Here are some closing gifts from loyal MR readers:
1. "Economic sanctions (Iran, Cuba, North Korea) – do they work? Can a libertarian support them?"
Read Dan Drezner’s book and blog posts.
2. Various carbon tax requests. Use Google, with "site:www.marginalrevolution.com" at the end of your entry.
3. "I would also like to hear your thoughts on the future of money,
whether it be digital or not and what you believe the effect, if any
would be on the economy."
Read my Explorations in the New Monetary Economics.
4. "Do we need the tenure system anymore in higher education?"
I do.
5. "Thoughtful comments–pro and con, of course–on writings such as
"Hooked on Growth: Economic Addictions and the Environment" by Douglas
E. Booth. Our world economy seems to be predicated on growth, which
common sense says cannot continue indefinitely– or can it (short of
mining extra-terrestial bodies for resources)? Thanks."
Read this, from my evil twin Tyrone.
6. "How about the economics of credit card fraud and/or identity
fraud from the perspective of individual, information custodian, and
society? What is your reaction to the TJX breach of 10 million credit
cards or the VA’s loss of 26 million identities, for example? How
does/should the number of records that are lost, the volume of overall
activity (both good and bad), the number of attackers, and the nature
of the data impact decisions and outcomes?"
That’s a tough question.
7. "Your opinion on how to give to charity." I’ll be covering this in my forthcoming book Discover Your Inner Economist: Use Incentives to Fall in Love, Survive Your Next Meeting, and Motivate Your Dentist, due out from Dutton on August 2.
I’ve now done 50, so that’s all folks!
Of course I’ll consider other topic requests in the future, on a case-by-case basis.
*applause*
Since Amazon doesn’t seem to have it available and there is no review or synopsis, can you tell us about your book Explorations in the New Monetary Economics? I don’t see any past posts on it on the site either.
Yes, but where shall wisdom be found?
Tyler,
Congrats, but I bet you’ve answered 10 times 50 questions over time — at least. Although counting them quantifies the significance of your effort, it misses the bigger point — that you’ve answered a lot of questions over time. Speaking of quantitative delusions…
I find your answer (or perhaps the question) to #5 to be completely uninteresting. I think the significant aspect of “hooked on growth” is the way that politicians/journalists/economists/people focus on gdp and growth of gdp in a macho, nationalistic way. There are obvious flaws and omissions in gdp (war in iraq = good; clean air = nothing) that distracts people from making better policies and choices. Alternative measures (sustainable gdp or hdi) are a good start, but there is also some problems with vested interests (the “what’s good for gm….” crowd). Can you reflect on the political-economy of inertia and perhaps give a qualitative opinion of the damage we do to ourselves/others through misguided policies that result?
Why do people spend so much more money on weddings now than they used to, especially with the divorce rates so high? Is it to signal status? (Is it an tacit removals reation to divorce rates? Maybe parents spend more on weddings in order to obligate their children to make the marriage work and thus produce returns on the investment?) Is it just a product of greater wealth?
I’d still love to know why the vast majority of public whistlers,
are in fact males. Of course it’s anecdotal, but it’s also true.
Exchange rate through roof. Interest rates likewise as Reserve Bank chief panics. House prices still through roof. But… unemployment at all time low (at least as counted ), retail spending still high. Carry trades waaaay popular….. so “what’s a poor boy supposed to do, in the same old rock n roll band???”
And, or more practically what is a reasoned answer to the common question “what should we do?” and “where does this end?” which will earn one more than the regulation snub?
NZ late April 2007….
nice article. flats for rent Golders Green
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