« Behind the Counter | Main | A Handout by Any Other Name....» Don Boudreaux
February 08, 2005
Broken Record, Broken Record, Broken Record, Broken Rec....
Don Boudreaux
As sure as camera crews follow natural disasters, so too do stories of how each natural disaster is really actually pretty darn good for the economy. Here (courtesy of my friend Fred Dent) is one of these inevitable explanations of how the Indian ocean tsunami is an economic blessing.
What to say? “Broken Window Fallacy” comes to mind. Or maybe, “Hey! Why not bomb the bejezzus out of American cities to give the U.S. economy a little more of a lift? We can evacuate city-folk to North Dakota for the duration of the bombing, so no one is killed; we’ll merely destroy people’s homes, automobiles, places of work and worship, barista bars, and household pets. (We don’t want to short-change dog breeders and pet-shop owners, of course.) Think of the prosperity we’ll create!
….
Someone ought to write a book bearing a title something like this: An Inquiry Into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations.
Posted by Don Boudreaux in Myths and Fallacies | Permalink
TrackBack
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d834518ccc69e200d834580e6769e2
Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Broken Record, Broken Record, Broken Record, Broken Rec....:
» Did countries hit by the Tsunami benefit economically? Maybe from Libertarian Girl
Don Boudreaux brings up the "Broken Window Fallacy" in a post criticizing a news article suggesting that the Tsunami disaster was good for the economies of the affected countries. It's true that the world as a whole does not [Read More]
Tracked on Feb 8, 2005 2:20:42 PM
» Picking Up the Pieces from The Agitator
Don Boudreaux finds further proof of the truism that wherever there's a natural disaster, a journalist will soon after succumb... [Read More]
Tracked on Feb 8, 2005 5:56:46 PM
» No, Tsunamis are not good for the economy from Different River
I'm an economist, but I know exactly how a geographer would feel if he saw a news story from a major wire service explaining how the earth is flat, hardly even bothering to mention that some people think it's round. This is not unusual; it happens e... [Read More]
Tracked on Feb 10, 2005 2:14:45 PM
» The Broken Window - Fallacy, or Psychological Defense Mechanism? from Catallarchy
As I quickly scanned through my backblog tonight, I encountered yet another cogent post protesting against the infamous Broken Window Fallacy. I had my own little mental conversation with someone on the other side, pictured saying "Suppose you're th... [Read More]
Tracked on Feb 17, 2005 5:23:08 AM
» Belarus opposition defies authorities, calls rally from rally on Saturday
opposition, its four-day protest snuffed out by police, defied a ban and called a new rally on Saturday to denounce what it calls the rigged [Read More]
Tracked on Mar 25, 2006 11:45:39 AM
» 'I'll Take Anything' Attitude Can Backfire in Interviews from andidates Are
andidates Are Often Seen as Desperate and Unfocused [Read More]
Tracked on Mar 30, 2006 12:25:11 PM
» MP3 Downloads, Full Albums, Latest Hits, MP3 Search from Global Media Search Engine
Big Mp3 Archive, Mp3 Search, Mp3 Albums, Mp3 Songs, Mp3 Software, Mp3 Traffic Exchange, Advertising... [Read More]
Tracked on Apr 5, 2006 9:59:58 PM
» Links Catalog Search Results For: hydromorphone from Public Library - Health - Drugs & Medicines
Search the Web:. OneBigVillage Home! Search the Web! Check Your Village Mail! Chat Now! ... Over the Counter (0). Prescription Drugs (0) Painkillers ... [Read More]
Tracked on Apr 8, 2006 12:38:55 AM
» Another policeman killed in violent Mexican state from Arellano, police
was shot in his patrol car in the early hours of the morning. Another police officer with him was wounded.
[Read More]
Tracked on Apr 26, 2006 3:23:55 PM
» Pfizer and the Proxy Adviser from to a firm that
to a firm that endorsed its slate of directors, raising questions about potential bias. [Read More]
Tracked on Apr 29, 2006 9:27:32 AM
» Italian Charms from ItalianCharms -- Search results
Italian charms has stainless links from companies by Zoppini, Boxing, ReFlorence, Puzzle, Ryry, Talexia & Unodomani... [Read More]
Tracked on May 22, 2006 5:42:34 AM
» Dictionary Search Page from Dictionary Search
An unabridged dictionary from aalii to zymurgy, including a pronunciation guide... [Read More]
Tracked on May 22, 2006 11:09:06 AM
» Maresca Gives MOM Bonus to Charity from midfielder Enzo
who was voted man of the match for his two goals in Wednesday's 4-0 UEFA Cup final [Read More]
Tracked on May 25, 2006 1:50:32 PM
» Pandemic ?dry run? is cause for concern from ndonesian bird-flu
ndonesian bird-flu cluster rings alarm bells. [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 5, 2006 7:12:07 PM
» First cervical cancer vaccine wins US approval from as a major
on Thursday, a step welcomed as a major advance against a disease that kills about 300,000 [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 15, 2006 4:39:43 PM
» Dallas' Armstrong Considers Coaching from during the NBA
together and lead critiques of the film sessions. 'I run it,'' he said. 'I give my input. I know [Read More]
Tracked on Jun 18, 2006 7:32:06 AM
» Call for new baby jaundice checks from Officer says
Chief Medical Officer says newborns should get jaundice checks to prevent unnecessary deaths. [Read More]
Tracked on Jul 24, 2006 2:06:47 PM
» New Video Collating Tool Adds To Visual Hindsight IP Video Surveillance Lineup from product designed
is pleased to announce Video Joiner, a new product designed to compliment [Read More]
Tracked on Aug 7, 2006 3:14:24 PM
