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The Economics of Thinness: Unpacking the Costs and Benefits of a Slender Physique
Introduction:
Are you intrigued by the societal obsession with thinness? Have you ever wondered about the economic forces driving this powerful aesthetic ideal? This post delves into the complex world of "The Economics of Thinness," exploring the often-hidden financial implications of body image, weight management, and the pursuit of a slender physique. We'll examine the substantial costs associated with dieting, weight-loss products, and medical interventions, while also considering the potential economic benefits linked to attractiveness and perceived productivity in the workplace. Prepare to uncover the surprising economic realities behind the cultural ideal of thinness. While a comprehensive "Economics of Thinness PDF" doesn't exist as a single, universally recognized document, this article will provide a detailed analysis, covering various aspects often discussed in related economic and sociological literature.
I. The High Cost of the "Thin Ideal": Direct Financial Expenditures
The pursuit of thinness often comes with a hefty price tag. Consider the following significant financial burdens:
Weight-loss products and programs: The market for diet pills, meal replacement shakes, weight-loss supplements, and gym memberships is a multi-billion dollar industry. Many individuals spend substantial sums annually on products that often offer limited, temporary results. Marketing campaigns effectively capitalize on insecurities, leading to repeated purchases and financial strain.
Medical interventions: Bariatric surgery, while sometimes medically necessary, represents a considerable investment, including pre- and post-operative care. Gastric bypass surgery and other procedures can cost tens of thousands of dollars, often with limited or no insurance coverage. Furthermore, long-term follow-up care and medication contribute to the ongoing financial burden.
Cosmetic procedures: The desire for a "thin" aesthetic also extends to cosmetic procedures. Liposuction, tummy tucks, and other body contouring surgeries are expensive, carrying substantial financial risks along with potential health risks.
Clothing costs: Maintaining a perceived "thin" image often requires frequent clothing purchases to stay in line with ever-changing fashion trends. This can result in significant expenditure on garments that may quickly go out of style.
II. The Indirect Economic Costs of Thinness Obsession:
Beyond direct financial costs, the pursuit of thinness also incurs indirect economic consequences:
Lost productivity: Excessive dieting, exercise regimens, and preoccupation with body image can negatively impact productivity at work and in personal life. Fatigue, anxiety, and disordered eating patterns can lead to reduced work efficiency, missed workdays, and impaired cognitive function.
Mental health costs: The relentless pursuit of thinness contributes to the prevalence of eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. These severe mental illnesses require extensive and costly treatment, impacting both the individual and society. Anxiety and depression related to body image are additional factors impacting mental wellbeing and economic productivity.
Opportunity costs: The time, energy, and resources devoted to weight loss could be redirected to other more productive pursuits, such as education, career advancement, or personal relationships.
Health complications: Extreme dieting and unhealthy weight-loss practices can lead to various health issues, including nutrient deficiencies, weakened immune system, and long-term health complications. These problems result in further healthcare expenses and lost productivity.
III. The Potential Economic Benefits (A Critical Perspective):
While the costs are substantial, some argue that a slender physique can lead to certain economic advantages:
Workplace bias: Studies suggest a potential bias in favor of thin individuals in the workplace, particularly in certain industries. This bias can manifest in hiring processes, promotions, and compensation. However, it's crucial to emphasize that this is a harmful and discriminatory practice.
Improved self-confidence: Achieving a desired weight may lead to improved self-confidence, which could indirectly translate to better performance in professional and social settings. However, this should not be the primary motivator for weight loss, focusing instead on overall health.
Enhanced social life: In some social contexts, being considered "thin" might increase social acceptance and opportunities. However, this is problematic as it reinforces harmful body image standards.
IV. A Hypothetical "Economics of Thinness" PDF Outline:
Title: The Economic Implications of the Societal Obsession with Thinness
Contents:
Introduction: Defining the concept of "thinness" in an economic context, outlining the scope of the study.
Chapter 1: Direct Costs: Detailed breakdown of expenditures on weight-loss products, medical procedures, and related services. Include statistical data and market analysis.
Chapter 2: Indirect Costs: Exploration of lost productivity, mental health costs, opportunity costs, and health complications associated with the pursuit of thinness. Presentation of relevant research findings.
Chapter 3: Perceived Economic Benefits: Analysis of the potential (albeit often discriminatory) advantages associated with a slender physique in various societal contexts, including a critical evaluation of these benefits.
Chapter 4: Societal Impacts: Discussion of the broader economic and social implications of the thin ideal, including its influence on industries, public health, and social inequality.
Chapter 5: Policy Implications: Examination of potential policy interventions to mitigate the negative economic and social consequences of the obsession with thinness. Discussion of promoting body positivity and reducing body image bias.
Conclusion: Summary of key findings and recommendations for future research and policy development.
V. Detailed Explanation of Outline Points:
Each chapter in the hypothetical PDF would require in-depth research and data analysis, including relevant statistical data, market studies, and peer-reviewed research papers. The sections would provide comprehensive insights into the economic complexities of the pursuit of thinness, not just from the individual perspective but also from the macro-economic viewpoint. The discussion on policy implications would explore potential measures such as stricter regulations on weight-loss product marketing, initiatives promoting body positivity in media, and investment in public health programs addressing eating disorders.
