January 2012
1 post
6 tags
Why is History Offensive?
Many of my peers, I have observed, find the word “feminist” loathsome. While there are surely many factors someone may find to arouse such sentiment, one I find particularly interesting is the matter of history. Further, I find this generalized frustration is also expressed towards matters of class and ethnicity.
The Tyranny of Men
If you read that subtitle and felt a swelling of...
July 2011
6 posts
5 tags
Can Consumer Surplus Explain the Value of Gifts?
Understanding that one’s personal value for a good may differ from the market price of that good, I have come up with this idea:
Friend buys me a gallon of milk
I am very pleased
However, I would not be equally pleased if that friend instead gave me $4
Why? Perhaps because Milk is worth more than $4 to me
Although I could easily buy myself a gallon of milk, this gift is worth more than...
5 tags
“Self-sufficiency is the road to poverty.”
– Russ Roberts, Ph.D. (econtalk.org)
5 tags
Love & Capitalism
Interesting conversation with my partner illuminated the parrallells of monogamous relationships and capitalism.
The logic:
Our love enriches our lives.
Doesn’t everyone deserve rich lives?
But if we try to share our love, it may diminish.
Replace “love” with “money”
Our money enriches our lives.
Doesn’t everyone deserve rich lives?
But if we try to...
6 tags
Lauderdale's Paradox: Do Private Riches Cost...
Have you ever considered why you pay for water? May I introduce my favorite economic pondering: Lauderdale’s Paradox, originally thought up only as a vexing puzzle by James Maitland, the eighth Earl of Lauderdale (1759-1839). Lauderdale speculated that there was an inverse relationship between public wealth (anything we enjoy) and private riches (anything that we enjoy but is scarce).
The...
5 tags
Economics of Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet
Kahlil Gibran’s faith in markets is to be applauded, however within his brief philosophical fiction The Prophet unexpected economic wisdom is to be found.
Ever since my mother revealed to me that my middle name was chosen after the great poet Kahlil Gibran, I poured over his work to unearth what was so inspiring. Rereading The Prophet as a student of economics cast an interesting light on...