Wednesday 6 January 2010
ECONOMICS...
Now, I'm not the world's best economist.. Far from it. But I am an economist. Give me that.
As I cook my risotto tonight, back from the local pub in the snow and waiting for the rice to soften, I am quite frankly amazed at the audacity of some people. And a neighbour at that. Having said that, if any of my other neighbours read this they would know who I'm talking about immediately given this guy happens to embarass himself on a regular basis (or at least more than I do ;) - a sense of humour is always useful in life )
I have just come back from a conversation with (incidentally a Guardian reader) who thinks that gas is a public good - hot on the heels of some story sowed from the paper he reads about utilities companies making profits or something, he clearly had an issue with gas this evening? Anyway, given that I challenged him on the definition of a public good by pointing out that if there were only one litre of gas left in the world and he used it to heat his house I would not be able to heat my own (joint and non-excludable consumption - look it up if you are lost) I think I rest my case... At this point he very un-chivalrously, unmanly and downright rudely turned his back on me..
Look up the proper definition of a public good if you will - here.
This guy knows nothing. Full stop.
Anyway, I must go off to stir my risotto - but please, I do know more than the average Joe in the pub about economics - my parents will tell you that given they funded my education. My pupils may also tell you that, from the four countries where I have lectured. And lastly, but not leastly, my current clients might tell you the same given they pay me a handsome daily amount to advise them.
What is my neighbour doing on a daily basis? Well, from what I can see, nothing more than reading the Guardian and listening to Radio bore, sorry four, not much else.....
This IS what is wrong with the UK right now - too many coffee table economists, politicians, newspaper educated policy advisers that haven't a fucking clue about the basic tools never mind the real world complexities. Apologies for no deletions of the swearing but - to be honest - the time HAS come... 2010 the year of say it as it is. And if you don't know about a subject - do what I do - SHUT THE FUCK UP...
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2 comments:
I can honestly say I had never come across the term 'public good' before, but then I have also never claimed something to be one either. Now I know what it means though, ta :)
I do get very frustrated by people who discuss things in a knowledgable manner when they are clearly basing their opinions on something that they heard on the news or from a colleague. I have a friend who has a huge tendancy to do that. Interestingly, her husband tends to think of himself as thick because he didn't go to university, but I actually view him as one of the smartest people I know, simply because if a conversation takes place on a subject he doesn't know about, he listens to what people are saying instead of feeling that he has to say something just for the sake of talking. I try to be very careful and if I don't really know much about a subject, I will usually admit to that and if I go on to say something that is wrong, I am happy to be corrected by someone who knows more about the subject. Which is usually most people.
Thanks for that - and you are right about listening being the mark of 'real intelligence' - however that is measured. I went to University, I went on and worked at a University etc.. but I know very little about anything but Economics and ice hockey. I'm the first to admit that. Oh, and maybe I am a reasonable cook, but that's hit and miss too!
Glad you now know what a public good is! But, to be honest, it's a pure economics thing as there are very few around in the real world we live in...
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