VI. FAQs:
1. Is there a single, definitive "Economics of Thinness" PDF? No, there isn't a singular, universally accepted PDF covering all aspects of this complex topic. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview.
2. What are the most significant economic costs associated with the pursuit of thinness? The most significant costs include direct expenditures on weight-loss products, medical interventions, and indirect costs such as lost productivity and mental health expenses.
3. Are there any economic benefits associated with being thin? Some studies suggest a potential, albeit often discriminatory, bias in the workplace favoring thinner individuals. However, it's crucial to address the ethical and societal implications of such bias.
4. How does the obsession with thinness impact public health? The relentless pursuit of thinness contributes to eating disorders and other health problems, increasing healthcare costs and reducing societal productivity.
5. What role does marketing play in the economics of thinness? Marketing heavily influences the multi-billion dollar weight-loss industry, often exploiting insecurities to promote often ineffective products.
6. What policy interventions could address the negative economic impacts of the thin ideal? Possible policies include stricter regulations on misleading marketing, promoting body positivity, and investing in mental health services.
7. How does the economics of thinness intersect with gender? Societal pressure to achieve thinness disproportionately affects women, resulting in increased economic burdens and health disparities.
8. How can I avoid the financial traps associated with weight-loss products? Be critical of marketing claims, consult healthcare professionals for guidance, and prioritize sustainable lifestyle changes over quick fixes.
9. What is the long-term economic impact of eating disorders? Eating disorders have long-term consequences, impacting individuals' ability to work and participate fully in society, significantly increasing long-term healthcare and social welfare costs.
VII. Related Articles:
1. The Psychology of Dieting: Explores the mental health aspects related to dieting and weight loss.
2. The Impact of Social Media on Body Image: Analyzes the role of social media in shaping body image perceptions and anxieties.
3. The Marketing of Weight-Loss Products: Critiques the marketing tactics used by the weight-loss industry.
4. Eating Disorders: A Public Health Crisis: Examines the prevalence and consequences of eating disorders on society.
5. The Economic Burden of Obesity: Explores the economic costs associated with obesity, contrasting with the focus on thinness.
6. Body Positivity Movement: An Economic Analysis: Evaluates the growing movement's economic impact on related industries.
7. Workplace Discrimination Based on Appearance: Discusses legal and social aspects of discrimination against individuals based on their weight.
8. The Role of Genetics in Weight Management: Explores the genetic factors influencing weight and their implications for personal finance.
9. Sustainable Weight Management Strategies: Provides guidance on healthy and cost-effective approaches to weight management.
the economics of thinness pdf: Principles Ray Dalio, 2018-08-07 #1 New York Times Bestseller “Significant...The book is both instructive and surprisingly moving.” —The New York Times Ray Dalio, one of the world’s most successful investors and entrepreneurs, shares the unconventional principles that he’s developed, refined, and used over the past forty years to create unique results in both life and business—and which any person or organization can adopt to help achieve their goals. In 1975, Ray Dalio founded an investment firm, Bridgewater Associates, out of his two-bedroom apartment in New York City. Forty years later, Bridgewater has made more money for its clients than any other hedge fund in history and grown into the fifth most important private company in the United States, according to Fortune magazine. Dalio himself has been named to Time magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Along the way, Dalio discovered a set of unique principles that have led to Bridgewater’s exceptionally effective culture, which he describes as “an idea meritocracy that strives to achieve meaningful work and meaningful relationships through radical transparency.” It is these principles, and not anything special about Dalio—who grew up an ordinary kid in a middle-class Long Island neighborhood—that he believes are the reason behind his success. In Principles, Dalio shares what he’s learned over the course of his remarkable career. He argues that life, management, economics, and investing can all be systemized into rules and understood like machines. The book’s hundreds of practical lessons, which are built around his cornerstones of “radical truth” and “radical transparency,” include Dalio laying out the most effective ways for individuals and organizations to make decisions, approach challenges, and build strong teams. He also describes the innovative tools the firm uses to bring an idea meritocracy to life, such as creating “baseball cards” for all employees that distill their strengths and weaknesses, and employing computerized decision-making systems to make believability-weighted decisions. While the book brims with novel ideas for organizations and institutions, Principles also offers a clear, straightforward approach to decision-making that Dalio believes anyone can apply, no matter what they’re seeking to achieve. Here, from a man who has been called both “the Steve Jobs of investing” and “the philosopher king of the financial universe” (CIO magazine), is a rare opportunity to gain proven advice unlike anything you’ll find in the conventional business press. |
