INDCJournal: "How Can I Be <em>Down?</em>"

April 20, 2005

"How Can I Be Down?"

Posted by Bill

An interesting post from Instapundit highlights the common trade-off between income and status:

My historian-brother often says that one of the most interesting phenomena that he's observed is the cross-cultural willingness of people to trade away economic benefits for status. I suspect that this is one example of that. So, in a surprisingly similar way, is being a politician. That's an obviously poor economic move for most folks. But one of the drug dealers in Price's book talks about how he likes the way he becomes the center of attention when he enters a room full of junkies. Politicians, I think, get the same thing, especially in the bubble-environments of Washington, or state capitals. I suspect, in fact, that people are, to varying degrees, hardwired to get an endorphin rush from that sort of attention, just as they're hardwired in varying degrees to respond to drugs.

Aside from the obvious politicos, this phenomenon is also especially noteworthy amongst the egghead set in Washington, DC. Many of these folks are so focused on the status or interesting nature of a particular public policy field that they enthusiastically invest six figures or more in a private education culminating in an advanced degree, despite the eventual pay-off of a sub six-figure job at a wonk tank or government office. And though many sub-six figure salaries may sound generous to a lot of people, such disposable income is quickly swamped in the second most heavily-taxed area in the US, if you have those crushing loan (and housing) payments. Is getting a masters degree from the Kennedy School of Government and taking a job at Brookings admirable? Sure. Odd? In my opinion, for the financially dependent, you bet - the ROI is pretty thin. I'd almost rather be a New Jack Hustler.

I mean, the way those junkies look at you on a charlie run? It's like ~~I'm~~ you're the Good Humor Man, the Messiah and a rock star, all rolled up into one bad-ass crack slingin' instrument of perfect yet transitory bliss.

Eh, maybe not.

Posted by Bill at April 20, 2005 10:19 AM | TrackBack (2)

Comments

I, myself, get the same type of rush when I run by Jenny Craig sporting a dozen glazed Krispy Kremes hot off the line.

Posted by: Sharp as a Marble at April 20, 2005 10:47 AM

a few years ago it was noted that federal judges were getting paid less than 1st year associates at law firms. and they were all probably being paid less than constructions workers with GEDs. D.C. makes no sense.

Posted by: milowent at April 20, 2005 04:41 PM

Posted by: Dr. Glenn Reynolds at April 20, 2005 05:12 PM