@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social
@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social avatar

FantasticalEconomics

@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social

I'm an environmental economist who researches econ pedagogy to make learning economics marginally less dismal.

My pipe-dream is to write a fantasy novel/economics textbook, which is getting closer to reality every day.

#economics #TeachEcon #sustainability #DoughnutEconomics #degrowth

Profile pic is me smiling in front of a whiteboard with economics gibberish -- cause econ makes me happy.

Background is my dog, Freya, who is derpily sticking her tongue out while passed out.

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. Browse more on the original instance.

FantasticalEconomics, to random
@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social avatar

You've probably heard that many people think inflation is still much higher than it actually is, but did you know that people have changed the definition of inflation (and didn't tell us economists)?

Inflation no longer seems to mean "rising prices" but, instead, "high prices". So 'inflation' can be high even as prices fall, the thought of which gives me a hell of a headache...

https://www.axios.com/2024/05/26/inflation-definition-evolution-high-prices

#econonics #inflation

FantasticalEconomics, to climate
@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social avatar

When non-violent protest - non-violent protest to save the world, no less - is criminalized, the world should worry.

"Five members of Letzte Generation, Germany’s equivalent to Just Stop Oil, have been charged with “forming a criminal organisation”, a move civil rights campaigners say could in effect criminalise future support for the climate campaign."

"It is believed to be the first time the law has been applied to a non-violent protest group."

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/may/23/alarm-as-german-climate-activists-charged-with-forming-a-criminal-organisation

#ClimateChange

FantasticalEconomics, to random
@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social avatar

I’ve never been accused of having a way with words. I have always been more drawn to math, hence economist.

That said, I gave a speech today asking our administration to drop charges related to the that I am quite proud of.

I am sharing it here for anyone who would like to hear my perspective as a member of the faculty who has witnessed and been arrested alongside students at one of these protests you have heard so much about.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zfqpLJxZEIIIKMb6PihcPL5yluNhRBucAC_aZQf9qFc

FantasticalEconomics, to random
@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social avatar

If anyone is in the Denver area tomorrow (Wednesday 5/22) and is interested in helping push the administration to drop charges against student protesters, I am speaking at a faculty press conference at noon and we would love the support!

https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1GK7i3AP6z2a0oFHvj3sNt8ruuXSIFTJYirskZgcrCgM/mobilebasic?sh=Z2RPvEmFUU6gwMsS&ca=1&invite=CI-ZjPID

#StudentProtests

FantasticalEconomics, to random
@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social avatar

This is a prime time for Democrats to change their tune on #Gaza.

"On the basis of evidence collected and examined by my Office, I have reasonable grounds to believe that Benjamin NETANYAHU, the Prime Minister of Israel, and Yoav GALLANT, the Minister of Defence of Israel, bear criminal responsibility for the following war crimes and crimes against humanity committed on the territory of the State of Palestine (in the Gaza strip) from at least 8 October 2023"

https://www.icc-cpi.int/news/statement-icc-prosecutor-karim-aa-khan-kc-applications-arrest-warrants-situation-state

#USPol

FantasticalEconomics,
@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social avatar

@FrankFrank

I'm far less interested in if the ICC has jurisdiction than whether they have sufficient evidence to think Bibi has committed war crimes, and I think most others should be too.

FantasticalEconomics,
@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social avatar

@FrankFrank

Sure. But I think the ICC having "reasonable grounds" to believe war crimes are being committed is reasonable grounds to rethink policy and strategy on the region, no?

Delaying arms shipments until the international body that has expertise in the area of war crimes is convinced they are unlikely to be used to commit war crimes seems like a winning political policy in my book (and has a nice moral ring to it, too).

FantasticalEconomics,
@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social avatar

@FrankFrank

I may be missing how this article relates here. The three main critiques don't seem to connect to this situation very well.

"On the one hand, the Court is being criticized for not having done enough to raise awareness about its work, because it has not communicated effectively with affected communities, victims, or the general public. ... Two other main areas of criticism faced by the Court concern its high costs and slow pace of justice."

jackofalltrades, to random
@jackofalltrades@mas.to avatar

In the past, countries used fossil fuels to develop, as these happened to be the energy sources available. Now we have renewables, so we can abandon fossil fuels.

Environmental destruction is not inherent to industrial civilization, but is caused by capitalism. The growth imperative is a feature of capitalism and not part of any unchanging human nature.

By adopting a different economic/political system we can resolve all ecological tensions.

Is this story true? How would I know if it is?

FantasticalEconomics,
@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social avatar

@jackofalltrades

I think an important point of this is that we cannot resolve the economic crisis under capitalism (at least how it is currently defined). The persuit of growth (and profits) preclude it.

So switching economic systems to one that inherently values the ecosystem we depend on provides a chance, at least, of doing so.

I'll take a chance, slim as it may be, over none at all.

FantasticalEconomics,
@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social avatar

@jackofalltrades

They are intertwined, but could be (at least partially) decoupled.

I reject the idea that, with our technology, we could not support a high-wellbeing society for everyone we have living (and more). Especially if we genuinely pushed for maximizing wellbeing instead of profits.

Human ingenuity is truly amazing and has yet to be harnessed in a direction to benefit all. The more we design economies to incentivize that, the better. And, as a hopeless optimist, I believe we can.

FantasticalEconomics, to climate
@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social avatar

Ah, . Neoclasical (mainstream) economic theory tells us it ensures resources will be put to the best, most efficient use. However, ignores the obvious: wealth equals power, so that what is "best" for society is what the richest value.

Like chasing everlasting youth by getting weekly blood transfusions from your teenage son and $40,000 gym membership add-ons.

