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Arguing with Zombies: Economics, Politics, and the Fight for a Better Future
There is no better guide than Paul Krugman to basic economics, the ideas that animate much of our public policy. Likewise, there is no stronger foe of zombie economics, the misunderstandings that just won’t die.
In Arguing with Zombies, Krugman tackles many of these misunderstandings, taking stock of where the United States has come from and where it’s headed in a series of concise, digestible chapters. Drawn mainly from his popular New York Times column, they cover a wide range of issues, organized thematically and framed in the context of a wider debate. Explaining the complexities of health care, housing bubbles, tax reform, Social Security, and so much more with unrivaled clarity and precision, Arguing with Zombies is Krugman at the height of his powers.
Arguing with Zombies puts Krugman at the front of the debate in the 2020 election year and is an indispensable guide to two decades’ worth of political and economic discourse in the United States and around the globe. With quick, vivid sketches, Krugman turns his readers into intelligent consumers of the daily news and hands them the keys to unlock the concepts behind the greatest economic policy issues of our time. In doing so, he delivers an instant classic that can serve as a reference point for this and future generations.
In Arguing with Zombies, Krugman tackles many of these misunderstandings, taking stock of where the United States has come from and where it’s headed in a series of concise, digestible chapters. Drawn mainly from his popular New York Times column, they cover a wide range of issues, organized thematically and framed in the context of a wider debate. Explaining the complexities of health care, housing bubbles, tax reform, Social Security, and so much more with unrivaled clarity and precision, Arguing with Zombies is Krugman at the height of his powers.
Arguing with Zombies puts Krugman at the front of the debate in the 2020 election year and is an indispensable guide to two decades’ worth of political and economic discourse in the United States and around the globe. With quick, vivid sketches, Krugman turns his readers into intelligent consumers of the daily news and hands them the keys to unlock the concepts behind the greatest economic policy issues of our time. In doing so, he delivers an instant classic that can serve as a reference point for this and future generations.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published January 28, 2020
About the author
Paul Krugman
328 books1,513 followersPaul Robin Krugman is an American economist, liberal columnist and author. He is Professor of Economics and International Affairs at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Centenary Professor at the London School of Economics, and an op-ed columnist for The New York Times. In 2008, Krugman won the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics for his contributions to New Trade Theory and New Economic Geography.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 310 reviews
February 6, 2020
The problem with the political right of recent history is not that they don’t think like the left, or that they operate according to a different political philosophy. The problem is that the right has no qualms about presenting intentionally misleading and false information to achieve political gains at all costs (The left at times can do this too, of course, but not nearly to the extent of the right.)
Since the right operates according to a very simplistic platform, they are ideologically wedded to very simplistic economic policies that, despite years of contradictory evidence, they simply refuse to abandon. That’s why they continue to push for tax cuts for the wealthy, deregulation, and further privatization, which are all the causes of, not the solution to, most of today’s major economic problems and growing levels of inequality.
What’s more is that the right is not only pushing bad ideas; they’re also pretending to not be. They seek to cut Medicare and other critical social programs while promising the opposite, and they make claims that their political opponents spread false information while they blithely do the same.
In this collection of essays, Krugman is not afraid to call out this massive disingenuity or to discuss the underlying motives of the modern right. While you’re not going to find in-depth technical analysis of economic policy in these articles, you will come to understand the motives and history behind the intellectual black hole that is the modern conservative movement.
Since the right operates according to a very simplistic platform, they are ideologically wedded to very simplistic economic policies that, despite years of contradictory evidence, they simply refuse to abandon. That’s why they continue to push for tax cuts for the wealthy, deregulation, and further privatization, which are all the causes of, not the solution to, most of today’s major economic problems and growing levels of inequality.
What’s more is that the right is not only pushing bad ideas; they’re also pretending to not be. They seek to cut Medicare and other critical social programs while promising the opposite, and they make claims that their political opponents spread false information while they blithely do the same.
In this collection of essays, Krugman is not afraid to call out this massive disingenuity or to discuss the underlying motives of the modern right. While you’re not going to find in-depth technical analysis of economic policy in these articles, you will come to understand the motives and history behind the intellectual black hole that is the modern conservative movement.
October 3, 2020
DNF at 32%.
I have a degree in accounting, am interested in everyday economic issues and yet books about economics are just so dry to me. This book appeared to have some strengths: it's organized by topic; the articles have updates and clarifications; and some topics impact everyday Americans (e.g. Social Security, Obamacare; tax cuts; Trump).
