Understanding Incentives

I had the following conversation with a friend who wishes to remain anonymous (it wasn't Tyler).

A: Heh, how's it going?

Anon: Oh, so, so.  I had a paper rejected today.

A:  Ah, sorry, I get depressed when that happens.

Anon: Well in my case it's not all bad.  My wife and I have an understanding that whenever I have a paper rejected we have sex.

A:  What!  That's a terrible system for getting papers published.  What kind of economist are you?!  Don't you understand incentives!

Anon: What kind of economist am I?  What kind of economist are you?!  You have failed to understand what I am maximizing!

I bowed down before the greater wisdom of my friend.

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