# How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life **URL:** **By** Russell Roberts, Aaron Ross Powell, Trevor Burrus **Published:** October 13, 2014 --- Russ Roberts joins us on this week's episode of Free Thoughts to talk about his new book, _How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life._ What drives us to be concerned about others? In _The Wealth of Nations_, Adam Smith says people are basically self-interested, and this is what drives market economies. Does this mean he's saying people are selfish? Smith has a pretty simple formula for happiness. "Man naturally desires, not only to be loved, but to be lovely." What does he mean by that? Can the study of economics really be about finding better ways to care for others...by recognizing that people are self-interested? How does that work? **Show Notes and Further Reading** Russell Roberts, [_How Adam Smith Can Change Your Life: An Unexpected Guide to Human Nature and Happiness_](http://www.amazon.com/Adam-Smith-Change%E2%80%A6fe/dp/1591846846/) (book) Adam Smith, [_The Weath of Nations_](http://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Nations-Ba%E2%80%A6cs/dp/0553585975/) (book) Adam Smith, [_The Theory of Moral Sentiments_](http://www.amazon.com/Theory-Moral-Sent%E2%80%A6th/dp/1619491281/) (book)