U.S. economists don’t give a shit: Daily Bullshit, September 15-16, 2016

Economics

In the second half of the 20th century, the Chicago School pushed concern for social inequality to the margins of economics, emphasizing markets,[1] despite the fact that markets inherently exacerbate inequality,[2] and even as “many view [high levels of inequality] as a drag on the performance of the U.S. economy.”[3]

Perhaps a Donald Trump victory, which seems increasingly possible,[4] would focus some minds.

Arjun Jayadev, “Do U.S. Economists Ignore Inequality?” Institute for New Economic Thinking, September 14, 2016, https://www.ineteconomics.org/ideas-papers/blog/do-u-s-economists-ignore-inequality

Alana Semuels, “Why So Few American Economists Are Studying Inequality,” Atlantic, September 13, 2016, http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/09/why-so-few-american-economists-are-studying-inequality/499253/


Dying

It’s hard to know for sure, but dying might often not be a very miserable experience at all.[5]

Jennie Dear, “What It Feels Like to Die,” Atlantic, September 9, 2016, http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/09/what-it-feels-like-to-die/499319/


  1. [1]Alana Semuels, “Why So Few American Economists Are Studying Inequality,” Atlantic, September 13, 2016, http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/09/why-so-few-american-economists-are-studying-inequality/499253/
  2. [2]Max Weber, “Class, Status, Party,” in Social Theory: The Multicultural and Classic Readings, ed. Charles Lemert, 4th ed. (Boulder, CO: Westview, 2010), 119-129.
  3. [3]Arjun Jayadev, “Do U.S. Economists Ignore Inequality?” Institute for New Economic Thinking, September 14, 2016, https://www.ineteconomics.org/ideas-papers/blog/do-u-s-economists-ignore-inequality
  4. [4]John Zogby, “Clinton and Trump: How Not To Win a Majority,” John Zogby Strategies, September 11, 2016, http://johnzogbystrategies.com/clinton-and-trump-how-not-to-win-a-majority/
  5. [5]Jennie Dear, “What It Feels Like to Die,” Atlantic, September 9, 2016, http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/09/what-it-feels-like-to-die/499319/