A child prodigy, 19th century economist John Stuart Mill said in his Autobiography that, “I have no remembrance of the time when I began Greek; I have been told that it was when I was three years old. My earliest…
Economic Ideas
Much more than money, economics is about tradeoffs. Thinking economically involves cost and benefit, marginal analysis and seeing that there is no free lunch. Econlife tries to convey these economic ideas, which serve as the foundation of economics and help people make decisions personally, professionally and as voters.
John Maynard Keynes and the Generational Impact of Entitlements
Before seeing how we are benefiting unequally from entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare, let’s start with some history. During 1934, with unemployment high and production low, British economist John Maynard Keynes was reported to have crumpled up a pile of…
What Would David Ricardo Say About Your Sneakers?
While the uniforms, boots and other items worn by the military are supposed to be 100% “Made in the USA,” exceptions are okay if we cannot make what they need. Athletic shoes became one of those exceptions when the Defense…
Adam Smith and Traffic Lights
Located 30 miles from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, the island of Nantucket has no traffic lights. Instead, drivers respond to stop signs, rotaries, and courtesy. More often than not, if a pedestrian, a walker, or a biker needs to cross the…
Chart of the Week: To Which Job Will Your College Major Take You?
Our Sunday chart of the week Just some human capital facts today… Showing the proportion of people from a college major that go to a certain kind of job, the following graphics connect college majors with employment groups. The original interactive graphics…
Crime and Punishment in Svalbard
Two times the size of New Jersey, Norway’s Svalbard territory has a single jail cell that was briefly occupied a year ago. Trying to decide why Svalbard has little crime, some cite its sparse population of 3,000 or the fact that it is an…
The Economics of Checklists
I just took a relative to a local hospital’s emergency room. Like Atul Gawande described in his book, The Checklist Manifesto, a nurse first noted “four physiological data points–body temperature, pulse, blood pressure, respiratory rate.” Had we been in that hospital 50 years ago, the…
The Cupcake Bubble
Just like technology stocks in 2000 and housing in 2005, the cupcake bubble has burst. In 2004 or so, many of us started buying the most amazing cupcakes. 4 inches tall, topped with sprinkles or a cookie, the cupcake might have been pistachio or strawberry…
The Reason I Will Return to My Local Movie Theater
I usually avoid going to my local AMC movie theater. Decades old, it has had a decaying lobby, saggy seats, and a rather worn-out feeling. Several weeks ago, though, as the only place with a good time to see Chef, I…
The Difference Between India's Stories and Statistics
There is a village in Southern India called Kadapakkam. It had been a home to farmers and fishermen whose thatched huts had no running water and no electrical appliances. At traditional tea shops located at the side of the local, narrow and potholed road, you could meet a friend. One 62…