Economists, Eh

There's something about Economics and economists that tends to rub me the wrong way. It's not every economist mind you. The work most do is useful and some of it is even insightful, but it is often a very narrow insight with respect to society as a whole and most I've dealt with don't see that. They have an ethical blindspot that you could jackknife a truck through. For every Paul Krugman there are a hundred Larry Summers.

My crude and insulting stereotype goes like so:

If things keep going the way they're going, only the wealthy will be able to afford clean air to breath and clean water to drink. When that day comes, economists will classify those of us who want to return to the days when those things were free and plentiful as unserious utopian dreamers, or worse, ranting haters envious of the success of the air and water merchants. Then they will get back to the serious business of maximizing air and water stock values