the economics of thinness pdf: Economic Growth, second edition Robert J. Barro, Xavier I. Sala-I-Martin, 2003-10-10 The long-awaited second edition of an important textbook on economic growth—a major revision incorporating the most recent work on the subject. This graduate level text on economic growth surveys neoclassical and more recent growth theories, stressing their empirical implications and the relation of theory to data and evidence. The authors have undertaken a major revision for the long-awaited second edition of this widely used text, the first modern textbook devoted to growth theory. The book has been expanded in many areas and incorporates the latest research. After an introductory discussion of economic growth, the book examines neoclassical growth theories, from Solow-Swan in the 1950s and Cass-Koopmans in the 1960s to more recent refinements; this is followed by a discussion of extensions to the model, with expanded treatment in this edition of heterogenity of households. The book then turns to endogenous growth theory, discussing, among other topics, models of endogenous technological progress (with an expanded discussion in this edition of the role of outside competition in the growth process), technological diffusion, and an endogenous determination of labor supply and population. The authors then explain the essentials of growth accounting and apply this framework to endogenous growth models. The final chapters cover empirical analysis of regions and empirical evidence on economic growth for a broad panel of countries from 1960 to 2000. The updated treatment of cross-country growth regressions for this edition uses the new Summers-Heston data set on world income distribution compiled through 2000. |
the economics of thinness pdf: Economics for Real People Gene Callahan, 2002 |
the economics of thinness pdf: Economic Possibilities for Our Grandchildren John Maynard Keynes, 1987-04-01 |
the economics of thinness pdf: The Fast John Oakes, 2024-02-13 An engaging exploration of the unique history and biology of fasting-an essential component of many traditional health practices, religions, and philosophies, resurging in popularity today-perfect for readers of Breath by James Nestor and Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker.We fast all the time, even when we're not conscious of doing so. A fast manifests the idea of holding back, resisting the animal impulse to charge ahead. Its flip side is similarly everywhere: call it splurging, self-indulgence, or a variant of self-care. Based on extensive historical, scientific, and cultural research and reporting, The Fast illuminates the numerous facets of this act of self-deprivation. John Oakes interviews doctors, spiritual leaders, activists, and others who guide him through this practice-and embarks on fasts of his own-to deliver a book that supplies readers curious about fasting with profound new understanding, appreciation, and inspiration. Fasting has become increasingly popular for a variety of reasons-from health advocates who see fasting as a method to lose weight or to detox, to the faithful who fast in prayer, to seekers pursuing mindfulness, to activists using hunger strikes as an effective means of peaceful protest. Fasting is central to holy seasons and days such as Lent in Christianity, Ramadan in Islam, and Yom Kippur in Judaism. Advocates for justice who have waged hunger strikes include Gandhi in India, Bobby Sands in Ireland, and the Taxi Workers Alliance in New York City. Whether for philosophical, political, or health-related reasons, fasting marks a departure from daily routine. Fasting involves doing less but doing less in a radical way, reminding us that a slower, more intentional contemplative experience can be more fulfilling. Ultimately, this book shows us that fasting is about much more than food: it is about reconsidering our place in the world-- |
the economics of thinness pdf: Fat-Talk Nation Susan Greenhalgh, 2015-06-24 In recent decades, America has been waging a veritable war on fat in which not just public health authorities, but every sector of society is engaged in constant fat talk aimed at educating, badgering, and ridiculing heavy people into shedding pounds. We hear a great deal about the dangers of fatness to the nation, but little about the dangers of today’s epidemic of fat talk to individuals and society at large. The human trauma caused by the war on fat is disturbing—and it is virtually unknown. How do those who do not fit the ideal body type feel being the object of abuse, discrimination, and even revulsion? How do people feel being told they are a burden on the healthcare system for having a BMI outside what is deemed—with little solid scientific evidence—healthy? How do young people, already prone to self-doubt about their bodies, withstand the daily assault on their body type and sense of self-worth? In Fat-Talk Nation, Susan Greenhalgh tells the story of today’s fight against excess pounds by giving young people, the campaign’s main target, an opportunity to speak about experiences that have long lain hidden in silence and shame.Featuring forty-five autobiographical narratives of personal struggles with diet, weight, bad BMIs, and eating disorders, Fat-Talk Nation shows how the war on fat has produced a generation of young people who are obsessed with their bodies and whose most fundamental sense of self comes from their size. It reveals that regardless of their weight, many people feel miserable about their bodies, and almost no one is able to lose weight and keep it off. Greenhalgh argues that attempts to rescue America from obesity-induced national decline are damaging the bodily and emotional health of young people and disrupting families and intimate relationships.Fatness today is not primarily about health, Greenhalgh asserts; more fundamentally, it is about morality and political inclusion/exclusion or citizenship. To unpack the complexity of fat politics today, Greenhalgh introduces a cluster of terms—biocitizen, biomyth, biopedagogy, bioabuse, biocop, and fat personhood—and shows how they work together to produce such deep investments in the attainment of the thin, fit body. These concepts, which constitute a theory of the workings of our biocitizenship culture, offer powerful tools for understanding how obesity has come to remake who we are as a nation, and how we might work to reverse course for the next generation. |
the economics of thinness pdf: Obesity, Business and Public Policy Zoltán J. Ács, 2010-01-01 The effects of obesity have become practically ubiquitous in the US. This book aims to provide an alternative framework through which to explore the important and controversial obesity debate that has spilled over from the medical community. This book is not about obesity as a medical condition, nor does it offer a wide-ranging discussion on the health effects of obesity or the role of the 'right' diet. |
