How much of your homeschool success with your twins do you attribute to their personality and bookish nature?
Would you blanket recommend homeschooling? Or are there circumstances where you would not? How much credence do you give to the child's preference? And did you continue CFS with your other 2 kids?
For context, We have a 2 year old and another on the way, but are unsure of long term schooling. Also, count me as another person that went from "maybe one" to "definitely multiple" children thanks to your writing on the topic.
I'd give the twins personality/bookish nature 70% credit.
I gave a blanket recommendation to homeschooling during the Zoom school era. Otherwise, it really depends on the kid and the parents. After schools re-opened, we gave our younger kids a 3-week trial back in regular school. My younger son came back to CFS, my daughter stayed in regular school.
P.S. Glad to hear about the extra kids you're having!
I understand you are a D&D devotee. Assuming you've been a Dungeon Master and done your fair share of world building and campaign designing, how much of your background economics knowledge affects the campaign setting. Do the kingdoms of your realms have well-developed monetary systems? Do you grapple with the economic effects magic could have on supply chains?
In high school, I was so economically illiterate that I designed a nine-metallic standard with fixed rates between all nine metals! I didn't know about GDP per capita, but I definitely had the idea that Elvish lands were a lot richer than Orcish ones.
When I write games now, however, I often have some economics in the background. For example, when I wrote a superhero story where a villain wants to unleash the Midgard Serpent on Salzburg, I spent a lot of time pondering the possible financial motives.
Probably the most complete world-building exercise I've done in the last ten years is for my *Control Group* saga, where the PCs try to escape their dystopian society modelled off the work of B.F. Skinner.
I know I have posted quite a few questions, but I wonder whether I could still ask you for some career advice.
You have frequently said that you have a dream job and I have no doubt it's true. Do you have any advice for men in their late 20s who are similar to you in terms of personality and intelligence? Is a PhD program the only way? Pursuing a broad-based intellectual life full-time outside academia appears to be difficult, especially for someone from a third-world country.
It's been 12 years since Selfish Reasons to Have More Kids was published. It's a wonderful book. Are there any major points you have since learned that you would want to add to the book? Do you intend to publish a second edition?
Are you worried that ChatGPT will soon become better than you at writing articles and books in the style of Bryan Caplan? I am really curious to hear your answer.
Do you see libertarian politicians getting popular in the US anytime soon? Why or why not? The main conservative parities in the UK and Canada appear to be moving in a libertarian direction, but I don't see the Republican Party becoming more libertarian, except for its foreign policy platform.
I actually think the Republicans became a LOT more libertarian during Covid. 75% has faded out, but 25% of a lot still impresses me. They're actually doing a lot for school choice. And their moral panics are now far less objectionable to me. Trans surgery on minors isn't a huge problem, but it sure looks a lot like child abuse to me. For Republicans to focus on this (plus DEI generally) over immigration is a big improvement in my book.
I agree though the new libertarian leanings may have been canceled out by its increased hostility towards high-skill immigration and free trade. And the GOP appears to have abandoned entitlement reforms.
In your post: Labor Demand Elasticity: Boredom is Thoughtless, the cited research mentions that labor tends to become more elastic with less regulations. My first guess is that it would actually get more elastic the more draconian the regulations, and or wage levels? I'm thinking if we made minimum wages $1,000 an hour, labor demanded should be extremely elastic? So I wonder if you could elaborate on that a little? *Also bonus question, and feel free to ignore this: In your labor economics course notes you mention "workers have always earned their marginal productivity," just wondering if some empirics come to mind that reinforce this? Thank you again for your engagements with us Bryan!
I think the idea is that when you're allowed to hire and fire with impunity, your decisions are more responsive to wages.
On the "workers have always earned their marginal productivity," this is mostly just an appeal to common sense. I'd probably word it more carefully if I were writing it today.
If you could stick Michael Huemer in a room for 12 months to research any subject he hasn't already written a book about, and for him to write a book about it, what would it be?
I'd have him write a public policy book, where every chapter is modelled after his papers on immigration restrictions and gun control. So there's (a) weak deontology, plus (b) a concise survey of the social science, leading to (c) a moral conclusion.
No comments yet (I am a new subscriber) but I like the idea of setting aside specific times when you will definitely read comments. That way I know I am not wasting my time!
Dear Mr. Caplan, I've always been impressed by how prolific you are as a writer. How have you developed such discipline in your writing? Have you ever faced writer's block or found yourself procrastinating?
I have writer's block all the time, though primarily for bigger projects. (Exception: Graphic novels are block-free, which is part of what makes writing them so fun). On bad days, I get only a paragraph or two done.
The main reason I still get a lot done is that I write virtually every weekday for at least a couple of hours. If you can do half a page a day you write a substantial book every two years!
I've got another economics one. Is the FTC rule against "junk" fees an example of the government doing bad things that sound good? Or is this actually beneficial? I have my doubts for a few reasons but I'm curious what you think.
In talks on The Case Against Education, you often mention that STEM degrees are harder because they are more in-demand and so the professors teaching them don't need to lower their standards much. But the famous "Expectations of Brilliance" study from a few years back seems to defy that claim. What's your take?
How much of your homeschool success with your twins do you attribute to their personality and bookish nature?
Would you blanket recommend homeschooling? Or are there circumstances where you would not? How much credence do you give to the child's preference? And did you continue CFS with your other 2 kids?
For context, We have a 2 year old and another on the way, but are unsure of long term schooling. Also, count me as another person that went from "maybe one" to "definitely multiple" children thanks to your writing on the topic.
I'd give the twins personality/bookish nature 70% credit.
