Gouged — A Book Talk with Lindsay Owens
Date
2:00pm – 3:00pm EST
Location
Contact
Hosts
Event Description
Across the economy, Americans are increasingly paying more than they should, and very often, that’s by design. From hidden fees tacked onto online tickets to algorithmic rent hike coordination, high-tech profiteering is hitting every line of the household budget. Modern technology has handed companies a sophisticated arsenal of tools, including algorithmic pricing, data collection, and surveillance, that allow them to turn pricing into a highly engineered science. Taken together, the new tools of pricing allow companies to pinpoint exactly what consumers are willing to pay and maximize what they charge.
In her new book, “Gouged: The End of a Fair Price–and What That Means for Your Wallet,” Lindsay Owens, president and CEO of Groundwork Collaborative, a leading economic think tank and corporate watchdog, takes us into the corporate boardrooms where these pricing strategies are engineered. Drawing on corporate financial disclosures, earnings call transcripts, patent filings, and original economic analysis across industries from technology to health insurance, Owens traces the rise of a new approach to pricing designed to capture as much as consumers are willing to spend. Rather than merely diagnosing the problem, she offers a guide to spot predatory pricing schemes, protect personal finances, and advocate for competitive, fair markets.
Join the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program on Tuesday, December 8, on Zoom to discuss this modern landscape of predatory pricing — and what it means for American consumers. Speakers include Owens and Natalie Foster, senior fellow at the Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program, co-founder of Economic Security Project, and author of “The Guarantee: Inside the Fight for America’s Next Economy.”
Speakers
Lindsay Owens
Author; President and CEO of the Groundwork Collaborative
Bio
Lindsay is president and CEO of the Groundwork Collaborative, a leading economic think tank and corporate watchdog in Washington, D.C. A nationally recognized public policy expert, she is widely sought after for media commentary, congressional testimony, and innovative investigative research on corporate malfeasance, financial markets, consumer protection, and affordability.
She regularly advises government officials, candidates for elected office, and members of Congress and has served as a senior advisor to lawmakers including Senator Elizabeth Warren. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Rolling Stone, and she frequently contributes to CNN, CNBC, CBS, Bloomberg, the Wall Street Journal, Planet Money and Marketplace. Owens holds a PhD in sociology from Stanford University and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. She is the author of the book Gouged: The End of the Fair Price–And What That Means For Your Wallet.
Natalie Foster (Moderator)
Senior Fellow, Economic Opportunities Program; Co-founder, Economic Security Project
Bio
Natalie Foster is a leading architect of the movement to build an inclusive and resilient economy. She’s President and co-founder of Economic Security Project, a Senior Fellow at the Aspen Institute Future of Work Initiative, and the author of “The Guarantee: Inside the Fight For America’s Next Economy.”
Natalie speaks and writes regularly on economic security, the future of work, and the new political economy. An unstoppable builder, Natalie previously co-founded Rebuild the Dream, served as Digital Director for President Obama’s Organizing for America – a leading partner in winning transformative healthcare reform and built digital teams at the Sierra Club and MoveOn.org. A daughter of a preacher from Kansas, Natalie draws on the values of community, dignity, and optimism to build a better America. She’s on the board of Next River founded by Mia Birdsong, the Beneficial State Foundation founded by Kat Taylor, In Her Hands founded by Hope Wollensack, and the California Budget and Policy Center. She lives in Oakland, California with her husband and two kids.
About Opportunity in America
Opportunity in America, an event series hosted by the Economic Opportunities Program, considers the changing landscape of economic opportunity in the US and implications for individuals, families, and communities across the country.
About the Economic Opportunities Program
The Aspen Institute Economic Opportunities Program advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy.
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