Peter Schiff: "Mental retards are maybe worth 2$ an hour"

Joined
Jul 25, 2012
Messages
1,417
Reputation
-155
Daps
811
Reppin
NULL
There's no such thing as value-free economics, which is why econ is never simply a matter of logical vs illogical decisions. What people are doing in this thread is criticizing those values- nothing illogical (or logical) about that.

Yes there is. What is the PRODUCT that mentally disabled people bring worth per hour in terms of salary? Saying he's an ass for being accurate is simply illogical and based on nothing other than feelings.
 

The Real

Anti-Ignorance
Joined
May 8, 2012
Messages
6,353
Reputation
725
Daps
10,726
Reppin
NYC
Yes there is. What is the PRODUCT that mentally disabled people bring worth per hour in terms of salary? Saying he's an ass for being accurate is simply illogical and based on nothing other than feelings.

Your position is equally based on feelings, though. That's the point I'm trying to make. Values are nothing but feelings.
 
Joined
Jul 25, 2012
Messages
1,417
Reputation
-155
Daps
811
Reppin
NULL
Your position is equally based on feelings, though. That's the point I'm trying to make. Values are nothing but feelings.

When it comes to supply and demand, values can easily be quantified. "But... but.... what he said sounds mean and therefore I don't like it!" can never remotely be objective.
 

The Real

Anti-Ignorance
Joined
May 8, 2012
Messages
6,353
Reputation
725
Daps
10,726
Reppin
NYC
When it comes to supply and demand, values can easily be quantified. "But... but.... what he said sounds mean and therefore I don't like it!" can never remotely be objective.

Yes, but Schiff wasn't talking merely in the context of what the theory of supply and demand says, but in the context of his normative beliefs about how the economy should be structured by that theory and the subsequent effect on people like the mentally disabled. You're sanitizing him by decontextualizing his statement.
 
Joined
Jul 25, 2012
Messages
1,417
Reputation
-155
Daps
811
Reppin
NULL
Yes, but Schiff wasn't talking merely in the context of what the theory of supply and demand says, but in the context of his normative beliefs about how the economy should be structured by that theory and the subsequent effect on people like the mentally disabled. You're sanitizing him by decontextualizing his statement.

Or, I'm placing his statement in context. The interview was highly edited but is clearly about minimum wage, which Schiff believes should be based on how much someone's work is worth to the employer. And in terms of production, that's what mentally handicapped people are worth.
 

Black smoke and cac jokes

Your daps are mine
Joined
May 14, 2012
Messages
2,703
Reputation
695
Daps
7,169
:upsetfavre: What timing mistakes? A prediction rests on a given thing happening at a given time. Watch this: I predict that Denver will win on Sunday, I'll check back with you Monday morning to see if I meant THIS Sunday or one in the future. :troll:


Calling the housing bubble was impressive, but where's the rest of it at? Where's the hyperinflation even 5 years after he predicted it? Where's the dollar being worthless or the US economy completely crumbling? The man is the economic equivalent to the guy who kept predicting the Rapture. "Oh it didn't happen this year, well then it DEFINITELY is gonna happen next year."

I'm acknowledging that he was off by time but he recognizes the symptoms of a bubble. You are interpreting it as a bubble is inevitable and all economies get it, which is not true. The timing of the prediction hold little value because there is no way you can stop it since there is implementation lag in whatever fiscal policy the government wants to use. An economic prediction is not similar to predicting a super bowl win because winning the super bowl is a tangible measurement while an economic catastrophe is not. You can explain the symptoms and possible outcomes, but you never know 100% what will happen.

Brehbreh, he explains it in his videos, the artificial lowering of interest rates is hindering hyperinflation but since we're close to 0, hyperinflation will eventually happen. Again, he is wrong time-wise but watch the economy in the coming decades and you'll see that his predictions are correct, just again, wrong timing.

You can't compare this to any other predictions because the economy doesn't rely on an "if....then" statement, too many factors that could change it either way.
 
Top