On Comparative Advantage, Imperfect Markets, and Boston Weather
Seth Gitter asks, very sensibly, why did I spend time shoveling snow from my own roof a few days ago, rather than relying on the invisible hand to do it for me? Shoveling is, after all, not my comparative advantage.
His speculation is right: I could not immediately find someone else to do it. Everyone my wife and I called had a queue of roof work to do. (Question for class discussion: Why didn't the price rise to clear the market?) Eventually, however, we did get to the front of the queue, so I could get off the roof and return to teaching and writing. But not before the huge ice dams pulled down a gutter on one side of my house.
By the way, as I look out the window right now, it is snowing again. Anyone know of any job openings for middle-aged economists in warm climates? Maui would be nice.
His speculation is right: I could not immediately find someone else to do it. Everyone my wife and I called had a queue of roof work to do. (Question for class discussion: Why didn't the price rise to clear the market?) Eventually, however, we did get to the front of the queue, so I could get off the roof and return to teaching and writing. But not before the huge ice dams pulled down a gutter on one side of my house.
By the way, as I look out the window right now, it is snowing again. Anyone know of any job openings for middle-aged economists in warm climates? Maui would be nice.
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