# Congrats, Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman!! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 13, 2008, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congrats-nobel-prize-winner-paul-krugman/467706 "2008-10-13T13:25:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congrats-nobel-prize-winner-paul-krugman/467706/1 "2008-10-13T13:25:38Z")
His [blog entry](http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/13/an-interesting-morning/) today: “A [funny thing](http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/economics/laureates/2008/) happened to me this morning …” Well done, Dr. K! ---
**Author:** ![Pimms\_o\_clock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bb73d2/32.png) [@Pimms\_o\_clock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pimms_o_clock)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congrats-nobel-prize-winner-paul-krugman/467706/2 "2008-10-13T13:32:06Z")
He did not win the Nobel prize. He won The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. This is an issue that pisses me off. There is no such thing as a Nobel Prize in Economics. I don’t like him either, but that’s by the by. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congrats-nobel-prize-winner-paul-krugman/467706/3 "2008-10-13T14:04:26Z")
> [@Pimms\_o\_clock](#): > > He did not win the Nobel prize. He won The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. > > This is an issue that pisses me off. There is no such thing as a Nobel Prize in Economics. Whatever, dude. Everybody’s been calling it the Nobel in Economics as long as I can remember. This is the first time in all those decades that I can recall hearing anybody get purist like this about it. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congrats-nobel-prize-winner-paul-krugman/467706/4 "2008-10-13T14:26:24Z")
> [@Pimms\_o\_clock](#): > > He won The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. In other words, he won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. Word play is fun. ---
**Author:** ![Pimms\_o\_clock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bb73d2/32.png) [@Pimms\_o\_clock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pimms_o_clock)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congrats-nobel-prize-winner-paul-krugman/467706/5 "2008-10-13T14:36:13Z")
> [@ParentalAdvisory](#): > > In other words, he won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. > > Word play is fun. I guess my point is that this prize has nothing to do with the real Nobel prizes. It would be like if I awarded myself General of the British Empire or The Legion de tres onerable. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congrats-nobel-prize-winner-paul-krugman/467706/6 "2008-10-13T14:36:48Z")
Does he get the $10 million, like the other prize recipients get? Just curious. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congrats-nobel-prize-winner-paul-krugman/467706/7 "2008-10-13T14:44:13Z")
> [@Pimms\_o\_clock](#): > > It would be like if I awarded myself General of the British Empire or The Legion de tres onerable. Yes, it’s exactly the same. :rolleyes: Putz. ---
**Author:** ![Pimms\_o\_clock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bb73d2/32.png) [@Pimms\_o\_clock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pimms_o_clock)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congrats-nobel-prize-winner-paul-krugman/467706/8 "2008-10-13T14:46:57Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > Yes, it’s exactly the same. :rolleyes: Putz. Ok, fine, it would be as if I awarded someone deserving the GBE. Would you like a GBE? ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congrats-nobel-prize-winner-paul-krugman/467706/9 "2008-10-13T14:58:32Z")
He can’t have it, he’s American. I, on the other hand, am a loyal Commonwealth citizen. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congrats-nobel-prize-winner-paul-krugman/467706/10 "2008-10-13T15:11:28Z")
> [@Pimms\_o\_clock](#): > > He did not win the Nobel prize. He won The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. > > This is an issue that pisses me off. There is no such thing as a Nobel Prize in Economics. > > I don’t like him either, but that’s by the by. Two points: [ol] [li]You’re absolutely correct about the prize not, strictly speaking, being a Nobel Prize.[/li][li]No one else cares.[/li][/ol] ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congrats-nobel-prize-winner-paul-krugman/467706/11 "2008-10-13T16:50:13Z")
> [@Pimms\_o\_clock](#): > > This is an issue that pisses me off. There is no such thing as a Nobel Prize in Economics. [Uh-huh](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nobel%20prize) ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congrats-nobel-prize-winner-paul-krugman/467706/12 "2008-10-13T17:13:06Z")
> [@Pimms\_o\_clock](#): > > I don’t like him either, **but that’s by the by.** Obviously completely unrelated. ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congrats-nobel-prize-winner-paul-krugman/467706/13 "2008-10-13T17:32:05Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > Yes, it’s exactly the same. :rolleyes: Putz. Insults are not allowed outside the Pit. Please do not do this again. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congrats-nobel-prize-winner-paul-krugman/467706/14 "2008-10-13T18:04:40Z")
It certainly wouldn’t be inappropriate to note that while I think this prize is deserved for his work in economics, I think a lot of people are crowing today because they like Krugman for wholly unconnected reasons, namely his political commentary, which was not recognized for any award at all. I detest Krugman as a political commentator, and think this commentary detracts from his overall body of work - but I’ll offer him congratulations for that which is his due. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congrats-nobel-prize-winner-paul-krugman/467706/15 "2008-10-13T18:07:15Z")
> [@SkipMagic](#): > > Insults are not allowed outside the Pit. Please do not do this again. My bad, I forgot. Er, I forgot that I wasn’t in the Pit, not that insults are only allowed in the Pit. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congrats-nobel-prize-winner-paul-krugman/467706/16 "2008-10-13T18:32:28Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > Does he get the $10 million, like the other prize recipients get? Just curious. [Yes](http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/economics/amount.html) But it’s not 10 million dollars, it’s 10 million Swedish kronor. At the current rate of about 7:1, its about $1.4 million. ---
**Author:** ![Henrichek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5daacb/32.png) [@Henrichek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Henrichek)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congrats-nobel-prize-winner-paul-krugman/467706/17 "2008-10-13T18:36:46Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > Two points: > [ol] > [li]You’re absolutely correct about the prize not, strictly speaking, being a Nobel Prize.[/li][li]No one else cares.[/li][/ol] Demonstrably false. I also care. 🙂 Anyway, I think it’s just wrong. It’s attributing Nobel’s name to a prize he had nothing to do with. It’s not even funded by Nobel. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congrats-nobel-prize-winner-paul-krugman/467706/18 "2008-10-13T18:44:09Z")
> [@Pimms\_o\_clock](#): > > He did not win the Nobel prize. He won The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel. > > This is an issue that pisses me off. There is no such thing as a Nobel Prize in Economics. > > I don’t like him either, but that’s by the by. Talk about a semantic nitpick. It’s true that the economic prize was not one of the original 5 established by Nobel’s will. But the prize is listed on the Nobel Prize website (it is called the Prize in Economics), and the winner is chosen in a manner virtually identical to all the other Nobel Prizes, according to the Nobel Prize’s [own website](http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/economics/articles/lindbeck/index.html): > [@](#): > > The award is given by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences according to the same principles as for the Nobel Prizes that have been awarded since 1901. ---
**Author:** ![Pimms\_o\_clock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bb73d2/32.png) [@Pimms\_o\_clock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pimms_o_clock)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2008, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/congrats-nobel-prize-winner-paul-krugman/467706/19 "2008-10-13T19:04:04Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > [Uh-huh](http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nobel%20prize) It wasn’t in his will, and Adam Smith had died well over a century before Nobel so it’s not as if he would have wanted an economics prize had he been aware that the field existed. It’s a bleeding disgrace.