October 11, 2009
Britain's Central Planning Death Panels
October 11, 2009
Free Market M.D.
October 11, 2009
Economies of Scale in Compliance
October 11, 2009
Balan's Challenge
October 10, 2009
The Pleasure of Telling Others What to Do
October 10, 2009
Gonick the Great - and How He Could Have Been Greater
October 9, 2009
More Scott Sumner
October 9, 2009
Not From The Onion
October 9, 2009
Thoughts on a Second Stimulus
Arnold,
I'd like to thank you for the link in your article 'The Great Race' to Isaiah Berlin's essay about foxes and hedgehogs in human thinking -art, politics and science... Very illuminating.
By the way, it just made me think about the fact that becoming a 'hedgehog' in art, politics or science is quite reminiscent of an entrepreneur looking for a brand name and/or a niche market. Having a 'system' of thought or 'style' (for an artist) by which you guide your intellectual production makes your work more characteristic and recognizable, and therefore raises your chances of reaching your target (readers, recognition, money).
It is a (quick) hypothesis of mine that middle-of-the-road writers or thinkers who are 'foxes' have to display a higher level of perfection or artistry to attract attention. (In politics, it might not be the same -a Downs-Hotelling model instead would illustrate the benefits of being moderate or asystematic).