Never ask Megan McArdle how deep is her love
Shallow graves for shallow people
Jeebus, some people!
But in this post I’m specifically addressing a question that is raised by one economist or another almost every year: isn’t Christmas a huge waste? All those presents that no one wants represent huge deadweight loss. Wouldn’t well all do better by giving cash, or skipping the process entirely?
This seems like a silly question in a world of wishlists–I got the exact martini glasses I wanted, the exact electric pressure cooker I wanted, and the exact 13-inch cast iron skillet I wanted, because people could go right on my Amazon wish list and identify them. And yet, I still had the surprise and thrill of opening gifts (well, okay, I knew what the skillet was before I opened it), because there were a number of things on my list. As far as I know, this experience was shared by everyone else around the McArdle hearth. And by millions of other families in the United States.
“This seems like a silly question in a world of wishlists”
It does indeed.
Ugh, the voices in her head are claiming to be economists now…
My grandmother always held that giving gifts of money at Christmas is vulgar.
As for McArdle’s point about useless presents, she just proved that she’s likely never read, and certainly never comprehended, the import of O. Henry’s “Gift of the Magi.”
As for McArdle’s point about useless presents, she just proved that she’s likely never read, and certainly never comprehended, the import of O. Henry’s “Gift of the Magi.”
Thanks for that – I could not remember it for the life of me and it was bugging me. It is bad enough that she now thinks that she is an economist wannabe, but for her to tackle what ordinary Americans feel… well, you grandmother is right.
Rgds,
TG
addressing a question that is raised by one economist or another almost every year:
Now I freely admit that I do not frequent economist sites what with them being full of economics and such, but I have not seen an economist take this stance before Mcgargle’s column. Am I wrong?
What’s wrong with money, I don’t have a wish list, either?