How sophisticated is our thinking anyway? One commentator thinks that our economies are run by cavemen and caveman economics
Ross Gittins (http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/stuck-in-a-glut-with-dopey-cavemen-calling-the-shots-20091020-h6sn.html?autostart=1)

I was able to make it about 1:45 into the video, and the bull filter stopped things up, so I had to depart.

I was able to make it about 1:45 into the video, and the bull filter stopped things up, so I had to depart.

I see you are not true to your motto. This fellow is right; our self control doesn't match our abilities, we are cavemen in instinct and smart enough to overcome our basic problems of supplying our needs and wants. So you think it is bull to stop gorging ourselves with food until we become like the oompa loompa's of the Wonka Chocolate factory. I just want someone to supply me with the answer

I just want someone to supply me with the answer

So does everybody else. Nobody seems to have come up with one that works yet. Jesus and Mohammed got the scarcity equations pretty close. I don't see Friedman or Marx or Keynes as being in their league.

Jesus and Mohammed got the scarcity equations pretty close.
Those were slightly different times. Not sure if many economic principles carry forward from a society that used a horse and cart as the peak of speedy transportation.

Not sure if many economic principles carry forward from a society that used a horse and cart as the peak of speedy transportation.

Perhaps not ;but Joseph ,long before Jesus and Mohammed interpreted the Pharoah's dreams in Genesis 41 and came up with a pretty decent remedy for the issue of scarcity that would work well today .

Which is...

In a nutshell since you probably don't want to read the passages... People tend to forget the times of plenty when there is scarcity . Joseph was able to prevent a catastrophy and famine during a time of scarcity by proper preparation and saving during the times of plenty for the bad times.

So... save money? That's it? That's doesn't seem to be the American way.

Unfortunately that is the case for most of America. But it is still the way I handle my personal finances.

Same here and yet without having to consult a bible. How odd.

just proves you can't easily separate traditional western values from the lessons in the bible.

Hello tom:

Saving money is a WESTERN value learned from the bible??

Dude! Asians save lots more than we do.. Does that mean their values are better??

Dude!

excon

I can't help it if frugality has become unfashionable, unpalatable in our rush to secularism.

I can't help it if frugality has become unfashionable, unpalatable in our rush to secularism.
Correction: it's a rush to materialism and consumerism and greed. You think it's only the non-religious types that are not frugal? Har-har! That'd be putting the blinders on all the way.

Actually, what Joseph came up with was more than simply "save in the good times to get you through the bad times".

He actually set up the first central bank, wherein wheat was the currency.

He collected every scrap of wheat throughout Egypt during the 7 years of plenty, and he "banked" it in central locations. People were able to purchase wheat with trade goods, and wheat itself became a valuable comodity, even during the years of plenty. By controlling the supply of wheat in the market, Joseph was able to control the PRICE of wheat, both in the years of plenty and in the years of famine. And by controlling the price of wheat, which had become the de-facto currency of the time, Joseph was also able to control inflation.

He essentially set up the first Federal Banking System, with all the monotary controls that the Fed has today, but using wheat as the currency. It was actually quite brilliant, and he had none of the historical economists' knowledge on which to draw.

Yes, saving was a huge part of his plan to get through the famine. But so was control of supply and value.

You guys underestimate what Joseph accomplished when you relegate it to simply advising people to "save".

(See Genesis 41. Specifically, see verses 34-37... Joseph suggests that the wheat not just be saved, but rather that it be stored under Pharaoh's CONTROL... a central banking system for wheat.)

It's a point that is often overlooked... unless you happen to be well-versed in the Bible AND a professional in economics or finance.

Elliot

... unless you happen to be well-versed in the Bible AND a professional in economics or finance.

ElliotOMG, like you are! You're amazing! Plus I hear you're a tough guy too! The internet is a wonderful thing isn't it? :)

OMG, like you are! You're amazing! Plus I hear you're a tough guy too! The internet is a wonderful thing isn't it? :)

Yes, I know. You should agree with me more often too.

There are more references to money in the bible than even love.

Pity the secular evolutionist who believes that humans as a species will evolve enough to develop self control, or be able to use pure self control as the solution. Our creator knows our nature, that is why advice from Proverbs still holds true today.


G&P

Too bad most christians don't even bother to follow that advice.

Too bad most christians don't even bother to follow that advice.

That's OK, neither do atheists. But they still manage to consider themselves to be intellectual elites and manage to take unnecessary jabs at religious people for no good reason.

Elliot

People are individuals, the sooner you learn that the better your life will be.

People are individuals, the sooner you learn that the better your life will be.

So you're saying that I should have called you out on your behavior directly?

And tell me, is this comment one that reflects that "people are individuals"?



Too bad most christians don't even bother to follow that advice.


You are a hyppocrit, NeedKarma.

Elliot

You are a hyppocrit, NeedKarma.
Awful spelling aside, you think that non-christians take their economic/finance advice from the bible? I think you lost the track of the conversation. My comment actually fits perfectly: christian or not, people are fiscally responsible because they are such as individuals, not because they read the bible.

Awful spelling aside, you think that non-christians take their economic/finance advice from the bible? I think you lost the track of the conversation. My comment actually fits perfectly: christian or not, people are fiscally responsible because they are such as individuals, not because they read the bible.

So what you are saying is you missed the entire point of the thread.

Very good.

In a nutshell since you probably don't want to read the passages ... People tend to forget the times of plenty when there is scarcity . Joseph was able to prevent a catastrophy and famine during a time of scarcity by proper preparation and saving during the times of plenty for the bad times.

Do you mean to say Tom that the granaries aren't full to overflowing and more today? Ours are but we still aren't able to avert famine and incidentally those famines aren't too far away from Joseph's Egypt. We still haven't overcome our willingness to kill and mame for no better reason than thinking differently, Caveman economics in action

Ours are but we still aren't able to avert famine

GMO may not be caveman thinking... but that and food irradiation would go a long way to eradication of famine.

How sophisticated is our thinking anyway? One commentator thinks that our economies are run by cavemen and caveman economics
Ross Gittins (http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/stuck-in-a-glut-with-dopey-cavemen-calling-the-shots-20091020-h6sn.html?autostart=1)

I apologize for this but I just can't help myself.

Does anybody want to swap a mammoth tusk for a stone axe?

GMO may not be caveman thinking ...but that and food irradiation would go a long way to eradication of famine.

I agree irradiation of the planet would go a long way to eradicate famine, GMO was caveman thinking, where do you think we got modern food plants from, they selected the best and kept planting the best, the tools just got better is all

I apologize for this but I just can't help myself.

Does anybody want to swap a mammoth tusk for a stone axe?

I've upgraded to iron, I have a lovelly machette I will swap for a goat cart and some very good ironbark boomerangs only slightly used

I always suspected you were an iron age warrior.