Piketty

[Norm dePlume]

Out of curiosity, have you heard of this guy? And if so, what have you heard? I'm curious to know what impressions people have before they google him.

On edit: Basically, I'm gauging the scuttlebut. Answers will not be judged on accuracy.

[phillygirl]

Nope. Never heard of him.

[Billy Jingo]

Out of curiosity, have you heard of this guy? And if so, what have you heard? I'm curious to know what impressions people have before they google him.

On edit: Basically, I'm gauging the scuttlebut. Answers will not be judged on accuracy.

Economist. Wrote a book. Generic Marxist modern usage (meaning he said something about concentration of wealth being a bad thing not that he believes in the labor theory of value).

[Adam]

Krugman is a huge fan, which tells me that the greatest likelihood is that the guy is completely full of shit.


I do know that his big beef is "inequality," which is in and of itself BS. "Inequality" is simply natural and it is impossible to eradicate it. Mao didn't ride in a rickshaw. Neither does Fidel. I rather sincerely doubt he manages to answer the simple, basic question that blows the "inequality" argument out of the water: how does Bill Gates being phenomenally wealthy somehow make anyone else poorer?

Since the only answer to that question is "it doesn't," the entirety of the "inequality" argument is completely bogus.


I doubt I'll be enriching him with royalties to read his diatribe against people having wealth.

[Billy Jingo]

There it is.

[Adam]

There it is.

Indeed. The proof that the "inequality" argument is hollow and stupid is remarkably simple.

[Norm dePlume]

Two weeks ago, I'd never heard of the guy. Then I started seeing his name pop up quite a bit. Now I'm seeing his name being used as a sort of reference marker for a school of thought. He seems to be making a big splash on the left.

I'm going to make a prediction. I think by this time next year, the name "Piketty" will be well known among conservatives and well demonized. I think his name will join the pantheon of names that conservatives spit out to dismiss things out of hand, like Saul Alinsky or Karl Marx or Magaret Sanger or, yes, Krugman.

[Billy Jingo]

Two weeks ago, I'd never heard of the guy. Then I started seeing his name pop up quite a bit. Now I'm seeing his name being used as a sort of reference marker for a school of thought. He seems to be making a big splash on the left.

I'm going to make a prediction. I think by this time next year, the name "Piketty" will be well known among conservatives and well demonized. I think his name will join the pantheon of names that conservatives spit out to dismiss things out of hand, like Saul Alinsky or Karl Marx or Magaret Sanger or, yes, Krugman.

Yea. He will be a tribal marker. He already is, apparently.

I say this not having read his book (or the translation, really since I think he wrote it in French). It is probably common sense stuff about the inherent instability of oligarchy and the detrimental affects of aristocracy which the Chicago School tribalists tell themselves is meritocracy.

[Adam]

Yea. He will be a tribal marker. He already is, apparently.

I say this not having read his book (or the translation, really since I think he wrote it in French). It is probably common sense stuff about the inherent instability of oligarchy and the detrimental affects of aristocracy which the Chicago School tribalists tell themselves is meritocracy.

So, tell us how Bill Gates being rich somehow makes you poor.

[scott]

Yea. He will be a tribal marker. He already is, apparently.

I say this not having read his book (or the translation, really since I think he wrote it in French). It is probably common sense stuff about the inherent instability of oligarchy and the detrimental affects of aristocracy which the Chicago School tribalists tell themselves is meritocracy.

This is why these discussions go off the rails.

If your view of money is so good, why don't you practice what you preach?

[Norm dePlume]

This is why these discussions go off the rails.

If your view of money is so good, why don't you practice what you preach?

This is a discussion about Thomas Piketty. And here you are, questioning a fellow poster's qualifications to post an opinion you don't agree with.

Where do you think the rails are?

[Michele]

This is a discussion about Thomas Piketty. And here you are, questioning a fellow poster's qualifications to post an opinion you don't agree with.

Where do you think the rails are?

It wasn't/isn't much of a discussion. You found someone you like and wanted to talk about. Not many have heard of him except supposedly you and Bok..maybe Adam(?). You set it up that this guy will be demonized by conservatives and will be dismissed along with those other greats "like Saul Alinsky or Karl Marx or Magaret Sanger or, yes, Krugman". Pretty poor discussion started.

So, instead of doing your normal round and round and roundabout on the issue, why don't you start the discussion? You can enlighten the rest of us about what you think of him and why. Just a thought.

[scott]

This is a discussion about Thomas Piketty. And here you are, questioning a fellow poster's qualifications to post an opinion you don't agree with.

That's more than a stretch.

Where do you think the rails are?

Where actual discussion is. If this is yours and Bok's version of it, you're doing it wrong.

[scott]

It wasn't/isn't much of a discussion. You found someone you like and wanted to talk about. Not many have heard of him except supposedly you and Bok..maybe Adam(?). You set it up that this guy will be demonized by conservatives and will be dismissed along with those other greats "like Saul Alinsky or Karl Marx or Magaret Sanger or, yes, Krugman". Pretty poor discussion started.

So, instead of doing your normal round and round and roundabout on the issue, why don't you start the discussion? You can enlighten the rest of us about what you think of him and why. Just a thought.

Oh, let him troll. He gets off on having his preconceived notions proven - it's gives him street cred at DU.

[scott]

Economist. Wrote a book. Generic Marxist modern usage (meaning he said something about concentration of wealth being a bad thing not that he believes in the labor theory of value).

No demand that he advocate violent revolution? That used to be your bar for "Marxist," what changed?