the economics of thinness pdf: An Evolutionary Theory of Economic Change Richard R. Nelson, 1985-10-15 This book contains the most sustained and serious attack on mainstream, neoclassical economics in more than forty years. Nelson and Winter focus their critique on the basic question of how firms and industries change overtime. They marshal significant objections to the fundamental neoclassical assumptions of profit maximization and market equilibrium, which they find ineffective in the analysis of technological innovation and the dynamics of competition among firms. To replace these assumptions, they borrow from biology the concept of natural selection to construct a precise and detailed evolutionary theory of business behavior. They grant that films are motivated by profit and engage in search for ways of improving profits, but they do not consider them to be profit maximizing. Likewise, they emphasize the tendency for the more profitable firms to drive the less profitable ones out of business, but they do not focus their analysis on hypothetical states of industry equilibrium. The results of their new paradigm and analytical framework are impressive. Not only have they been able to develop more coherent and powerful models of competitive firm dynamics under conditions of growth and technological change, but their approach is compatible with findings in psychology and other social sciences. Finally, their work has important implications for welfare economics and for government policy toward industry. |
the economics of thinness pdf: What Everyone Should Know about Economics and Prosperity James D. Gwartney, Richard Stroup, Fraser Institute (Vancouver, B.C.), 1993 From the Introduction: We realize that your time is valuable. Most of you do not want to spend a lot of time learning new terms, memorizing formulas, or mastering details that are important only to professional economists. What you want are the insights of economics that really matter - those that will help you make better personal choices and enhance your understanding of our complex world. And you want those insights to be presented in a concise, organized and readable manner, with a minimum of economics jargon. This short book attempts to meet both of these objectives. |
the economics of thinness pdf: The End of Poverty Jeffrey D. Sachs, 2006-02-28 Book and man are brilliant, passionate, optimistic and impatient . . . Outstanding. —The Economist The landmark exploration of economic prosperity and how the world can escape from extreme poverty for the world's poorest citizens, from one of the world's most renowned economists Hailed by Time as one of the world's hundred most influential people, Jeffrey D. Sachs is renowned for his work around the globe advising economies in crisis. Now a classic of its genre, The End of Poverty distills more than thirty years of experience to offer a uniquely informed vision of the steps that can transform impoverished countries into prosperous ones. Marrying vivid storytelling with rigorous analysis, Sachs lays out a clear conceptual map of the world economy. Explaining his own work in Bolivia, Russia, India, China, and Africa, he offers an integrated set of solutions to the interwoven economic, political, environmental, and social problems that challenge the world's poorest countries. Ten years after its initial publication, The End of Poverty remains an indispensible and influential work. In this 10th anniversary edition, Sachs presents an extensive new foreword assessing the progress of the past decade, the work that remains to be done, and how each of us can help. He also looks ahead across the next fifteen years to 2030, the United Nations' target date for ending extreme poverty, offering new insights and recommendations. |
the economics of thinness pdf: Economics of Child Care David M. Blau, 1991-09-19 David Blau has chosen seven economists to write chapters that review the emerging economic literature on the supply of child care, parental demand for care, child care cost and quality, and to discuss the implications of these analyses for public policy. The book succeeds in presenting that research in understandable terms to policy makers and serves economists as a useful review of the child care literature....provides an excellent case study of the value of economic analysis of public policy issues. —Arleen Leibowitz, Journal of Economic Literature There is no doubt this is a timely book....The authors of this volume have succeeded in presenting the economic material in a nontechnical manner that makes this book an excellent introduction to the role of economics in public policy analysis, and specifically child care policy....the most comprehensive introduction currently available. —Cori Rattelman, Industrial and Labor Relations Review |
the economics of thinness pdf: Enough Is Enough Rob Dietz, Daniel W. O'Neill, 2013 This powerful book sets out arguments and an agenda of policy proposals for achieving a sustainable and prosperous, but non-growing economy, also known as a steady-state economy. The authors describe a plan for solving the major social and environmental problems which face us today on a finite planet with a rapidly growing population. |
the economics of thinness pdf: The Roman Market Economy Peter Temin, 2013 The quality of life for ordinary Roman citizens at the height of the Roman Empire probably was better than that of any other large group of people living before the Industrial Revolution. The Roman Market Economy uses the tools of modern economics to show how trade, markets, and the Pax Romana were critical to ancient Rome's prosperity.Peter Temin, one of the world's foremost economic historians, argues that markets dominated the Roman economy. He traces how the Pax Romana encouraged trade around the Mediterranean, and how Roman law promoted commerce and banking. Temin shows that a reasonably vibrant market for wheat extended throughout the empire, and suggests that the Antonine Plague may have been responsible for turning the stable prices of the early empire into the persistent inflation of the late. He vividly describes how various markets operated in Roman times, from commodities and slaves to the buying and selling of land. Applying modern methods for evaluating economic growth to data culled from historical sources, Temin argues that Roman Italy in the second century was as prosperous as the Dutch Republic in its golden age of the seventeenth century.The Roman Market Economy reveals how economics can help us understand how the Roman Empire could have ruled seventy million people and endured for centuries. |
