Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
On this episode of the Hayek Program Podcast, Peter Boettke reflects on the lessons he’s learned throughout his academic career, focusing on what it takes to succeed after graduate school. Boettke encourages graduates to: value the scientific pursuit of truth and scholarship; cultivate a sense of awe, wonderment, surprise, and appreciation; and to be curious. He cautions against prioritizing cleverness over clarity and emphasizes the need to continually adapt and adjust. Persistence and hard work pays off. Try to pursue ideas, not people. Don’t be inept and don’t be lazy. Pay attention to details. Be a productive member of your department. Produce research that is genuinely interesting and of intrinsic value to your academic peers. Try to be a life changing professor. Work with good people who challenge you and find that network which insists on lifelong learning, one where you can harshly criticize one another then go have a beer together.
Boettke highlights the ongoing work of the liberal project, arguing that liberalism is not a fixed doctrine, it’s an emancipatory project. Liberalism begins with a very strong recognition of oppression, but it brings a promise of deliverance. Because language and problems change over time, liberalism must be restated in the language and concepts of successive generations. He argues that the worst thing that can happen to a good cause is not to be artfully criticized, but to be ineptly defended.
Peter Boettke (mercatus.org/hayekprogram/scholars/peter-j-boettke) is a Distinguished University Professor of Economics and Philosophy at George Mason University and Director of the F.A. Hayek Program for Advanced Study in Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. He has published numerous books including The Socialist Calculation Debate: Theory, History, and Contemporary Relevance (mercatus.org/hayekprogram/research/books/socialist-calculation-debate-theory-history-and-contemporary-relevance) (2024), Money and the Rule of Law: Generality and Predictability in Monetary Institutions (mercatus.org/hayekprogram/research/books/money-and-rule-law) (2021), Living Economics: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow (mercatus.org/hayekprogram/research/books/living-economics) (2012), and Challenging Institutional Analysis and Development: The Bloomington School (mercatus.org/hayekprogram/research/books/challenging-institutional-analysis-and-development-bloomington-school) (2009).
If you like the show, please subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and tell others about the show! We're available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Virtual Sentiments (mercatus.org/hayekprogram/virtual-sentiments) , a podcast series from the Hayek Program, is streaming. Subscribe today and listen to season three, releasing now!
Follow the Hayek Program (twitter.com/hayekprogram) on Twitter: @HayekProgram
Learn more about Academic & Student Programs (asp.mercatus.org/)
Follow the Mercatus Center (twitter.com/mercatus) on Twitter: @mercatus
CC Music: Twisterium
On this episode of the Hayek Program Podcast, Peter Boettke reflects on the lessons he’s learned throughout his academic career, focusing on what it takes to succeed after graduate school. Boettke encourages graduates to: value the scientific pursuit of truth and scholarship; cultivate a sense of awe, wonderment, surprise, and appreciation; and to be curious. He cautions against prioritizing cleverness over clarity and emphasizes the need to continually adapt and adjust. Persistence and hard work pays off. Try to pursue ideas, not people. Don’t be inept and don’t be lazy. Pay attention to details. Be a productive member of your department. Produce research that is genuinely interesting and of intrinsic value to your academic peers. Try to be a life changing professor. Work with good people who challenge you and find that network which insists on lifelong learning, one where you can harshly criticize one another then go have a beer together.
Boettke highlights the ongoing work of the liberal project, arguing that liberalism is not a fixed doctrine, it’s an emancipatory project. Liberalism begins with a very strong recognition of oppression, but it brings a promise of deliverance. Because language and problems change over time, liberalism must be restated in the language and concepts of successive generations. He argues that the worst thing that can happen to a good cause is not to be artfully criticized, but to be ineptly defended.
Peter Boettke (mercatus.org/hayekprogram/scholars/peter-j-boettke) is a Distinguished University Professor of Economics and Philosophy at George Mason University and Director of the F.A. Hayek Program for Advanced Study in Philosophy, Politics and Economics at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. He has published numerous books including The Socialist Calculation Debate: Theory, History, and Contemporary Relevance (mercatus.org/hayekprogram/research/books/socialist-calculation-debate-theory-history-and-contemporary-relevance) (2024), Money and the Rule of Law: Generality and Predictability in Monetary Institutions (mercatus.org/hayekprogram/research/books/money-and-rule-law) (2021), Living Economics: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow (mercatus.org/hayekprogram/research/books/living-economics) (2012), and Challenging Institutional Analysis and Development: The Bloomington School (mercatus.org/hayekprogram/research/books/challenging-institutional-analysis-and-development-bloomington-school) (2009).
If you like the show, please subscribe, leave a 5-star review, and tell others about the show! We're available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, and wherever you get your podcasts.
Virtual Sentiments (mercatus.org/hayekprogram/virtual-sentiments) , a podcast series from the Hayek Program, is streaming. Subscribe today and listen to season three, releasing now!
Follow the Hayek Program (twitter.com/hayekprogram) on Twitter: @HayekProgram
Learn more about Academic & Student Programs (asp.mercatus.org/)
Follow the Mercatus Center (twitter.com/mercatus) on Twitter: @mercatus
CC Music: Twisterium
