Policy makers often under-predict the elasticity of human behavior (sorry, econo-nerd terminology- behavioral elasticity: the tendency for people to change behavior in reaction to an incentive, whether it be intended or unintended). Government assumes that their assistance programs will be added on top of the existing levels of generosity in society, but usually fails to live up to expectations because of the elasticity of human behavior (and unexpected costs of bureaucracy)... hypothetical example, I no longer have to worry about feeding my neighbor because I can just sign him up for food stamps. (As programs increase, natural generosity goes down, resulting in less than predicted success of assistance programs.)
Anyways...Who is this Prager guy? He is all over the interweb today!
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Ok, I just checked out this guys YouTube channel and found another shortie that hits upon, what I think, is a whole lotta truth... Gratefulness is the key to happiness. This is accepted as being truthful, if not thought of and stated often enough, but what I had not heard before is the flip-side... Ungratefulness is the key to unhappiness... it is a bit overgeneralized, but interesting none-the-less.
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