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I don’t see how explaining productivity increases that didn’t have a previous known origin is “lauding”. What measurable phenomena do you think economists shoul

I don’t see how explaining productivity increases that didn’t have a previous known origin is “lauding”. What measurable phenomena do you think economists should focus their research on instead?

BriggyDwiggs42 2y ago
Actually wait, that’s the whole issue. The things being superseded for productivity here aren’t measurable.
- knowknow 2y ago
  Then how would you expect an economist to study it, go to restaurants and report their opinions? The comment i was replying to is essentially being snarky that economist are doing what they’re supposed to. Seeing and explaining economic trends.
  - wormlord 2y ago
    > Then how would you expect an economist to study it, go to restaurants and report their opinions? Unironically yes. There are dimensions other than raw profitability that determine the health of a sector. The work that chicago school economists do flattens everything onto just a financial axis, which is harmful in my opinion. What do I care about the "productivity" of the restaurant sector when all the food tastes like shit?
- lukeschlather 2y ago
  No, they did measure them, they just didn't bother to value them. People are spending less time in the restaurants (<10 minutes.) People spending time in the restaurants are getting service (cleaning etc.) and use of the space/dishes. They aren't accounting for these services.
  - BriggyDwiggs42 2y ago
    I’m not sure I agree it’s entirely measurable. Often when something becomes more productive at the expense of something, that something is the comfort of being in the place or the friendliness of the staff or… and these things are intrinsically tough to measure. Not unmeasurable I suppose, but challenging by comparison.
guy234 2y ago
Every sience has the dual purpose of performing measurements and identifying what measurements can possibly be taken.

BriggyDwiggs42 2y ago

Actually wait, that’s the whole issue. The things being superseded for productivity here aren’t measurable.

knowknow 2y ago
Then how would you expect an economist to study it, go to restaurants and report their opinions? The comment i was replying to is essentially being snarky that economist are doing what they’re supposed to. Seeing and explaining economic trends.
- wormlord 2y ago
  > Then how would you expect an economist to study it, go to restaurants and report their opinions? Unironically yes. There are dimensions other than raw profitability that determine the health of a sector. The work that chicago school economists do flattens everything onto just a financial axis, which is harmful in my opinion. What do I care about the "productivity" of the restaurant sector when all the food tastes like shit?
lukeschlather 2y ago
No, they did measure them, they just didn't bother to value them. People are spending less time in the restaurants (<10 minutes.) People spending time in the restaurants are getting service (cleaning etc.) and use of the space/dishes. They aren't accounting for these services.
- BriggyDwiggs42 2y ago
  I’m not sure I agree it’s entirely measurable. Often when something becomes more productive at the expense of something, that something is the comfort of being in the place or the friendliness of the staff or… and these things are intrinsically tough to measure. Not unmeasurable I suppose, but challenging by comparison.

guy234 2y ago

Every sience has the dual purpose of performing measurements and identifying what measurements can possibly be taken.