Imagine if these resources were devoted to fighting or instead.

https://www.axios.com/2024/05/19/wellness-longevity-industry-equinox-membership

FantasticalEconomics,
@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social avatar

@AlexanderKingsbury

And the many that argue it are the wealthy who the capitalist economy is designed to serve, and the economists at right-wing think thanks they lavishly fund.

FantasticalEconomics,
@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social avatar

@AlexanderKingsbury

I've really been trying to just be an observer here, but I can't resist calling out this absudity.

Did you really just use a specific example of how correlation doesn't imply causation to argue that correlation does, in fact, imply causation? That's next level stupid.

You seem to be (mis)interpreting "imply" to mean something like "incorrectly believe" at times, my illogical, capitalist friend.

@jackofalltrades

jeffjarvis, to random
@jeffjarvis@mastodon.social avatar

Biden has installed the most non-White judges of any president https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/05/17/biden-trump-judges-diversity/

FantasticalEconomics,
@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social avatar

@dreks

While I think that's a fair concern, given how white federal judges are (over 73% as of 2021) it's hard to imagine Biden's push for more racially diverse court appointments doesn't better serve the constituents.

@jeffjarvis

FantasticalEconomics, to USpolitics
@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social avatar

Remember when Gore was viewed as the lesser of two evils?

Pepperidge Farm reflects on where we'd be if fewer folk on the left abstained or voted third party, and if there are any lessons to learn from it.

#USPolitics

FantasticalEconomics, to Economics
@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social avatar

Self-interest + shortermism + monopoly power = whatever this shit is:

"Frontier knew that it could make a billion dollars in profit over a decade by investing in fiber build-out, but it chose not to, because stock analysts will downrank any carrier that made capital investments that took more than five years to mature. Because Frontier's execs were paid primarily in stock, they chose... to leave a billion dollars sitting on the table..."

https://pluralistic.net/2024/05/16/symmetrical-10gb-for-119/#utopia

@pluralistic

#economics

FantasticalEconomics,
@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social avatar

@jackofalltrades

It's very different from what my neoliberal education has taught me. I wonder if they've gotten anything else wrong...

TonyStark, to random
@TonyStark@progressivecafe.social avatar

I already got one comment claiming solar power won’t work because “night” and another that made up nonsense about batteries.

Batteries are part of solidifying the renewable energy grid.

To those that say batteries aren’t clean or are costly, that might be partially true now, but they get cleaner and cheaper every year. Current deployments while maybe suboptimal are simply a step on the path. 1/2

Batteries are taking on gas plants to power California’s nights:
https://www.canarymedia.com/articles/batteries/batteries-are-taking-on-gas-plants-to-power-californias-nights

FantasticalEconomics,
@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social avatar

@TonyStark

100%.

Not to mention that there are many types of batteries that look nothing like what most people think of as 'batteries'. Some are already easily implemented (like pumped hydro) while others will continue to be developed and implemented (like thermal batteries).

Regardless, the "battery problem" is hugely overstated and I have no doubt is being heavily peddled by Big Oil as yet another delay tactic.

https://www.hydro.org/waterpower/pumped-storage

https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/10/24/1082217/heat-battery-manufacturing-facility/

FantasticalEconomics, to climate
@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social avatar

Yesterday, I was in a conversation arguing that the #ProPalestine protests and #StopCopCity and #ClimateChange protests in Europe are all fronts in the same broader fight and are a sign of a rising tide of anger against the global elite.

But I left out an important protest movement that may be most directly targetting the powerful who are destroying our invaluable planet. How could I have forgotten #TeamOrca?!?

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cmm330y6d2qo

FantasticalEconomics, to random
@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social avatar

Almost 20% of US public schools are more than 90% non-white.

"As the U.S. marks the 70th anniversary of the landmark Brown v. Board of Education ruling on Friday, American public schools are growing more separate and unequal even though the country is more racially and ethnically diverse than ever."

" The resegregation of America's public schools coincides with the rise of charter schools and school choice option," (almost as if this was the intent of charter schools).

https://www.axios.com/2024/05/14/school-segregation-brown-eudcation-ruling-70th

FantasticalEconomics, to Economics
@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social avatar

We really need to rethink our capitalistic obsession of running things like a business. Cutting costs to increase profits obviously doesn't make sense in areas of education, healthcare, public utilities, and prisons, to name just a few.

Hell, Boeing is making a strong case that it doesn't even make sense for businesses to be run like a business, much less these public goods...

FantasticalEconomics,
@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social avatar

@dlakelan

The world would be a much better place if that's what most people used their business degrees for :)

@philip_cardella

FantasticalEconomics,
@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social avatar

@GhostOnTheHalfShell

You seem to imply 'strip mining' a company is not 'running it like a business.' Today it seems like that is the primary way to do it!

FantasticalEconomics,
@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social avatar

@GhostOnTheHalfShell

Yeah. It's a shame there is such a disconnect between what is and what should be.

But, alas, the way businesses are run today is running everything into the ground, including many businesses themselves, all for the short-term gain of those in power.

FantasticalEconomics,
@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social avatar

@dlakelan

Agreed. It's a hell of a false dichotomy, and one that is intentionally amplified to prevent meaningful change.

In general, I try to teach my students that either-or framing is problematic. It's often used to trick and mislead as there are very rarely only two options. Getting them to specifically think about options for a society that lie between pure capitalism and communism is a good start. Then expanding their views to realize that is only the beginning.

@GhostOnTheHalfShell

FantasticalEconomics,
@FantasticalEconomics@geekdom.social avatar

@GhostOnTheHalfShell

Fantastic vid. I'm using this in my classes for sure.

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