Economics is often used in literary studies, but rarely free market economics. Austrian economics, with its emphasis on subjective value (Menger), human action (Mises), spontaneous order and knowledge (Hayek), and entrepreneurship (Kirzner), seems a particularly fruitful source of ideas for literary studies.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Value, Markets, and the Arts
Here's a little something I wrote several years ago for The Prometheus Institute on Value, Markets, and the Arts.
'If we want to recreate a world of meaning and value -- one that is conducive to free markets -- then we need to make a change at the level of our culture. This doesn't mean just complaining about what is out there, but rather supporting beautiful art which promotes values and meaning. You have to give people actual alternatives, and make the argument for why such works should be more greatly appreciated and values (and, thus, bought more often) than what is being made now.'
Thank you Troy! You don't understand what a smile reading that can put on my face!
'If we want to recreate a world of meaning and value -- one that is conducive to free markets -- then we need to make a change at the level of our culture. This doesn't mean just complaining about what is out there, but rather supporting beautiful art which promotes values and meaning. You have to give people actual alternatives, and make the argument for why such works should be more greatly appreciated and values (and, thus, bought more often) than what is being made now.'
ReplyDeleteThank you Troy! You don't understand what a smile reading that can put on my face!
It's why I'm an artist myself.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to read some of your work sometime.
ReplyDeletego to my main blog and search for my poems and for my play Hef's Bunnies. That should get you started :-)
ReplyDeleteof course, there is now my poetry blog
ReplyDelete