John Summers. If you missed the chance to get a ticket, we’re now sold out, sadly, but you can watch online via this livestream, and #follow along on #Twitter if you have any #relevant #opinions or #witty #comebacks using the hashtag #bafflerdebate.
