Congratulations on the milestone. The most important project any sensible person can act on today is to save the Republic from the extremists on both the Left and the Right. A sensible third party with a platform and candidates in 2028. Definitely worth your time and talents.
First past the post elections make 3rd parties an exercise in futility. Just like passing progressive laws is a exercise in futility when the subprime court is the legislature.
This is the standard result in normal times, but part of the reason it is true is that in equilibrium, the two parties move to the center and compete for it. I don't see that happening today. A third party will eventually be undone. But why not let it form and get some good work done in the interim? Professor DeLong and I are on opposite sides of the political center. But a party that included both of us would act sensibly, have a long-term outlook, and make wise policy compromises in the spirit of what he discussed so well in his "Concrete Economics" book.
Or we could watch it all burn from the comfort of the comments section.
As a fellow retiree, I welcome you to the ranks. My situation is different than yours, in that retired lawyers don't practice law any more. I spend my time with grandkids (highly recommended) and trying to read all the books I never got to; your list is likely shorter than mine. :) But commentary on economic policy and the new book should keep you plenty occupied and provide lots of value to us.
I too was paid to retire. And the first several years it was great! I missed talking with students (didnt miss grading), but i read and read far more than i had been able to before. Then Trump was elected (i'm an Americanist political scientist) and reading was ... painful.
Check out the work of the Stanford Longevity Center (I know it is the rival university in the Bay Area, but it has some really useful articles). Also, two useful books are Becca Levy (Yale Professor), "Breaking the Age Code: How Your Beliefs about Aging Determine How Long and Well You Live" and "Retiring: Creating a Life That Works For You" by Theresa Amabile (emeritus professor at Harvard Business School) as well as four other authors.
Although I do not know you, my prejudices based on publicly available information say that it is extremely unlikely that you will become a sea squirt - your mind seems too active and you know too many interesting people.
I would love to make a constructive suggestion about your blog, but I fear that my perspective is too selfish; I tend to ask what would make it better for the *reader*, but I believe that what is needed is to make it more engaging for the *writer*.
No sweat. I'm 80 and I've been retired for 11 years. Believe me, you'll find things to do. I just participated in a symposium on civic education in the 250th year of the country. A very stimulating 3 days. And I still have papers out on review. (Mind, the journals seem a little less accepting of emeritus profs, but I don't have your creds.)
And this leaves out the other stuff. You'll find other people suddenly have new ideas for you and your time almost at once. Beware, the ability to tell them off slips as time passes.
1) RE: Sea squirts... after what, 30 years? at UCB, it should be obvious the like the sea squirt, you found a good rock and cemented yourself in place. Are you so certain that you did not follow the rest of the sea-squirt's life cycle? ;)
2) There's always pickle-ball. I know some people who play it for hours every day.
Learn an ancient language! We bartenders don't really retire, we just eventually fall apart in the harness, but I took the time for an intensive six week introduction to classical Hebrew this summer, and I feel like my brain just got fully rewired. I recommend something as far from your home language as possible, and of as little direct utility as you can imagine. The game here is not to learn something useful, but to learn something strange and beautiful, purely for its own sake.
Thx... Maybe... More money, and less deadweight-burden on time should be good things. But the sea-squirt problem does, I think, loom large here... - B.
Fate has brought us to much the same place at the same time. Yesterday was my last day at FRBNY. (There are, evidently, at least two defined benefit pension plans still in existence.) The difference is that you're stepping back from some of the clutter surrounding your life as an economist and public intellectual. My life as an economist will be essentially over unless I make a determined effort to give it fresh legs. (I'm not eager to teach, partly because it's been decades, and partly because I have no good idea how to manage the forced marriage of AI and classroom.) Your transition, I think, will be comparatively seamless.
I do notice that you mention nothing outside your work and adjacent interests. My one apparent advantage is that I’m a devoted amateur musician, something that requires intellectual as well as physical engagement. But beyond that observation, I’m afraid I’m more in need of advice than a good source of it.