the economics of thinness pdf: The Long Shadow of Informality Franziska Ohnsorge, Shu Yu, 2022-02-09 A large percentage of workers and firms operate in the informal economy, outside the line of sight of governments in emerging market and developing economies. This may hold back the recovery in these economies from the deep recessions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic--unless governments adopt a broad set of policies to address the challenges of widespread informality. This study is the first comprehensive analysis of the extent of informality and its implications for a durable economic recovery and for long-term development. It finds that pervasive informality is associated with significantly weaker economic outcomes--including lower government resources to combat recessions, lower per capita incomes, greater poverty, less financial development, and weaker investment and productivity. |
the economics of thinness pdf: The Economics of Welfare Arthur Cecil Pigou, 1920 |
the economics of thinness pdf: The Applied Theory of Price Deirdre N. McCloskey, 1985 |
the economics of thinness pdf: Economic Models of Tropical Deforestation: A Review David Kaimowitz, Arild Angelsen, 1998-01-01 Types of economic deforestation models. Household and firm-level models. Regional-level models. National and macro-level models. Priority areas for future research. |
the economics of thinness pdf: The Experience Economy B. Joseph Pine, James H. Gilmore, 1999 This text seeks to raise the curtain on competitive pricing strategies and asserts that businesses often miss their best opportunity for providing consumers with what they want - an experience. It presents a strategy for companies to script and stage the experiences provided by their products. |
the economics of thinness pdf: Capital in the Twenty-First Century Thomas Piketty, 2017-08-14 What are the grand dynamics that drive the accumulation and distribution of capital? Questions about the long-term evolution of inequality, the concentration of wealth, and the prospects for economic growth lie at the heart of political economy. But satisfactory answers have been hard to find for lack of adequate data and clear guiding theories. In this work the author analyzes a unique collection of data from twenty countries, ranging as far back as the eighteenth century, to uncover key economic and social patterns. His findings transform debate and set the agenda for the next generation of thought about wealth and inequality. He shows that modern economic growth and the diffusion of knowledge have allowed us to avoid inequalities on the apocalyptic scale predicted by Karl Marx. But we have not modified the deep structures of capital and inequality as much as we thought in the optimistic decades following World War II. The main driver of inequality--the tendency of returns on capital to exceed the rate of economic growth--today threatens to generate extreme inequalities that stir discontent and undermine democratic values if political action is not taken. But economic trends are not acts of God. Political action has curbed dangerous inequalities in the past, the author says, and may do so again. This original work reorients our understanding of economic history and confronts us with sobering lessons for today. |
the economics of thinness pdf: Fearing the Black Body Sabrina Strings, 2019-05-07 Winner, 2020 Body and Embodiment Best Publication Award, given by the American Sociological Association Honorable Mention, 2020 Sociology of Sex and Gender Distinguished Book Award, given by the American Sociological Association How the female body has been racialized for over two hundred years There is an obesity epidemic in this country and poor Black women are particularly stigmatized as “diseased” and a burden on the public health care system. This is only the most recent incarnation of the fear of fat Black women, which Sabrina Strings shows took root more than two hundred years ago. Strings weaves together an eye-opening historical narrative ranging from the Renaissance to the current moment, analyzing important works of art, newspaper and magazine articles, and scientific literature and medical journals—where fat bodies were once praised—showing that fat phobia, as it relates to Black women, did not originate with medical findings, but with the Enlightenment era belief that fatness was evidence of “savagery” and racial inferiority. The author argues that the contemporary ideal of slenderness is, at its very core, racialized and racist. Indeed, it was not until the early twentieth century, when racialized attitudes against fatness were already entrenched in the culture, that the medical establishment began its crusade against obesity. An important and original work, Fearing the Black Body argues convincingly that fat phobia isn’t about health at all, but rather a means of using the body to validate race, class, and gender prejudice. |
the economics of thinness pdf: Stretched Thin Sandra Morgen, Joan Acker, Jill Weigt, 2013-09-30 When the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act became law in 1996, the architects of welfare reform celebrated what they called the new consensus on welfare: that cash assistance should be temporary and contingent on recipients' seeking and finding employment. However, assessments about the assumptions and consequences of this radical change to the nation's social safety net were actually far more varied and disputed than the label consensus suggests. By examining the varied realities and accountings of welfare restructuring, Stretched Thin looks back at a critical moment of policy change and suggests how welfare policy in the United States can be changed to better address the needs of poor families and the nation. Using ethnographic observations, in-depth interviews with poor families and welfare workers, survey data tracking more than 750 families over two years, and documentary evidence, Sandra Morgen, Joan Acker, and Jill Weigt question the validity of claims that welfare reform has been a success. They show how poor families, welfare workers, and welfare administrators experienced and assessed welfare reform differently based on gender, race, class, and their varying positions of power and control within the welfare state. The authors document the ways that, despite the dramatic drop in welfare rolls, low-wage jobs and inadequate social supports left many families struggling in poverty. Revealing how the neoliberal principles of a drastically downsized welfare state and individual responsibility for economic survival were implemented through policies and practices of welfare provision and nonprovision, the authors conclude with new recommendations for reforming welfare policy to reduce poverty, promote economic security, and foster shared prosperity. |
