The idea that I, someone who has been studying economics for a dozen years and wrote a PhD and a string of other papers unrelated to Sowell, only reads Sowell is silly. Yes I found a few connections out of my hundreds of thousands of words🙄
Several things here. First of all, good for you; you have accomplished a lot. Every person on earth has something they are good at. I had no idea you did that much PRIOR to moving into economics. Second: economics needs to be revealed containing a lot of very, very poor thinking. Unfortunately, you are not doing the big reveal. Third: if you are "someone who has been studying economics for a dozen years," so what? Some people studied Norse mythology for a dozen years or much more than that. That does not mean it is not ideology. Finally: Economics is a big discipline that has all sorts of ramifications and connections. I repeat my theme once again. You should not go by just a few connections out of hundreds of thousands of words. That isn't a good method, especially in a discipline where you can easily, easily get taken for a big ride. And what is the stuff about a dozen years? A dozen years is not a lot or a little; it is a dozen. Nothing more or less. Anyways no hard feelings, o kay?
Great article (I know that I am late to your work). My only criticism (and it’s minor) why do feel the need to mention Sowell’s syndicated column, which are his opinions (whether they be right leaning or libertarian). Let the reader decide for himself. The other point (and it’s only a comment) is that no non-economist will ever read Sowell’s earliest work, let alone know enough to discern your excellent critique of it. It comes across as self indulgent. No one criticizes Voltaire for his errors (because he was a man of his time) and so too is Thomas Sowell.
FYI, Glenn Loury just emailed this interesting piece:
https://reason.com/1981/12/01/the-best-book-on-general-econo/
Nice, I wrote about it in my post and tagged Glenn.
I’m not seeing a newsletter from Glenn. Do you have a link to it?
It was just a private email... We communicate from time to time
Oh funny. I read email and I went to a Substack 🤦♂️
Quality. I got some new reading material. Thank you
Enjoy!
I love vision of the anointed and economic facts and fallacies as well!
Most recent conversation with Peter Robinson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn2gda_phAA .
93 and still sharp!
I watched a lot of Uncommon Knowledge with Sowell in college. Too much to admit...
Sowell is a great thinker but many of his views (and facts) don't support certain narrative/ideology of today.
What did he say politically that’s been proven to be wrong? The man should be read across the board!
Would you recommend reading "The Road to Serfdom" or "Knowledge and Decisions" first, given limited time for both?
Knowledge and Decisions. It's more directly applicable today even if both have lots of dated references
When you need to get all your information from just one person, that shows that you do not know how to think (feel free to erase this.).
The idea that I, someone who has been studying economics for a dozen years and wrote a PhD and a string of other papers unrelated to Sowell, only reads Sowell is silly. Yes I found a few connections out of my hundreds of thousands of words🙄
Several things here. First of all, good for you; you have accomplished a lot. Every person on earth has something they are good at. I had no idea you did that much PRIOR to moving into economics. Second: economics needs to be revealed containing a lot of very, very poor thinking. Unfortunately, you are not doing the big reveal. Third: if you are "someone who has been studying economics for a dozen years," so what? Some people studied Norse mythology for a dozen years or much more than that. That does not mean it is not ideology. Finally: Economics is a big discipline that has all sorts of ramifications and connections. I repeat my theme once again. You should not go by just a few connections out of hundreds of thousands of words. That isn't a good method, especially in a discipline where you can easily, easily get taken for a big ride. And what is the stuff about a dozen years? A dozen years is not a lot or a little; it is a dozen. Nothing more or less. Anyways no hard feelings, o kay?
"That changed at the end of my junior year when I picked up Thomas Sowell’s Basic Economics. " you were tricked
Thoughts on his other works? Particularly Vision of the Anointed and Black Rednecks, White Liberals?
Great article (I know that I am late to your work). My only criticism (and it’s minor) why do feel the need to mention Sowell’s syndicated column, which are his opinions (whether they be right leaning or libertarian). Let the reader decide for himself. The other point (and it’s only a comment) is that no non-economist will ever read Sowell’s earliest work, let alone know enough to discern your excellent critique of it. It comes across as self indulgent. No one criticizes Voltaire for his errors (because he was a man of his time) and so too is Thomas Sowell.
You are deceiving the world. Shame on you