4 ms·

I started to read this book but it seems to be full of political bile. How does it compare to Economics in One Lesson?

WillPostForFood 4y ago
Can you give an example of "political bile"? Sowell is an incredibly even-keeled writer, and I'm surprised someone would find the book angry (or political, other than believing in traditional economics).
- rednerrus 4y ago
  "Political Bile" = things I don't agree with.
  - datavirtue 4y ago
    - SantalBlush 4y ago
      Jesus, the constant martyrdom being spewed on this site is nauseating. Sowell isn't tucked away; the book under discussion is famous and known by pretty much all economists in the US.
  - yamtaddle 4y ago
    I dunno—another if-anything-even-more-right-wing economist seems to be the poster's point of comparison, so I too am curious what rubbed them the wrong way about Sowell. I certainly get a right-wing tone from the preface and first few pages of this book—I'm hoping later chapters will moderate the "if you're not maximizing economic utility you're definitely screwing up and must just be too stupid to realize it because there can't possibly be a good reason" subtext, and it just seems so strong at the beginning because he's trying to present the very-basics without nuance at this point, but I can't see that striking a Hazlitt fan as anything but a point in its favor.
- RockyMcNuts 4y ago
  he seems to have a lot of antagonistic partisan talking points https://www.brainyquote.com/search_results?q=thomas+sowell https://www.brainyquote.com/search_results?q=thomas+sowell
digianarchist 4y ago
A former Marxist that is now an ardent Republican. Pretty er...interesting political jump.
dudeinjapan 4y ago
It's "political" because when you start to actually understand how various incentives motivate human economic behavior, "if you subsidize more of A you get more of B", it shines an uncomfortable light on the consequences on many policy choices.

Can you give an example of "political bile"? Sowell is an incredibly even-keeled writer, and I'm surprised someone would find the book angry (or political, other than believing in traditional economics).

rednerrus 4y ago
"Political Bile" = things I don't agree with.
- datavirtue 4y ago
  - SantalBlush 4y ago
    Jesus, the constant martyrdom being spewed on this site is nauseating. Sowell isn't tucked away; the book under discussion is famous and known by pretty much all economists in the US.
- yamtaddle 4y ago
  I dunno—another if-anything-even-more-right-wing economist seems to be the poster's point of comparison, so I too am curious what rubbed them the wrong way about Sowell. I certainly get a right-wing tone from the preface and first few pages of this book—I'm hoping later chapters will moderate the "if you're not maximizing economic utility you're definitely screwing up and must just be too stupid to realize it because there can't possibly be a good reason" subtext, and it just seems so strong at the beginning because he's trying to present the very-basics without nuance at this point, but I can't see that striking a Hazlitt fan as anything but a point in its favor.
RockyMcNuts 4y ago
he seems to have a lot of antagonistic partisan talking points https://www.brainyquote.com/search_results?q=thomas+sowell https://www.brainyquote.com/search_results?q=thomas+sowell

digianarchist 4y ago

A former Marxist that is now an ardent Republican. Pretty er...interesting political jump.

dudeinjapan 4y ago

It's "political" because when you start to actually understand how various incentives motivate human economic behavior, "if you subsidize more of A you get more of B", it shines an uncomfortable light on the consequences on many policy choices.