The Value of Everything by Mariana Mazzucato Summary
Overview of The Value of Everything
Mazzucato's groundbreaking critique redefines value in modern capitalism, challenging who creates versus extracts wealth. Shortlisted for FT's Business Book award, it's sparked global economic debates and earned praise from Martin Wolf as a "stimulating analysis" of inequality's true causes.
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Key takeaways
When Wall Street Became More "Productive" Than Main Street
Here's a puzzle: How did Goldman Sachs employees become "among the most productive in the world" just months after their company helped trigger the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression? Lloyd Blankfein's audacious 2009 claim wasn't just corporate spin-it revealed something profound about how we've come to measure worth in modern economies. His bank had just received a $125 billion government bailout, yet somehow generated $63 billion in profits while laying off thousands. This wasn't productivity in any meaningful sense, yet our economic metrics validated it. We've arrived at a dangerous place where extracting wealth has become indistinguishable from creating it, where price determines value rather than value determining price. Understanding this shift isn't just an academic exercise-it shapes who gets rewarded, what activities flourish, and whether our economy serves society or merely concentrates wealth.
The Price Tag Fallacy and the Invisible Boundary of Production
From Pin Factories to Paradoxes: The Marginalist Revolution
The GDP Mirage: Measuring Everything Except What Matters
The Great Casino: When Finance Stopped Serving and Started Extracting
Shareholder Value or Shareholder Theft? The Corporate Surrender
Reclaiming Value: From Extraction to Creation
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
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"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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