the economics of thinness pdf: The Economics of Keynes Mark G. Hayes, 2006 In his 'New Guide' to The General Theory, Mark G. Hayes presents Keynes's illustrious work as a sophisticated Marshallian theory of the competitive equilibrium of the economy as a whole. This unique book takes full account of the nature of time and money and illustrates that The General Theory remains highly relevant to the teacher and advanced student of modern macroeconomics. The Economics of Keynes introduces several interpretative innovations to resolve many puzzles presented in the literature of the last 70 years. It is designed to be read in parallel with The General Theory and will allow modern readers to find their bearings before plunging into an in-depth analysis of major themes contained in The General Theory. The key areas in which this 'New Guide' differs from the familiar exposition of current macroeconomics textbooks are also explicitly identified. The author reaches positive and hopeful conclusions for the development of economic theory and policy. Promoting a thorough understanding of the legitimate domain of equilibrium analysis and a renewed commitment to the possibility of genuinely full employment, this book will provide an illuminating and fascinating read for anyone wishing to appreciate fully the value of The General Theory. More specifically, academics and advanced students of macroeconomics across the board - classical, orthodox, Post Keynesian and heterodox - interested in a fresh attempt to connect The General Theory with modern macroeconomics will find this book to be the ideal tool. |
the economics of thinness pdf: Knowledge and Persuasion in Economics Deirdre N. McCloskey, 1994-05-05 Argues that economics is a science, but a human science: a witty guide to the ins and outs of economic philosophy. |
the economics of thinness pdf: Economic Facts and Fallacies Thomas Sowell, 2011-03-22 Thomas Sowell “both surprises and overturns received wisdom” in this indispensable examination of widespread economic fallacies (The Economist) Economic Facts and Fallacies exposes some of the most popular fallacies about economic issues-and does so in a lively manner and without requiring any prior knowledge of economics by the reader. These include many beliefs widely disseminated in the media and by politicians, such as mistaken ideas about urban problems, income differences, male-female economic differences, as well as economics fallacies about academia, about race, and about Third World countries. One of the themes of Economic Facts and Fallacies is that fallacies are not simply crazy ideas but in fact have a certain plausibility that gives them their staying power-and makes careful examination of their flaws both necessary and important, as well as sometimes humorous. Written in the easy-to-follow style of the author's Basic Economics, this latest book is able to go into greater depth, with real world examples, on specific issues. |
the economics of thinness pdf: The Performance Economy W. Stahel, 2010-02-24 This updated and revised edition outlines strategies and models for how to use technology and knowledge to improve performance, create jobs and increase income. It shows what skills will be required to produce, sell and manage performance over time, and how manual jobs can contribute to reduce the consumption of non-renewable resources. |
the economics of thinness pdf: The Economics of Inclusionary Development Stockton Williams, 2016 With nearly 10 million low- and moderate-income working households paying more than half their income towards their rent or mortgage, cities are increasingly using their zoning authority to encourage the development of new workforce housing units. A study by the ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing assesses and illustrates the economics of the most common approach: inclusionary zoning (IZ). Through IZ, cities require or encourage developers to create below-market rental apartments or for-sale homes in connection with the local zoning approval of a proposed market-rate development project. This study-based on in-depth analytic modeling, an extensive literature review, and interviews with developers and other land use experts-provides such advice on what incentives work best in which development scenarios. The study's purpose is to enable policy makers to better understand how an IZ policy affects real estate development and how to use the necessary development incentives for IZ to be most effective. |
the economics of thinness pdf: Weighing In Julie Guthman, 2011-10-06 A bold, compelling challenge to conventional thinking about obesity and its fixes, Weighing In is one of the most important books on food politics to hit the shelves in a long time. —Susanne Freidberg, author of Fresh: A Perishable History Weighing In is filled with counterintuitive surprises that should make us skeptics of all kinds of food -- whether local, fast, slow, junk or health -- but also gives us the practical tools to effectively scrutinize the stale buffet of popularly-accepted health wisdom before we digest it. —Paul Robbins, professor of Geography and Development, University of Arizona If you liked Michael Pollan, this should be your next read. Guthman gives us the research behind the questions we should be asking, but, falling all over ourselves in the rush to consensus, we have overlooked. A self-described Berkeley foodie, Guthman takes on the self-satisfaction of the alternative food movement and places it in rich context, drawing on research in health, economics, labor, agriculture, sociology, and politics. This marvelous, surprising book is a true game-changer in our national conversation about food and justice. —Anna Kirkland, author of Fat Rights: Dilemmas of Difference and Personhood “This groundbreaking book calls into question the ubiquitous claim that ‘good food’ will solve the social and health dilemmas of today. Combining political economic analysis, cultural critique, and clear explanation of scientific discoveries, the author challenges our deeply held convictions about society, food, bodies, and environments.” —Becky Mansfield, editor of Privatization: Property and the Remaking of Nature-Society Relations Step back from that farmer's market -- Guthman shows us that good foods and good eating are not enough. By questioning the fuzzy facts on obesity, the impact of environment, and capitalism's relentless push to consume, Weighing In challenges us to think harder, and better, about what it really takes to be healthy in the modern age. —Carolyn de la Peña, author of Empty Pleasures: The Story of Artificial Sweetener from Saccharin to Splenda |
