Frank and Roberts on Infrastructure
EconTalk
Paul Tough, author of How Children Succeed, talks with host Russ Roberts about why children succeed and fail in and beyond school. He argues that conscientiousness--a mixture of self-control and determination--can be a more important measure of academic and professional success than cognitive ability. He also discusses innovative techniques that schools, individuals, and non-profits are using to inspire young people in distressed neighborhoods. The conversation closes with the implications for public policy in fighting poverty.