Actually, if you read closely, you will see that I implied that
Americans who believe that God created human beings pretty much the way
they are now about 10,000 years ago are *not* ignorant.
The remarks were appropriate because they address the issue under
discussion. As economists, we are often surprised that government
policy differs so dramatically from what we think is efficient (and also
equitable). Sometimes we like to think, as Fred put it, that the reason
for this is that the public is ignorant and fooled by the
government/special interests etc. We like to think that if only the
public were informed they would denounce farm subsidies as many of us
do. But why should we think this when information about, for example,
the farm subsidy program is widely available?
The evidence is even stronger in other fields that information
per-se often does not change people's minds. The scientific consensus
in favor of evolution is far stronger than the economic consensus
against farm subsidies and the scientists have the advantage of support
from the public school system and the media and yet, in America, they
have not managed to convince a large segment of the population about the
most important and fundamental fact of biology.
If information doesn't change people's minds - what does? Or, at
least, what causes people to have the beliefs that they have? This is
where Bryan's important work comes in. Understanding these sorts of
questions will give us a much better understanding of social change.
Alex
"Gray, Lynn" wrote:
>
> The implication that those who believe in the historical accuracy of the
> Bible are ignorant was inappropriate, Alex.
>
> Lynn
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Alex Tabarrok [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Wednesday, July 17, 2002 11:30 AM
> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Subject: Re: Republican Reversal
>
> Yes, I believe that the majority of the American public supports
> farm subsidies. The rational ignorance assumption fails to explain this
> - it's not like the information that governments spends billions on the
> farmers is hard to find.
>
> Some combination of Bryan's rational irrationality and just plain
> irrationality explains the results much better.
>
> Forty four percent of the American public thinks that "God created
> human beings pretty much in their present form at one time within the
> last 10,000 years or so." (November 1997, Gallup Poll) so why should we
> be surprised that many Americans also support farm subsidies?
>
> Alex
> --
> Dr. Alexander Tabarrok
> Vice President and Director of Research
> The Independent Institute
> 100 Swan Way
> Oakland, CA, 94621-1428
> Tel. 510-632-1366, FAX: 510-568-6040
> Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
--
Dr. Alexander Tabarrok
Vice President and Director of Research
The Independent Institute
100 Swan Way
Oakland, CA, 94621-1428
Tel. 510-632-1366, FAX: 510-568-6040
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
