Humor and Hayek

Parents and educators know how challenging it is to break down intricate economic ideas for kids. Heck, that’s why I wrote the first Tuttle Twins book to begin with. I couldn’t find any resources to help teach my kids these important concepts in a way that wouldn’t make them fall asleep.

Our books cover important works by everyone from Nobel Prize winning economist Friedrich von Hayek, to celebrity psychologist Jordan Peterson, and everyone in between!

To be fair, a lot of adults even struggle to understand F. A. Hayek’s work, so I’m extra proud of the job we’ve done with this episode of the Tuttle Twins cartoon.

Inspired by the wisdom of Hayek’s Road to Serfdom, we explore what happens when a handful of people think they know what’s best for everyone else.

(Spoiler: more often than not, their supposedly well-meaning plans result in a cascade of problems no one saw coming.)

This time around, Ethan and Emily are in for a treat. Their ever-resourceful Grandma introduces them to the ideas of economist Friedrich Hayek, not with a lecture, but with an unforgettable trip to an underwater mermaid “Shellebration”.

It’s a clever way to shed light on the pitfalls of decisions made from the top down, without considering the ripple effects on everyone involved.

If you know our Tuttle Twins books, you’ll see a familiar theme playing out in this episode. It mirrors the storyline of The Tuttle Twins and the Road to Surfdom. Here, the twins grapple with the implications of a newly built road leading folks to Surfdom Beach. This road, a symbol of unchecked central planning, throws the entire community into disarray.

Good intentions, they learn, don’t always translate to good outcomes.

It’s a story as old as time—leaders and bureaucrats making calls that end up sidelining the very people they set out to help.

As Ethan and Emily’s Surfdom adventure reveals, central planning often leads to situations that are a lot more complex than they appear on the surface.

Hayek was onto something crucial: when communities rely too heavily on top-tier decisions, they frequently get more than they signed up for—and it’s rarely a positive surprise.

Through the twins’ underwater escapade and their trip to Surfdom, kids (and a lot of adults too!) get a meaningful lesson on why it’s essential to approach centralized decisions with a healthy dose of skepticism.

So, why not join Ethan, Emily, and Grandma on this eye-opening adventure?

As they wade through the challenges central planning brings, kids get a front-row seat to the significance of personal choice and the potential dangers of leaving too much to a select few.

Dive (Get it? “Dive”…cause it’s an underwater adventure?) into the new cartoon episode and better yet, pair it up with reading our Road to Surfdom book.

You can buy it as a standalone book or as part of our 12 book set—each based on a more complex work by a thought-leader in their field!—as part of our discounted combo pack.

It’s a duo that not only entertains but also educates kids about the importance of being involved in decisions made close to home, and the dangers of central planning.

It’s great hearing from you guys after you’ve watched our new episodes, so remember you can always reply to these emails to share your thoughts!

I loved seeing another adapation of Hayek’s work, and I’m sure you’ll love it too.

Happy viewing!

— Connor