Lives Vs. The Economy

Enlarge this image Pat Greenhouse/Boston Globe via Getty Images Pat Greenhouse/Boston Globe via Getty Images

A question we've been hearing lately: "Is it worth it to shut down the economy to save lives?" Or "Should we let people die to save the economy?" The only way to answer this question is to figure out what a human life is worth ... in dollars. This happens all the time. In fact, U.S. government federal agencies have a very specific answer. They say a human life is worth about $10 million.

Today on the show, how economists came up with that number, why that number needs to exist, and an answer to the question: Is it worth it to restart the economy right now? (No. The answer is No.)

Music: "Finger Lickin," "In Isolation," and "Happy Trip."

Find us: Twitter / Facebook / Instagram

Subscribe to our show on Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts and NPR One.

For more shockingly precise answers to other thorny questions, ask your mansplaining uncle. For nuanced insight into the economy, subscribe to our weekly Newsletter.