May 2026 Friday’s e-links: The Psychology of Money

Every once in a while, (and sometimes each day) I listen to a great podcast, enjoy an article, or see a good video that I want to share with you. These are my e-links.

Last updated 5/22/26

According to our economics books, any commodity that we call a medium of exchange, a unit of value, and a store of value, can be called money. But it’s so much more complicated. A close look reveals that we’ve misstated money’s origins. In addition, we’ve paid inadequate attention to the role of debt, of networks, of prohibitions. Indeed, adding anthropological and sociological lenses also add new insight.

But for now, I’ve been reading The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel. Learning how each of us perceive and use money is an ideal springboard for beginning to understand why money is not just a payment. Instead, we can ponder why a birth date is important, when to avoid investing mistakes, and how to manage surprises.

(And soon, I will let you know when I dig into the anthropology and sociology of money.)