At first glance, economics and literature may seem like two different paths that do not meet. They are two ways of thinking about human activity. One studies how people create and use wealth, while the other explores the complexity of human relationships and the meaning of life. However, according to Professor Paulius V. Subačius from the Faculty of Philology at Vilnius University, these two fields do meet. Both help us better understand people and the world.

In the podcast “Beyond Economics and Back” by the Lithuanian Free Market Institute, P. V. Subačius talks about his path as a humanities scholar, the challenges of the education system, and the changing generations of students. While discussing utopias, dystopias, and the idea of universal basic income, he shares insights about human nature. He emphasizes that no matter how wealthy or well-organized a society is, people will always feel that something is missing. Both literature and art, as well as economic activity, show that human imagination has no limits.