Paul Krugman misstating something is the ultimate "dog bites man" story. Hell, it's more of a "dog doesn't bite man" story. It would be a real challenge to write an essay about Krugman the Pundit getting something right. (Yes, he did some good academic, non-pundit work.)
One of the best Krugman takedowns ever came from Internet wit David Burge, a.k.a., "Iowahawk." He publicly explained the idea of a composition fallacy to Krugman, who used some less-than-ideal data to fawn over teachers' unions. Iowahawk demolished Krugman's logic. As far as I know, Krugman never acknowledged the takedown. I'll write on it sometime, but here it is. https://iowahawk.typepad.com/iowahawk/2011/03/longhorns-17-badgers-1.html
You point out some really great insights and quirks about what seems to be really going on.
But I am still leery of "the point" that Dickens had in mind, since he seemed to be so anti-capitalist, anti-economic insights that I will need to read the story again.
For an amazingly clear dose of how devious/ridiculous Dickens was on this point, I recommend reading his book "Hard Times" where he sets up a bunch of totally straw men ideas about how economists would/did raise their own kids.
He may have been alluding to James Mill's rearing of his son John Stuart, since I have heard it was pretty strict and ended in a nervous breakdown of JS Mill. BUT even if that was true, I can't imagine that the kids (if any) of Adam Smith, David Ricardo, Jeremy Bentham, et. al. were raised anything like the way Dickens described how his fictitious character Thomas Gradgrind raising his kids in Hard Times.
This is exactly right! Scrooge's revelation is the joy of helping others himself, not shifting it off to the government. A friend and I read this tale aloud to each other as a Christmas tradition, starting last year. I love the 1938 movie version too. This reminds me: I remember being on a Skype call with a woman in Iceland when Skype was relatively new, and I was doing a story on the Skype version of the Rotary Club. She lauded America's volunteerism. She said in Iceland you can't get anyone to help because they figure that the government does enough.
Thanks, Joy. I prefer the 1951 version. Alastair Sim plays the celebration scene so well. Great story about Iceland. I have a similar story about Greece. I don't think I've posted it here. If you want to read the story, tell me and I'll do so.
I am sure the old Scrooge would not have refused a government subsidy if offered.
Paul Krugman misstating something is the ultimate "dog bites man" story. Hell, it's more of a "dog doesn't bite man" story. It would be a real challenge to write an essay about Krugman the Pundit getting something right. (Yes, he did some good academic, non-pundit work.)
One of the best Krugman takedowns ever came from Internet wit David Burge, a.k.a., "Iowahawk." He publicly explained the idea of a composition fallacy to Krugman, who used some less-than-ideal data to fawn over teachers' unions. Iowahawk demolished Krugman's logic. As far as I know, Krugman never acknowledged the takedown. I'll write on it sometime, but here it is. https://iowahawk.typepad.com/iowahawk/2011/03/longhorns-17-badgers-1.html
Nice post by Burge. I read him sometimes but I missed this one.
Fascinating take on Dickens' Christmas Carol.
You point out some really great insights and quirks about what seems to be really going on.
But I am still leery of "the point" that Dickens had in mind, since he seemed to be so anti-capitalist, anti-economic insights that I will need to read the story again.
For an amazingly clear dose of how devious/ridiculous Dickens was on this point, I recommend reading his book "Hard Times" where he sets up a bunch of totally straw men ideas about how economists would/did raise their own kids.
He may have been alluding to James Mill's rearing of his son John Stuart, since I have heard it was pretty strict and ended in a nervous breakdown of JS Mill. BUT even if that was true, I can't imagine that the kids (if any) of Adam Smith, David Ricardo, Jeremy Bentham, et. al. were raised anything like the way Dickens described how his fictitious character Thomas Gradgrind raising his kids in Hard Times.
This is great, David! Thank you for a timely re-sharing of this insight.
Thanks, Carrie-Ann. And you're welcome.
This is exactly right! Scrooge's revelation is the joy of helping others himself, not shifting it off to the government. A friend and I read this tale aloud to each other as a Christmas tradition, starting last year. I love the 1938 movie version too. This reminds me: I remember being on a Skype call with a woman in Iceland when Skype was relatively new, and I was doing a story on the Skype version of the Rotary Club. She lauded America's volunteerism. She said in Iceland you can't get anyone to help because they figure that the government does enough.
Thanks, Joy. I prefer the 1951 version. Alastair Sim plays the celebration scene so well. Great story about Iceland. I have a similar story about Greece. I don't think I've posted it here. If you want to read the story, tell me and I'll do so.