The problem for me is that it's still a book about economics written by an economist. A journalist but still ultimately an economist. And an extremely arrogant one at that. Some of the underlying messaging was fine but the author's all-knowing, brook-no-dissent style was tiring. And 2020 (through 10/3/2020) has been absolutely exhausting. This us-versus-them approach to American politics has me searching the internet for better places to live and the list is getting longer.
Life is too short. This may be a very good book but I don't have the strength or patience to continue. I swear 2020 can't be gone fast enough.
I have a degree in accounting, am interested in everyday economic issues and yet books about economics are just so dry to me. This book appeared to have some strengths: it's organized by topic; the articles have updates and clarifications; and some topics impact everyday Americans (e.g. Social Security, Obamacare; tax cuts; Trump).
The problem for me is that it's still a book about economics written by an economist. A journalist but still ultimately an economist. And an extremely arrogant one at that. Some of the underlying messaging was fine but the author's all-knowing, brook-no-dissent style was tiring. And 2020 (through 10/3/2020) has been absolutely exhausting. This us-versus-them approach to American politics has me searching the internet for better places to live and the list is getting longer.
Life is too short. This may be a very good book but I don't have the strength or patience to continue. I swear 2020 can't be gone fast enough.
February 26, 2020
16th book for 2020.
A collection of essays by the economist Paul Krugman published over the last decade or so, starting with Obama's actions over the 2008 financial meltdown and his attempts at health care reform and ending with Trumpian tax cuts and trade policy. Essays are collected thematically, not chronologically; with Krugman adding afterwords where necessarily to bring them up to date.
Despite some repetition across essays, Krugman's writing is clear, and the book is a pleasure to read. An excellent antidote of the nonsense voodoo economics presented as rational economic policies by the political right.
4-stars.
A collection of essays by the economist Paul Krugman published over the last decade or so, starting with Obama's actions over the 2008 financial meltdown and his attempts at health care reform and ending with Trumpian tax cuts and trade policy. Essays are collected thematically, not chronologically; with Krugman adding afterwords where necessarily to bring them up to date.
Despite some repetition across essays, Krugman's writing is clear, and the book is a pleasure to read. An excellent antidote of the nonsense voodoo economics presented as rational economic policies by the political right.
4-stars.
July 4, 2021
Arguing with Zombies: Economics, Politics, and the Fight for a Better Future
by Paul Krugman
This isn't what I expected. It's a collection of essays but I hadn't read them so no problem. Some people have a problem with essays but I don't, it's just not what I expected.
It covers economic, social, and political issues that have hindered growth here in America and the author does a good job explaining why. One party, drastically more than the other, has resisted change and has been obsessed with several issues such as not taxing the rich, cutting social security and Medicare, cutting other social systems, increasing military spending and becoming increasingly involved in international covert operations, prison privatization, and more. Trickle down does not work and that's been proven.
That party also, more than the other, has no problem lying to the public about the issues surrounding any of these, especially the cost. Honesty is not their policy. Getting what they want is. We are still in a war from this lying game.
My grandma use to call it ,"Beating a dead horse". I like the author's title better. It still is the same. Republicans are not known for policy making but for policy blocking. They use the same ideas over and over. Talking to them about their policies is like reanimated corpses that shambles about hoping someone will do something for them.
I don't understand why anyone in our government would not want to help our people have adequate healthcare, good schools, freedom to choose their own partner, religion, care for their own body, common sense gun laws, taxes fair across the board, accept migrants in their time of need, feed the hungry, save the planet, love everyone not just white people, and keep prison privatization out of our lives, protect wildlife, and want everyone to vote. I just don't understand!
by Paul Krugman
This isn't what I expected. It's a collection of essays but I hadn't read them so no problem. Some people have a problem with essays but I don't, it's just not what I expected.
It covers economic, social, and political issues that have hindered growth here in America and the author does a good job explaining why. One party, drastically more than the other, has resisted change and has been obsessed with several issues such as not taxing the rich, cutting social security and Medicare, cutting other social systems, increasing military spending and becoming increasingly involved in international covert operations, prison privatization, and more. Trickle down does not work and that's been proven.
That party also, more than the other, has no problem lying to the public about the issues surrounding any of these, especially the cost. Honesty is not their policy. Getting what they want is. We are still in a war from this lying game.
