Reminds me of an old Bloom County strip, where Binkley’s Anxiety Closet sends out TWO economists to explain the economy to him. Of course, they agree on NOTHING.
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Are you claiming that Cecil Adams is actually Wayne Gretzky? That’s a new one. 
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His join date is '99 :eek:
The fun part is that Uncle Reemus probubly thinks that Cecil routinely pops in to comment on threads.
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Anyone else surprised to hear Cecil’s dim view of the entire field of economics in the latest column? Kind of a broad indictment to doubt that economics, “contributes in any way to the betterment of humanity.” Sure, some bad economic thinking has caused a lot of pain throughout history. But could we enjoy our current quality of life without economics?
Discuss.
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Economics is a function of the way a society runs, not the set of rules under which a given society operates. Cecil has taken a simpleton’s view of multifarious issue. Economics is, in a way, humanity. When interpreting history, is it done so without an economic framework? I don’t suppose 12 thousand years ago when the first surplus bit of wheat grain attracted a population that they aware that what they doing at that very moment changed the shape of the world and civilization. Give me grain and I’ll give you my spear. Simplistic, yes, but the barter was born and hence, economics. From this small beginning sprouted the economic complexities of the modern world. Sure they are more flavors of economic theories than Baskin-Robbins, but the basic tenet holds water. More and more markets are opening in depressed areas of the world and I hope their economic taskmasters don’t take Cecil half as serious as I have.
You are a sly one Mr. Cecil and I give you kudos for the opening the dialogue. I figured you knew how to stir the pot after having read, “Galaxy V. Constellation.” Stir it up, just stir it up and see what may come………