[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"$fU48BUlhtNv02x0G1TUikkLYpxNJiVxvUPBwjcB_c5l4":3,"$fAZ7MIl3YATl4zsnR7dwErJ-e18Th0Fb5poP_Q_E3Rms":12},{"author":4,"tags":11},{"author_id":5,"author_name":6,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"bio":9,"short_bio":9,"slug":10,"image_url":9},189038,"Alex Tabarrok","A",49,null,"alex-tabarrok",[],{"quotes":13,"pagination":77},[14,22,28,34,40,46,52,58,65,71],{"id":15,"quote_text":16,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":19,"source":20,"quote_tag":21,"commentary":9},2833776,"Michael Moore didn’t have to worry that anyone would misinterpret the title of his film, ‘Capitalism: A Love Story,’ because in Hollywood, no one loves capitalism. That’s too bad, because Hollywood is one of capitalism’s greatest successes.",6,false,{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":23,"quote_text":24,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":25,"source":26,"quote_tag":27,"commentary":9},2833771,"Capitalists work hard to produce what consumers want. Artists who work too hard to produce what consumers want are often accused of selling out. Thus, even the languages of capitalism and art conflict: a firm that has ‘sold out’ has succeeded, but an artist that has ‘sold out’ has failed.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":29,"quote_text":30,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":31,"source":32,"quote_tag":33,"commentary":9},2833767,"Hollywood wants its heroes to be virtuous, but it defines virtue in a way that excludes any action that is self-interested. If virtue means putting others ahead of self, then it’s clear that most people, let alone most capitalists, aren’t very virtuous.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":35,"quote_text":36,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":37,"source":38,"quote_tag":39,"commentary":9},2833761,"I encourage everyone I know to sign an organ donor card, but if someone doesn’t want to sign, that’s his or her choice. If someone isn’t willing to give an organ, however, why should that person be allowed to receive an organ?",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":41,"quote_text":42,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":43,"source":44,"quote_tag":45,"commentary":9},2833746,"Like many works of literature, Hollywood chooses for its villains people who strive for social dominance through the pursuit of wealth, prestige, and power. But the ordinary business of capitalism is much more egalitarian: It’s about finding meaning and enjoyment in work and production.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":47,"quote_text":48,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":49,"source":50,"quote_tag":51,"commentary":9},2833739,"The first thing you learn when you’re blogging is that people are one click away from leaving you. So you’ve got to get to the point, you can’t waste people’s time, you’ve got to give them some value for their limited attention span.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":53,"quote_text":54,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":55,"source":56,"quote_tag":57,"commentary":9},2833733,"College has been oversold. It has been oversold to students who end up dropping out or graduating with degrees that don’t help them very much in the job market. It also has been oversold to the taxpayers, who foot the bill for subsidies that do nothing to encourage innovation and economic growth.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":59,"quote_text":60,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":61,"source":62,"quote_tag":63,"commentary":64},2833723,"More retirees, longer life expectancy, larger benefits, and fewer workers – these trends have meant substantial increases in the payroll tax. Since the social security program began, the payroll tax has increased more than 500 percent.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],"**The Backstory**\nAlex Tabarrok, an economist and author, is likely referencing the growing financial burden of the Social Security program in the United States. This quote may have originated from one of his books or articles, where he critiques the inefficiencies and unintended consequences of government-run social programs. As a historian, I note that Tabarrok has been a vocal advocate for free market solutions and has written extensively on the topic of government entitlements.\n\n**The Hidden Insight**\nThe hidden insight in this quote is that the very mechanisms designed to alleviate poverty and provide security in old age (Social Security) have, in fact, become a significant source of financial strain. This is a classic example of the unintended consequences of well-intentioned policies, where the solution to one problem creates another, more intractable issue. This paradox highlights the complexity of social policy and the need for careful consideration of long-term effects.\n\n**How to Use This**\nWhen navigating complex systems or implementing new policies, be aware of the potential for unintended consequences and carefully consider the long-term effects of your actions. This requires a mindset of continuous evaluation and adaptation, rather than simply relying on well-intentioned solutions.",{"id":66,"quote_text":67,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":68,"source":69,"quote_tag":70,"commentary":9},2833712,"Writing on the blog, you want to get attention and make strong claims. In academic work, that often doesn’t pay, so sometimes it’s a little bit difficult going back and forth to navigate these differences.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"id":72,"quote_text":73,"author_id":5,"source_id":17,"has_image":18,"author":74,"source":75,"quote_tag":76,"commentary":9},2833691,"Our obsessive focus on college schooling has blinded us to basic truths. College is a place, not a magic formula. It matters what subjects students study, and subsidies should focus on the subjects that matter the most – not to the students, but to everyone else.",{"id":5,"author_name":6,"slug":10,"author_name_first_letter":7,"article_count":8,"image_url":9},{},[],{"currentPage":78,"totalPages":79,"totalItems":8,"itemsPerPage":80},1,5,10]