I gave a blanket recommendation to homeschooling during the Zoom school era. Otherwise, it really depends on the kid and the parents. After schools re-opened, we gave our younger kids a 3-week trial back in regular school. My younger son came back to CFS, my daughter stayed in regular school.
P.S. Glad to hear about the extra kids you're having!
Reading the comments was good fun Bryan! I like your views on the problems of private roads. This is a great idea replying to premium comments.
Arnold Kling says "The answer is always price discrimination"
Michael Munger says "The answer is always transactions costs"
What say you?
"The answer is always irrationality."
Both! Self-help advice is useful in large part because people screw up even when they do have high stakes. But low-stakes decisions are far worse.
I understand you are a D&D devotee. Assuming you've been a Dungeon Master and done your fair share of world building and campaign designing, how much of your background economics knowledge affects the campaign setting. Do the kingdoms of your realms have well-developed monetary systems? Do you grapple with the economic effects magic could have on supply chains?
In high school, I was so economically illiterate that I designed a nine-metallic standard with fixed rates between all nine metals! I didn't know about GDP per capita, but I definitely had the idea that Elvish lands were a lot richer than Orcish ones.
When I write games now, however, I often have some economics in the background. For example, when I wrote a superhero story where a villain wants to unleash the Midgard Serpent on Salzburg, I spent a lot of time pondering the possible financial motives.
Probably the most complete world-building exercise I've done in the last ten years is for my *Control Group* saga, where the PCs try to escape their dystopian society modelled off the work of B.F. Skinner.
I think this new feature is great but perhaps needs a word count on the questions.
Great idea Bryan! This is econ 101! 🥰
Yep.
Hi Bryan,
I know I have posted quite a few questions, but I wonder whether I could still ask you for some career advice.
You have frequently said that you have a dream job and I have no doubt it's true. Do you have any advice for men in their late 20s who are similar to you in terms of personality and intelligence? Is a PhD program the only way? Pursuing a broad-based intellectual life full-time outside academia appears to be difficult, especially for someone from a third-world country.
Thanks,
Zixuan “Eric” Ma
Hi Bryan,
It's been 12 years since Selfish Reasons to Have More Kids was published. It's a wonderful book. Are there any major points you have since learned that you would want to add to the book? Do you intend to publish a second edition?
Thanks,
Zixuan “Eric” Ma
Hi Bryan,
Are you worried that ChatGPT will soon become better than you at writing articles and books in the style of Bryan Caplan? I am really curious to hear your answer.
Thanks,
Zixuan “Eric” Ma
Only a little. Maybe I should be more worried!
Hi Bryan,
Do you see libertarian politicians getting popular in the US anytime soon? Why or why not? The main conservative parities in the UK and Canada appear to be moving in a libertarian direction, but I don't see the Republican Party becoming more libertarian, except for its foreign policy platform.
Thanks,
Zixuan “Eric” Ma
I actually think the Republicans became a LOT more libertarian during Covid. 75% has faded out, but 25% of a lot still impresses me. They're actually doing a lot for school choice. And their moral panics are now far less objectionable to me. Trans surgery on minors isn't a huge problem, but it sure looks a lot like child abuse to me. For Republicans to focus on this (plus DEI generally) over immigration is a big improvement in my book.
I agree though the new libertarian leanings may have been canceled out by its increased hostility towards high-skill immigration and free trade. And the GOP appears to have abandoned entitlement reforms.
In your post: Labor Demand Elasticity: Boredom is Thoughtless, the cited research mentions that labor tends to become more elastic with less regulations. My first guess is that it would actually get more elastic the more draconian the regulations, and or wage levels? I'm thinking if we made minimum wages $1,000 an hour, labor demanded should be extremely elastic? So I wonder if you could elaborate on that a little? *Also bonus question, and feel free to ignore this: In your labor economics course notes you mention "workers have always earned their marginal productivity," just wondering if some empirics come to mind that reinforce this? Thank you again for your engagements with us Bryan!
I think the idea is that when you're allowed to hire and fire with impunity, your decisions are more responsive to wages.
On the "workers have always earned their marginal productivity," this is mostly just an appeal to common sense. I'd probably word it more carefully if I were writing it today.
Thank you.
If you could stick Michael Huemer in a room for 12 months to research any subject he hasn't already written a book about, and for him to write a book about it, what would it be?
I'd have him write a public policy book, where every chapter is modelled after his papers on immigration restrictions and gun control. So there's (a) weak deontology, plus (b) a concise survey of the social science, leading to (c) a moral conclusion.
No comments yet (I am a new subscriber) but I like the idea of setting aside specific times when you will definitely read comments. That way I know I am not wasting my time!
Glad to hear it.
Dear Mr. Caplan, I've always been impressed by how prolific you are as a writer. How have you developed such discipline in your writing? Have you ever faced writer's block or found yourself procrastinating?
I have writer's block all the time, though primarily for bigger projects. (Exception: Graphic novels are block-free, which is part of what makes writing them so fun). On bad days, I get only a paragraph or two done.
The main reason I still get a lot done is that I write virtually every weekday for at least a couple of hours. If you can do half a page a day you write a substantial book every two years!
Oh, I see. Consistency is the key. Thank you for everything and keep up the great work!
Hi Bryan,
I've got another economics one. Is the FTC rule against "junk" fees an example of the government doing bad things that sound good? Or is this actually beneficial? I have my doubts for a few reasons but I'm curious what you think.
Hi Bryan,
Awesome seeing you in Soho!
In talks on The Case Against Education, you often mention that STEM degrees are harder because they are more in-demand and so the professors teaching them don't need to lower their standards much. But the famous "Expectations of Brilliance" study from a few years back seems to defy that claim. What's your take?