The Economy
The Post-Boomer Economy
Here’s a very interesting take on the post-boomer economy by Conor Sen, a former hedge fund analyst.
What Happens When the Sky Isn’t Falling?
One big reason the deficit is falling faster than expected is a surprising—and surprisingly durable—drop in health care spending, the source of most of America’s long-term fiscal problems. The seemingly inexorable rise in health care costs has been near the center of every big political and economic debate since Obama was elected. But the fact that it’s finally slowing down was deemed worthy only of page B3 by editors at The New York Times.
The Racial Component of Favoritism
In the Times this weekend, Nancy DiTomaso, a professor of management and global business at Rutgers Business School, discussed some of the research she has done examining how favoritism has played a part in driving inequality and unemployment numbers in the U.S.—especially among African Americans, whose unemployment rate still hovers over 13 percent.
This Economy Is Killing Us
“Dr. Arias noted that the higher suicide rates might be due to a series of life and financial circumstances that are unique to the baby boomer generation. Men and women in that age group are often coping with the stress of caring for aging parents while still providing financial and emotional support to adult children.”
The Economic Narrative of ‘Game of Thrones’
The Harvard Crimson compared the narrative in Game of Thrones to the economic narrative the U.S. experienced because, well, the Crimson has nerds writing for them (j/k, we love you nerds).
Meanwhile in Greece, The Shock Doctrine Plays Out
Naomi Klein talks to Lynn Edmonds about Greece, austerity, and the shock doctrine. Lots to unpack, read the whole thing, but here are four crucial thoughts.
It’s a Long Recession
Matt Yglesias punches you in the stomach, hard: “A normal recession disrupts people’s lives, but a long recession destroys them.”
All Eyes on Japan
Neil Irwin says Japan is the most interesting story in global economics right now.
The Sharing Economy of Streaming Services
This weekend, Jenna Wortham looked at the relatively recent phenomenon among young people (but all people, really) of sharing accounts to streaming services like Netflix, Hulu Plus, and HBO Go.