Best of luck. I will be interested to see what comes next.
I have no idea how to manage the forced marriage of AI and the classroom! But I think it is absolutely essential—on a par with replacing writing illuminated manuscripts with printing; with replacing the cuneiform clay tablet syllabary with letters and letters on papyrus, and the replacement of Roman by Arabic numerals. This is a tide to be taken with the flood. But how?
Enjoy! You will likely be busier than every and enjoying it more. You seem to be very talented at finding interesting threads to follow. I have no doubt you will continue to keep us challenged and amused.
Interviews with economic historians. Well-established ones, but also up-and coming recent PhD's. Would love to see you and Tooze discuss the state of economic history/ historically informed political economy and its role in the current climate. I guess something like Tyler Cowan's series, but more focussed. Also anthropologists like Henrich.
Political Philosophers: Sandel and Acemoglu did a really interesting online discussion. Might I suggest an interview with Elizabeth Anderson on her new book Hijacked. She seems like one of the few political philosophers working from a foundation in the history of social and economic thought.
Interviews with Dan Davies and Henry Farrell seem like low-hanging fruit.
I'm not sure the demand is there, but maybe an online seminar/lecture.
From what I can tell Krugman (and his wife) is as busy now as he was before he retired.
Congratulations on the milestone. The most important project any sensible person can act on today is to save the Republic from the extremists on both the Left and the Right. A sensible third party with a platform and candidates in 2028. Definitely worth your time and talents.
First past the post elections make 3rd parties an exercise in futility. Just like passing progressive laws is a exercise in futility when the subprime court is the legislature.
And the Senate is both un-representative and the gateway to SCOTUS.
This is the standard result in normal times, but part of the reason it is true is that in equilibrium, the two parties move to the center and compete for it. I don't see that happening today. A third party will eventually be undone. But why not let it form and get some good work done in the interim? Professor DeLong and I are on opposite sides of the political center. But a party that included both of us would act sensibly, have a long-term outlook, and make wise policy compromises in the spirit of what he discussed so well in his "Concrete Economics" book.
Or we could watch it all burn from the comfort of the comments section.
I understand your point of view.
I worry about burning it down.
Napoleon
Southern Confederation
Stalin
Htiler
Pol Pot
Mao
Pinochet
Funny that after the burning the same systems reverted to their historic norms.
Meet the new boss, same as the old bad boss.
Trying not to ROFL. What would the party, the platform, and the candidate be?
What I meant, only better argued!
As a fellow retiree, I welcome you to the ranks. My situation is different than yours, in that retired lawyers don't practice law any more. I spend my time with grandkids (highly recommended) and trying to read all the books I never got to; your list is likely shorter than mine. :) But commentary on economic policy and the new book should keep you plenty occupied and provide lots of value to us.
Keep this substack going!
I too was paid to retire. And the first several years it was great! I missed talking with students (didnt miss grading), but i read and read far more than i had been able to before. Then Trump was elected (i'm an Americanist political scientist) and reading was ... painful.
so my suggestion is indeed sign up to give talks.
And keep writing!
Check out the work of the Stanford Longevity Center (I know it is the rival university in the Bay Area, but it has some really useful articles). Also, two useful books are Becca Levy (Yale Professor), "Breaking the Age Code: How Your Beliefs about Aging Determine How Long and Well You Live" and "Retiring: Creating a Life That Works For You" by Theresa Amabile (emeritus professor at Harvard Business School) as well as four other authors.
Congratulations!
Although I do not know you, my prejudices based on publicly available information say that it is extremely unlikely that you will become a sea squirt - your mind seems too active and you know too many interesting people.
I would love to make a constructive suggestion about your blog, but I fear that my perspective is too selfish; I tend to ask what would make it better for the *reader*, but I believe that what is needed is to make it more engaging for the *writer*.
