Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Harbinger's avatar

...the increase in want, in times of increase in wealth, has been best analyzed by Henry George, in his 1879 book "Poverty and Progress". There is an excellent recent review of it-the 19th century language is otherwise a bit tiring-at Scott Alexander's substack, Astral Codex 10.

The solution is a proper land tax, to address the unearned value of the land, (but not the improvements). But after 143 years, getting "there" has proved impossible politically. Turkey's simply refuse to vote for early Christmas.

Expand full comment
Matt Osborne's avatar

As a child, I rode a bike or walked two miles to school and then back every day weather permitted. This is not a great distance or achievement but to a depressing number of young people, I find it is both unintelligible and incredible, an anachronism, the Olden Days before SUV culture arrived in force.

When I was young, we used to make fun of old people who talked about the distances they walked to school, in all weather conditions. I at least had a car ride to school if it was raining. Is it our fate as we age to become the guy who says "it was enough for us"?

Expand full comment
53 more comments...

No posts