Investment Uncut: Timandra Harkness - When did avoiding risk become a virtue?

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We kick off Season 8 of Investment Uncut by speaking to writer, presenter and comedian Timandra Harkness, author of Risk & Responsibility. We explore why avoiding risk has become such a defining issue for society, institutions and the pensions industry. 

Together, we explore the growing tension between protecting people from harm and giving them the freedom to make decisions in the face of uncertainty. Have we come to treat safety, stability and predictability as moral virtues in their own right - and, if so, what might that cost us?

Responsible decision-making cannot mean eliminating risk altogether. So why can investment committees find comfort in following the consensus? And could regulation sometimes encourage excessive defensiveness rather than better long-term outcomes?

What’s one thing you would like listeners to take away?

• "You can’t create growth without accepting some risk. A ship may be safe in a harbour, but that’s not where it’s designed to stay forever. Similarly, investments need to leave the safety of the “harbour” and be given room to grow."

Any recommendations for good books or podcasts?

• Risk and Responsibility - part of a Letters on Liberty series.