I have to admit I still get a kick out of seeing myself being quoted elsewhere:
Tim Worstall, a fellow at the Adam Smith Institute, replied on Forbes’ website today that the increase will harm the owners of fast-food franchises without significantly helping their workers.
“This rise to $15 for just the burger flippers in New York state is a seriously bad idea,” wrote Worstall. “Which is perhaps why Governor Cuomo has had to bring it about through undemocratic, executive, action. Maybe the reason the State Senate wouldn’t pass it was not because they’re all the most appalling Republicans who want to trample the poor into the dust, but just because it’s not a very good idea?”
I know, I’ve been doing this for a decade now. Should be used to it. But there’s still that sense of wonder at it all. At the one end we’ve got some middle aged bloke who knows damn well that he’s simply scribbling away to make the mortgage. At the other we’ve got newspapers quoting him.
Odd world really.
Don’t knock it, Tim. Shakespeare and Dickens wrote to pay the bills as well. Adam Smith wrote to secure his patron’s favour. You may be right, you may be wrong but you are making a difference and people are listening to you.
“No man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money.”
Dr Johnson (pbuh)
I’ve just been quoted in Accountancy. Unfortunately I don’t subscribe to it, so I have no idea how what I originally wrote (in a different context, not for publication!) has come out, or what (if anything) the reaction is 😀
I know what you mean about the sense of wonder, though 🙂
It’s always a nice feeling, seeing yourself or your argument being quoted elsewhere — even better when credit is given!
My PhD thesis was mostly fairly dull, but the bit I felt proudest of was a clever (though I say it myself) approach to a particular kind of problem. It felt doubly good as it was then adopted, with due citation, by a research group in Japan.
Early in my telecoms engineering consulting career I found I had a knack of being able to explain difficult and esoteric concepts to the uninitiated, especially CEOs and CFOs, and this in turn led to contract extensions and new work as word got round.
I follow your writing for the same reason, you put esoteric economic concepts in to terms that I can understand the trade off’s that are being made, which is no mean feat.
PS and a lot of those who comment are also very knowledgeable covering a very wide range of subject cf the discussion on sugar and diabetes.
Your piece at least tries to explain why it could be a bad idea…then you spice it up with some hot sauce. The buffalo piece just used some of your hot sauce without the explanation.
If you work up tomorrow with no personal political opinions, would you change your emphasis to make more money? Or do you think you are in a good niche?
You need to keep on doing this stuff, Tim.
I’m sure there are other contributors to this blog who could make the same points in an equally succinct and readable manner, but the fact is you’ve been doing it a long time and it takes a long time to get recognised and quoted.
It’s a great shame that more actual full-time journalists don’t understand basic economics, and place their own personal wish lists above the realities of life, but then whole governments do it so I suppose it’s not surprising.
This and other blogs provide an essential counterbalance and at least preclude people from saying ‘We didn’t know, because no-one was saying this stuff.’
Half and more of what Tim says was taught to me at my father’s knee. So Tim is preaching to the paternally-deprived. Good on him too.
Congrats, Tim. My life is better because of you.
@Hallowed,
Buffalo with hot sauce? Thanks! I was just wondering what to have for dinner!
Yes, keep it up, Tim
This morning I saw myself, in my professional capacity, quoted in print – although in a far less august publication. A commenter threw my quote back in my face. So I comforted myself with the knowledge that, er, he didn’t know what he was talking about, ahem.
@ Theophrastus#
Actually, millions have done so
I guess you got a tremor from that, eh Worstall. Bless.
I hope that’s a piss take, tex. Or at best a parody.