Behavioural Economics is all the rage these days. It recognizes that we are not fully rational and tries to to ‘nudge’ us to make positive changes in their lives (for instance, creating systems where if you get a raise it is automatically saved in a 401(k) unless you opt out). But what if you wanted… Continue reading Nudging you the Wrong Way
Author: lindsayrgwatt
Random Thoughts at NYPL
I spent part of Saturday working at the NYPL branch on 5th & 42nd (it’s the best place to get a desk to work at in the entire city). Here are a couple of ramblings: In the morning, the reading hall was filled with tourists and people working with Mac computers. By mid-afternoon there were… Continue reading Random Thoughts at NYPL
Boom & Bust
Way back in 1933, Irving Fisher outlined what it took to make a depression or recession really nasty. In a nutshell: too much debt, followed by deflation that is brought on by everyone selling to reduce their debt. This creates a vicious cycle where you can sell everything you have but you still can’t cover… Continue reading Boom & Bust
Overwhelming Force
When Colin Powell was getting ready to fight the Gulf War, a bunch of journalists branded his opinions and views as The Powell Doctrine. It stipulated the criteria required for the U.S. to enter a war, plus, that once the U.S. entered a war, it would use all of its resources to overwhelm an enemy… Continue reading Overwhelming Force
Instant Admiration to Instant Revulsion
I ended up having Friday afternoon free (thank you Easter!) so I decided to walk home and stop off at a couple of art galleries in Chelsea. As I walked down 19th and passed the David Zwirner gallery, I was stopped in my tracks by this: It literally looked like somebody had turned a small… Continue reading Instant Admiration to Instant Revulsion