4 ms·

I'm not sure why this comment is getting downvoted. It seems to me to be on par in terms of quality with the rest of the thread. Sure, there's no hard evidence

I'm not sure why this comment is getting downvoted. It seems to me to be on par in terms of quality with the rest of the thread. Sure, there's no hard evidence given with any assertion, but there aren't really in the immediate ancestors either. This just seems to be an unpopular view, but I think that it's better to offer a counterargument than to downvote in that case, especially since downvoting visually deemphasizes the comment, which surely leads to fewer people reading it. To me, that outcome doesn't seem justified for this comment.

justin66 13y ago
Thanks. I wonder what you'd like to see in terms of hard evidence?
btilly 13y ago
I think it is getting downvoted because it waves its hands in response to a specific, easily verifiable, claim. And worse yet, waves its hands with weak arguments. I claimed that the price of agricultural goods is inelastic. That's easy to verify one way or another. In 2011 the world produced 5% less of basic staples than normal. Prices of basic food staples doubled worldwide. Many countries had riots as a result. There you go, price inelasticity in action. (In fact the inelasticity of demand to price for food is the standard textbook example of price inelasticity.) See http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/05/soaring-food-prices/ http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/05/soaring-food-pri... for verification of the 2011 food price claim.
- justin66 13y ago
  > I think it is getting downvoted because it waves its hands in response to a specific, easily verifiable, claim. Odd. I thought the issue of elasticity was uninteresting and didn't really intend to comment on it. In any case, you're giving downvoters a little too much credit. "Hulk disagree! Hulk smash, downvote!" > See http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/05/soaring-food-pri.. http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/05/soaring-food-pri.... for verification of the 2011 food price claim. For a good time, google "krugman agricultural subsidies".

justin66 13y ago

Thanks. I wonder what you'd like to see in terms of hard evidence?

btilly 13y ago

I think it is getting downvoted because it waves its hands in response to a specific, easily verifiable, claim. And worse yet, waves its hands with weak arguments. I claimed that the price of agricultural goods is inelastic. That's easy to verify one way or another. In 2011 the world produced 5% less of basic staples than normal. Prices of basic food staples doubled worldwide. Many countries had riots as a result. There you go, price inelasticity in action. (In fact the inelasticity of demand to price for food is the standard textbook example of price inelasticity.) See http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/05/soaring-food-prices/ http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/05/soaring-food-pri... for verification of the 2011 food price claim.

justin66 13y ago
> I think it is getting downvoted because it waves its hands in response to a specific, easily verifiable, claim. Odd. I thought the issue of elasticity was uninteresting and didn't really intend to comment on it. In any case, you're giving downvoters a little too much credit. "Hulk disagree! Hulk smash, downvote!" > See http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/05/soaring-food-pri.. http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/05/soaring-food-pri.... for verification of the 2011 food price claim. For a good time, google "krugman agricultural subsidies".