tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4824790768118172625.post2579980007590187282..comments2023-08-24T18:26:14.508-07:00Comments on Pragmatarianism: Succeeding vs Failing At Other MindsXerographicahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14978832439622230018noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4824790768118172625.post-31014680556663988022015-02-24T16:28:10.919-08:002015-02-24T16:28:10.919-08:00Imagine a cat stuck in a tree. Do you want to arg...Imagine a cat stuck in a tree. Do you want to argue that it's a problem that the cat is stuck in the tree? Ok, I'm not going to disagree with you. We have a problem. <br /><br />Where there's a point of contention is the issue of how to solve this problem. <br /><br />Let's say that you want to use the <a href="http://pragmatarianism.blogspot.com/2014/04/value-signals.html" rel="nofollow">bat signal</a> so that Batman will rescue the cat from the tree. Perhaps you're assuming that Batman has nothing better to do with his time than organize his ties. If this is what you're assuming then I can understand why you perceive that we'd increase the total benefit by having Batman rescue the cat. But if, in reality, Batman was actually coming up with a plan to defeat the Joker once in for all... then we'd greatly decrease the total benefit by having Batman rescue the cat.<br /><br />In economic terms, Batman is a limited resource. The opportunity cost is too high if having him rescue a cat requires that we forgo the benefit of having him figure out how to defeat the Joker. One person's small benefit doesn't outweigh an entire city's huge detriment. <br /><br />So I have no problem with you wanting the government to intervene. That's not my issue. My issue is that, with the current system... people can see a public problem... and they want the government to do something about it... which is perfectly reasonable... but they can't see where the required resources are taken from and they have no idea how much benefit is lost as a result. <br /><br />On the one hand, Batman rescued a cat from a tree. But on the other hand, the Joker destroyed Gotham. <br /><br />Markets work because you know that any time spent replying to this comment is time that can't be spent doing other things that you also value. So you endeavor to put your time, a limited resource, to its most valuable use. <br /><br />Pragmatarianism would create a market in the public sector by allowing people would choose where their taxes go. This means that if you want more government intervention in one area... then you're going to have to decide whether it's worth it to have less government in other areas. This is the only way to ensure that government intervention truly maximizes society's total benefit. <br /><br />For more info please see... <a href="http://pragmatarianism.blogspot.com/2015/02/why-i-love-your-freedom.html" rel="nofollow">Why I Love Your Freedom</a>.<br /><br />Let me know if you have any questions. Xerographicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14978832439622230018noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4824790768118172625.post-22686224214956231692015-02-24T14:05:14.116-08:002015-02-24T14:05:14.116-08:00You make several good points about the efficiency ...You make several good points about the efficiency of free markets, however there are limits.<br />A free market is inherently a greedy algorithm and thus requires an optimal substructure to achieve optimal solutions; government intervention is likely required to provide this substructure.<br />Tragedy of the Commons is the general term for most examples of such problems. Without a government restriction to prevent over-fishing the oceans and lakes will be depleted by individual tendency to maximize their lot. It is possible minimum wage might be a required restriction as well, but this point is still debatable.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17984375362786317420noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4824790768118172625.post-40771976098619079272015-02-20T08:35:52.034-08:002015-02-20T08:35:52.034-08:00Glad you enjoyed the article and graphic from our ...Glad you enjoyed the article and graphic from our website! I think economics is indeed a huge area with low-hanging fruits for improvement in our thinking and decision-making. Communicating with others on how their interests are best served is one of the toughest things for both business and customers alike, and hopefully articles like yours can help advance this area. Gleb Tsipurskyhttp://www.intentionalinsights.orgnoreply@blogger.com