There should be a balance, no? What would make it better for the reader?
Oh, and start a serious exercise program at once. That'll keep you alive and energetic as you age.
Brad,
No sweat. I'm 80 and I've been retired for 11 years. Believe me, you'll find things to do. I just participated in a symposium on civic education in the 250th year of the country. A very stimulating 3 days. And I still have papers out on review. (Mind, the journals seem a little less accepting of emeritus profs, but I don't have your creds.)
And this leaves out the other stuff. You'll find other people suddenly have new ideas for you and your time almost at once. Beware, the ability to tell them off slips as time passes.
1) RE: Sea squirts... after what, 30 years? at UCB, it should be obvious the like the sea squirt, you found a good rock and cemented yourself in place. Are you so certain that you did not follow the rest of the sea-squirt's life cycle? ;)
2) There's always pickle-ball. I know some people who play it for hours every day.
Good luck.
Learn an ancient language! We bartenders don't really retire, we just eventually fall apart in the harness, but I took the time for an intensive six week introduction to classical Hebrew this summer, and I feel like my brain just got fully rewired. I recommend something as far from your home language as possible, and of as little direct utility as you can imagine. The game here is not to learn something useful, but to learn something strange and beautiful, purely for its own sake.
Congratulations!
Thx... Maybe... More money, and less deadweight-burden on time should be good things. But the sea-squirt problem does, I think, loom large here... - B.
> **Tom Durkin**: Congratulations!
<https://braddelong.substack.com/p/j-bradford-delong-professor-of-economics>
Don't pass up a chance to have a good time!!!
Now that you have more time to think you can chew on a favorite of mine - the intersection of economics and demographics. Here is a post to start your chew: https://scceichinabriefs.substack.com/p/excess-men-and-credit-starved-firms?
Congrats!
Congratulations! You are valued and valuable wherever you go!
Fate has brought us to much the same place at the same time. Yesterday was my last day at FRBNY. (There are, evidently, at least two defined benefit pension plans still in existence.) The difference is that you're stepping back from some of the clutter surrounding your life as an economist and public intellectual. My life as an economist will be essentially over unless I make a determined effort to give it fresh legs. (I'm not eager to teach, partly because it's been decades, and partly because I have no good idea how to manage the forced marriage of AI and classroom.) Your transition, I think, will be comparatively seamless.
I do notice that you mention nothing outside your work and adjacent interests. My one apparent advantage is that I’m a devoted amateur musician, something that requires intellectual as well as physical engagement. But beyond that observation, I’m afraid I’m more in need of advice than a good source of it.
Best of luck. I will be interested to see what comes next.
I have no idea how to manage the forced marriage of AI and the classroom! But I think it is absolutely essential—on a par with replacing writing illuminated manuscripts with printing; with replacing the cuneiform clay tablet syllabary with letters and letters on papyrus, and the replacement of Roman by Arabic numerals. This is a tide to be taken with the flood. But how?
Enjoy! You will likely be busier than every and enjoying it more. You seem to be very talented at finding interesting threads to follow. I have no doubt you will continue to keep us challenged and amused.
Congratulations!
Some quick suggestions:
A return to the mailbag
Interviews with economic historians. Well-established ones, but also up-and coming recent PhD's. Would love to see you and Tooze discuss the state of economic history/ historically informed political economy and its role in the current climate. I guess something like Tyler Cowan's series, but more focussed. Also anthropologists like Henrich.
Political Philosophers: Sandel and Acemoglu did a really interesting online discussion. Might I suggest an interview with Elizabeth Anderson on her new book Hijacked. She seems like one of the few political philosophers working from a foundation in the history of social and economic thought.
Interviews with Dan Davies and Henry Farrell seem like low-hanging fruit.
I'm not sure the demand is there, but maybe an online seminar/lecture.
From what I can tell Krugman (and his wife) is as busy now as he was before he retired.