Economics is often referred to as the dismal science, supposed in reference to Malthus' predictions of cycles of famine and death, but a lot of economists are positively upbeat about the condition of humanity. Perhaps this is because, by most objective measures, the material well being of people has been improving for the last few centuries.
Matt Ridley, the Rational Optimist, tends to specialize in pointing out the good news and he has a post on his blog covering the reasons to be cheerful even if there is plenty of bad news in the world this summer. The post has some interesting charts showing the declining price of light, increasing GDP, and declining deaths due to severe weather.
Mark Perry did a good job of grouping and highlighting Ridleys' points, so rather than do so myself, I will refer you to Perry's post for a more digestable version of Ridley's reasons for cheer.
4 comments:
Excellent article! I am particularly fond of reason #10. Perhaps it's the way Matt Ridley approached the matter. The world on a global level has certainly made strides in regards to political freedom and acknowledgement of the peoples voices. Although suppression still exists there is far more insight of such and pressure from the outside to promote change.
Excellent article! I am particularly fond of reason #10. Perhaps it's the way Matt Ridley approached the matter. The world on a global level has certainly made strides in regards to political freedom and acknowledgement of the peoples voices. Although suppression still exists there is far more insight of such and pressure from the outside to promote change.
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Factoid: Creative Destruction in the Fortune 500
Steve Denning article on Forbes highlights many factors that contribute to the rise and fall of various businesses. His theory on why the declines occurred for many of the great companies is not a new trend. The idea that companies are always looking for new way to cut down cost, in the expense of lowering the quality of products, is nothing new. I agree with his notion that the use of salesmen has in many ways been selling an illusion of products to the general public. The people and or customers want a good product, but in the end the companies will slowly lose their standings with the customers. In the global age of new market shares and over sea competitors, companies are fighting for market shares. The short- term profitability gain from the dispirit of the creators and engineers of products in the long run does not measure up to the long term survivability of the company.
Lamin Cham
Troy University
IR 6656 International Power and Influence
Thursday, August 21, 2014
Factoid: Creative Destruction in the Fortune 500
Steve Denning article on Forbes highlights many factors that contribute to the rise and fall of various businesses. His theory on why the declines occurred for many of the great companies is not a new trend. The idea that companies are always looking for new way to cut down cost, in the expense of lowering the quality of products, is nothing new. I agree with his notion that the use of salesmen has in many ways been selling an illusion of products to the general public. The people and or customers want a good product, but in the end the companies will slowly lose their standings with the customers. In the global age of new market shares and over sea competitors, companies are fighting for market shares. The short- term profitability gain from the dispirit of the creators and engineers of products in the long run does not measure up to the long term survivability of the company.
Lamin Cham
Troy University
IR 6656 International Power and Influence
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