Monthly Archives: May 2008

NOVELISTS WHO DON’T LISTEN.

NOVELISTS WHO DON’T LISTEN. I have encountered two strikingly similar comments on important novelists this week. Tom Wolfe says here about Norman Mailer, “Mailer cannot write novels. I’m sorry to have to say that. He has no ear for anyone … Continue reading

Posted in Literature | 2 Comments

THE SPREAD OF MOBILE PHONES (COMMENT).

THE SPREAD OF MOBILE PHONES (COMMENT). I have been posting about what for me is the astonishing spread of cellphones—and the enormously important changes they are making in our lives. In response to this post, Dick Weisfelder e mailed me … Continue reading

Posted in Economics | 1 Comment

NOT MEETING THE BOSS.

NOT MEETING THE BOSS. TECHNOLOGY CHANGE. I posted here on ways that cellphones are changing the way people work. In the article I posted on yesterday, Michael S. Malone cites surveys which show that about 20% of the professionals at … Continue reading

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CAREERS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION—OPTIMISM.

CAREERS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION—OPTIMISM. A NATION OF ENTREPRENEURS? Michael S. Malone had an article in the Wall Street Journal for May 19 which claims that America is going to be the first country in which the “dominant paradigm is … Continue reading

Posted in Economics | 1 Comment

CAREERS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION—PESSIMISM.

CAREERS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION—PESSIMISM. Robert Samuelson has an article in Newsweek for May 22 (link via realclearpolitics) about a massive report from the Pew Research Center about middle class anxieties. Samuelson doesn’t think the problem is a squeeze on … Continue reading

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THE UNCERTAINTIES CONFRONTING THE NEXT GENERATION.

THE UNCERTAINTIES CONFRONTING THE NEXT GENERATION. Kids, it seems to me that you confront a much different employment situation than I did. In my generation there was a thought that many workers would stay with the same company for their … Continue reading

Posted in Economics | 2 Comments

IS THERE MORE INCOME INEQUALITY IN THE UNITED STATES THAN IN INDIA?

IS THERE MORE INCOME INEQUALITY IN THE UNITED STATES THAN IN INDIA? Kids, measuring and comparing incomes in different countries is very difficult, and measuring and comparing income distribution is even more difficult. The Gini coefficient is probably the most … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, History | Leave a comment

MARX, FREUD, ALCHEMY, AND ASTROLOGY.

MARX, FREUD, ALCHEMY, AND ASTROLOGY. There was a time when educated people devoted enormous amounts of time and effort in studying astrology and alchemy. Now, only a few historians learn about alchemy, but enormous resources are still devoted to astrology. … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, History | 1 Comment

DID MARX AND FREUD LEAD TO DEAD ENDS?

DID MARX AND FREUD LEAD TO DEAD ENDS? I have seen it remarked that in the 1950’s intellectuals—and especially New York intellectuals—felt that what distinguished them from others was that they knew the ins and outs of Freud and Marx. … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, History | 3 Comments

ARE PERSONALITIES OF TWINS ONLY FIFTY PER CENT THE SAME?

ARE PERSONALITIES OF TWINS ONLY FIFTY PER CENT THE SAME? The research that leads to a book like Daniel Nettle’s PERSONALITY necessarily uses studies of identical twins that are raised apart. I am an identical twin and I have the … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 8 Comments