Category Archives: Environment, society, politics and economics
Can curry change the world?
This morning about 4am I was lying in bed awake from a curry-induced nightmare about missing the train from Gillingham station (Dorset, not Kent). I had wandered away from my suitcase which I had left at the very end of … Continue reading
Drought and saving water: we should value cultural dispositions.
A cultural predisposition has economic value. We should try and calculate it in order to be able to assess the benefits of investing in cultural change. Reflecting on the Californian drought, I imagined a people which is thrifty with water … Continue reading
Gold-plated gardening tools? How the energy revolution could affect the elite
The elite of a society likes to gather wealth and symbols of that wealth. In order to accrue significantly more wealth than other people and thereby join or stay in the elite, someone has to have some particular advantage and … Continue reading
A Seasonal Tale: The Brilliant Economists of Easter Island
In trying to explain belief economics, I was reminded of a seasonal story: the tale of the utterly brilliant economists of Easter Island. Despite the historical inaccuracies, it nonetheless makes a startling case. Belief Economics is the study of why … Continue reading
No incentive to innovate?
Industry glibly says: “The low carbon price means there is no incentive to innovate.” Hell no, there really isn’t an incentive to innovate. How about solving a really big problem called “how does man live comfortably without smashing up the … Continue reading