the economics of thinness pdf: Icebergs, Zombies, and the Ultra-Thin Matthew Soules, 2021-05-04 Soules's excellent book makes sense of the capitalist forces we all feel but cannot always name... Icebergs, Zombies, and the Ultra Thin arms architects and the general public with an essential understanding of how capitalism makes property. Required reading for those who think tomorrow can be different from today.— Jack Self, coeditor of Real Estates: Life Without Debt In Icebergs, Zombies, and the Ultra Thin, Matthew Soules issues an indictment of how finance capitalism dramatically alters not only architectural forms but also the very nature of our cities and societies. We rarely consider architecture to be an important factor in contemporary economic and political debates, yet sparsely occupied ultra-thin pencil towers develop in our cities, functioning as speculative wealth storage for the superrich, and cavernous iceberg homes extend architectural assets many stories below street level. Meanwhile, communities around the globe are blighted by zombie and ghost urbanism, marked by unoccupied neighborhoods and abandoned housing developments. Learn how the use of architecture as an investment tool has accelerated in recent years, heightening inequality and contributing to worldwide financial instability: • See how investment imperatives shape what and how we build, changing the very structure of our communities • Delve into high-profile projects, like the luxury apartments of architect Rafael Viñoly's 432 Park Avenue • Understand the convergence of technology, finance, and spirituality, which together are configuring the financialized walls within which we eat, sleep, and work Includes dozens of photos and drawings of architectural phenomena that have changed the way we live. Essential reading for anyone interested in architecture, design, economics, and understanding the way our world is formed. |
the economics of thinness pdf: Economics of Strategy David Dranove, David Besanko, Mark Shanley, Scott Schaefer, 2017-07-17 This text is an unbound, three hole punched version. Access to WileyPLUS sold separately. Economics of Strategy, Binder Ready Version focuses on the key economic concepts students must master in order to develop a sound business strategy. Ideal for undergraduate managerial economics and business strategy courses, Economics of Strategy offers a careful yet accessible translation of advanced economic concepts to practical problems facing business managers. Armed with general principles, today's students--tomorrows future managers--will be prepared to adjust their firms business strategies to the demands of the ever-changing environment. |
the economics of thinness pdf: Beyond Growth Herman E. Daly, 2014-09-30 Daly is turning economics inside out by putting the earth and its diminishing natural resources at the center of the field . . . a kind of reverse Copernican revolution in economics. --Utne Reader Considered by most to be the dean of ecological economics, Herman E. Daly elegantly topples many shibboleths in Beyond Growth. Daly challenges the conventional notion that growth is always good, and he bucks environmentalist orthodoxy, arguing that the current focus on 'sustainable development' is misguided and that the phrase itself has become meaningless. --Mother Jones In Beyond Growth, . . . [Daly] derides the concept of 'sustainable growth' as an oxymoron. . . . Calling Mr. Daly 'an unsung hero,' Robert Goodland, the World Bank's top environmental adviser, says, 'He has been a voice crying in the wilderness.' --G. Pascal Zachary, The Wall Street Journal A new book by that most far-seeing and heretical of economists, Herman Daly. For 25 years now, Daly has been thinking through a new economics that accounts for the wealth of nature, the value of community and the necessity for morality. --Donella H. Meadows, Los Angeles Times For clarity of vision and ecological wisdom Herman Daly has no peer among contemporary economists. . . . Beyond Growth is essential reading. --David W. Orr, Oberlin College There is no more basic ethical question than the one Herman Daly is asking. --Hal Kahn, The San Jose Mercury News Daly's critiques of economic orthodoxy . . . deliver a powerful and much-needed jolt to conventional thinking. --Karen Pennar, Business Week Named one of a hundred visionaries who could change your life by the Utne Reader,Herman Daly is the recipient of many awards, including a Grawemeyer Award, the Heineken Prize for environmental science, and the Alternative Nobel Prize, the Right Livelihood Award. He is professor at the University of Maryland's School of Public Affairs, and coauthor with John Cobb, Jr., of For the Common Good. |
the economics of thinness pdf: Fat Art, Thin Art Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, 1994-08-12 Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick is best known as a cultural and literary critic, as one of the primary forces behind the development of queer and gay/lesbian studies, and as author of several influential books: Tendencies, Epistemology of the Closet, and Between Men: English Literature and Male Homosocial Desire. The publication of Fat Art, Thin Art, Sedgwick’s first volume of poetry, opens up another dimension of her continuing project of crossing and re-crossing the electrified boundaries between theory, lyric, and narrative. Embodying a decades-long adventure, the poems collected here offer the most accessible and definitive formulations to appear anywhere in Sedgwick’s writing on some characteristic subjects and some new ones: passionate attachments within and across genders; queer childhoods of many kinds; the performativity of a long, unconventional marriage; depressiveness, hilarity, and bliss; grave illness; despised and magnetic bodies and bodily parts. In two long fictional poems, a rich narrative momentum engages readers in the mysterious places—including Victorian novels—where characters, sexualities, and fates are unmade and made. Sedgwick’s poetry opens an unfamiliar, intimate, daring space that steadily refigures not only what a critic may be, but what a poem can do. |
the economics of thinness pdf: The Economics of Industry Alfred Marshall, Mary Paley Marshall, 1888 |
