# Can a good story change economic reality?

An episode of [The Indicator from Planet Money](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1320118593), 14 Jan 2026, 8:27.

Audio: https://prfx.byspotify.com/e/play.podtrac.com/npr-510325/npr.simplecastaudio.com/0a4e8d3b-fe23-4948-9e39-20fcf16f9331/episodes/f0910474-d0a4-469c-b0ee-7492f9abf569/audio/128/default.mp3?awCollectionId=0a4e8d3b-fe23-4948-9e39-20fcf16f9331&awEpisodeId=f0910474-d0a4-469c-b0ee-7492f9abf569&t=podcast&e=nx-s1-5675955&p=510325&d=507&size=8123124

Economic decisions aren’t only driven by hard data. A compelling story can change economic behavior and outcomes. In today’s episode, we explore real-world examples of “narrative economics” like how the Suez Canal ended up getting built. And we ask: why do narratives sometimes matter more than truth or data? Related episodes: This indicator hasn’t flashed this red since the dot-com bubble Tariffs. Consumer sentiment. Cape Ratio. Pick The Indicator of The Year! The Beigie Awards: Manufacturing takes center stage For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

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