the economics of thinness pdf: Economic Fables Ariel Rubinstein, 2012 I had the good fortune to grow up in a wonderful area of Jerusalem, surrounded by a diverse range of people: Rabbi Meizel, the communist Sala Marcel, my widowed Aunt Hannah, and the intellectual Yaacovson. As far as I'm concerned, the opinion of such people is just as authoritative for making social and economic decisions as the opinion of an expert using a model. Part memoir, part crash-course in economic theory, this deeply engaging book by one of the world's foremost economists looks at economic ideas through a personal lens. Together with an introduction to some of the central concepts in modern economic thought, Ariel Rubinstein offers some powerful and entertaining reflections on his childhood, family and career. In doing so, he challenges many of the central tenets of game theory, and sheds light on the role economics can play in society at large. Economic Fables is as thought-provoking for seasoned economists as it is enlightening for newcomers to the field. |
the economics of thinness pdf: Law and Economics Robert Cooter, Thomas Ulen, 2000 Provides students with a method for applying economic analysis to the study of legal rules and institutions. Four key areas of law are covered: property; contracts; torts; and crime and punishment. Added examples and cases help to clarify economic applications further. |
the economics of thinness pdf: Thin Sympathy Joanna R. Quinn, 2021-05-28 In helping deeply divided societies come to terms with a troubled past, transitional justice often fails to produce the intended results. Thin Sympathy argues that the acquisition of a basic understanding of what has taken place in the past will enable the development of a more durable transitional justice process. |
the economics of thinness pdf: Principles of Political Economy John Stuart Mill, 1882 |
the economics of thinness pdf: All I Ever Wanted Was to Be Hot Lucinda 'Froomes' Price, 2024-09-03 'A book for the modern woman, laced with unflinching, glorious honesty.' Zara McDonald and Michelle Andrews, co-founders of Shameless Media 'A funny, real interrogation of Australia's body image problem, and a call to arms to dismantle diet culture.' Chantelle Otten, author and sexologist 'A feminist manifesto, a younger millennial gospel, with unparalleled candour and self awareness. I inhaled this book - it's going to be big.' Jessie Stephens 'I have always known that to be hot is to be powerful. For most of my life, I just took it as the way things are, a fact not worth interrogating since it's so obviously true.' Up until her twenty-fifth birthday, the number one priority in Lucinda Price's life was to look good. She nipped, tucked, cut, plucked, shaved, tanned, crunched, squatted and starved. Then, she broke down. All I Ever Wanted Was To Be Hot is a funny, provocative retrospective on the last thirty years of Western beauty standards. From the Pussycat Dolls to Victoria's Secret, The Girls of the Playboy Mansion to Lara Bingle, the media of the 2000s was littered with high profile examples of hotness as the highest form of social currency. Is it any wonder a girl growing up in that era might believe good looks were as integral to womanhood as having a pulse? With her offbeat humour and incisive cultural commentary, Lucinda tells the unfiltered story of a young woman overcoming an eating disorder, illuminating our enduring obsession with appearance by holding a mirror up to herself, and in turn, all of us. A hilarious, insightful deep dive into self image, desirability, pop-culture and power. A sparkling debut by one of Australia's most beloved creators and comedians, Lucinda Price aka Froomes. 'Brilliant, funny and brutally honest, this is a must-read for anyone trying to navigate through this incredibly complex, image-obsessed age.' Myf Warhurst 'If Tina Fey and David Sedaris had a child, it would be a book... this book.' Ryan Shelton 'My book of the year. Whip-smart. Hilarious. Honest ... Lucinda is a genius who captures and melds the deeply serious and deeply funny in a way few writers can.' Hannah Ferguson |
the economics of thinness pdf: Everything I Ever Needed to Know about Economics I Learned from Online Dating Paul Oyer, 2013-12-17 Conquering the dating market—from an economist’s point of view After more than twenty years, economist Paul Oyer found himself back on the dating scene—but what a difference a few years made. Dating was now dominated by sites like Match.com, eHarmony, and OkCupid. But Oyer had a secret weapon: economics. It turns out that dating sites are no different than the markets Oyer had spent a lifetime studying. Monster.com, eBay, and other sites where individuals come together to find a match gave Oyer startling insight into the modern dating scene. The arcane language of economics—search, signaling, adverse selection, cheap talk, statistical discrimination, thick markets, and network externalities—provides a useful guide to finding a mate. Using the ideas that are central to how markets and economics and dating work, Oyer shows how you can apply these ideas to take advantage of the economics in everyday life, all around you, all the time. For all online daters—and for anyone else swimming in the vast sea of the information economy—this book uses Oyer’s own experiences, and those of millions of others, to help you navigate the key economic concepts that drive the modern age. |
the economics of thinness pdf: Virtual and real test based analysis and design of non-conventional thin-walled metal structures , |
the economics of thinness pdf: Thin Description John L. Jackson Jr., 2013-11-04 The African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem are often dismissed as a fringe cult for their beliefs that African Americans are descendants of the ancient Israelites and that veganism leads to immortality. But John L. Jackson questions what “fringe” means in a world where cultural practices of every stripe circulate freely on the Internet. In this poignant and sophisticated examination of the limits of ethnography, the reader is invited into the visionary, sometimes vexing world of the AHIJ. Jackson challenges what Clifford Geertz called the “thick description” of anthropological research through a multidisciplinary investigation of how the AHIJ use media and technology to define their public image in the twenty-first century. Moving far beyond the “modest witness” of nineteenth-century scientific discourse or the “thick descriptions” of twentieth-century anthropology, Jackson insists that Geertzian thickness is an impossibility, especially in a world where the anthropologist’s subject is a self-aware subject—one who crafts his own autoethnography while critically consuming the ethnographer’s offerings. Thin Description takes as its topic a group situated along the fault lines of several diasporas—African, American, Jewish—and provides an anthropological account of how race, religion, and ethnographic representation must be understood anew in the twenty-first century lest we reenact old mistakes in the study of black humanity. |