My grandma use to call it ,"Beating a dead horse". I like the author's title better. It still is the same. Republicans are not known for policy making but for policy blocking. They use the same ideas over and over. Talking to them about their policies is like reanimated corpses that shambles about hoping someone will do something for them.
I don't understand why anyone in our government would not want to help our people have adequate healthcare, good schools, freedom to choose their own partner, religion, care for their own body, common sense gun laws, taxes fair across the board, accept migrants in their time of need, feed the hungry, save the planet, love everyone not just white people, and keep prison privatization out of our lives, protect wildlife, and want everyone to vote. I just don't understand!
March 18, 2020
I love the concept. Arguing with Zombies is an incredible metaphor for our increasingly siloed world. I remember viscerally feeling what Thomas Pinketty called a “dialogue of the deaf” to describe how people talk past one another. Krugman's idea is even more visual and potent. Certain policies have been killed through research and evidence, yet continue to be held up by those with nefarious motives. Evoking visuals of glassy eyed news anchors mindlessly repeating taglines.
I had an image of Krugman heroically taking these vapid ideas out to the shed behind the studio. The screen cuts to black as we hear a single gunshot.
Weeks later we are surprised to see these same ideas back in their news anchor chair. Some are missing an ear, some a nose. But they shamble on, still searching for vulnerable brains to infect.
“How are they still around?” Krugman asks.
Searching for the source, we are led on a dark journey through think tanks, to doomsday bunkers, and finally to the tortured existence of one man. Locked away next to the boiler room on Rupert Murdoch’s yacht. This man, matted grey hair hanging loosely around his head, feeble and thin, is stuck with a cattle prod by Dick Cheney whenever a new narrative is needed. His tortured screams are run through a Mad Libs style blueprint.
“The __________ are coming for your __________. __________ won't tell you the truth because __________.”
We see this man, face contorted in pain, scream “Nazi’s, Christmas, Obama, he hates freedom”
Cheney seems unimpressed, “Lazy effort. We did a version of that already. Plus the Nazi’s are on our side now. Let’s go again.” He rears back the cattle prod, electricity crackling between the prongs.
Krugman, bleeding heart liberal he is, can’t stand to watch. So he wrestles the cattle prod from Cheney. Cheney, surprised, pulls out the shotgun he always keeps nearby. Missing wildly, Cheney’s shot ricochets off a bulkhead, strikes a puddle of nearby oil and sets himself aflame. As Cheney throws himself from the ship into the sea, Krugman looks back at the man who is responsible for the deluge of fake news in today's world.
In a stunning twist of events. We find out that this man is Roger Ailes, locked away since Murdoch faked his death in 2017. Krugman, with the Mission Impossible theme playing, rescues Ailes. Unfortunately, Ailes has been held for so long, in such depraved conditions, that he barely makes it to shore. As the yacht explodes behind them, Ailes whispers a code to shut down Fox News forever into Krugman’s ear. Knowing he has done all he can to balance his karma, Ailes passes away, illuminated by the glow of a burning ship.
Sadly, this book is not post apocalyptic fan-fic like that. Or of another sort where Sarah Palin and her brood are the last remaining survivors after a tea party inspired purge. Holed up in an Alaskan fortress with a handful of political pundits, safe from the shambling mass of Coronavirus zombies because they have no delicious pre-frontal cortex, or higher cognitive processes, only tough fibrous cerebellums. They may be dead, but even zombies hate eating fiber.
This is also not a story of how John McCain’s hologram was brought back to serve another 4 years in the senate. Or how Biden is actually a steam powered animatron.
No, ironically, this book is a collection of rehashed articles and ideas already written by Mr. Krugman for the New York Times. I kept waiting for the zombies, but sadly it seems like that was just a pithy tagline. I mostly like Krugman, and am deferential to his economic knowledge, but I feel frustrated by the fact that I paid for something I could have googled.
If, like me, you lean liberal, you will probably like this book. It reads like a hearty dose of confirmation bias mixed with just enough intellectual superiority to help you feel smug about your viewpoints. However the deeper problem (besides the disappointing lack of zombies) is that this book a lot of it seems to show how smart Krugman is, with his clever phrases and hand waving dismissal of other viewpoints, instead of trying to educate the reader. I found myself nodding along, but after reading, I don't feel that much more educated.
I had an image of Krugman heroically taking these vapid ideas out to the shed behind the studio. The screen cuts to black as we hear a single gunshot.
Weeks later we are surprised to see these same ideas back in their news anchor chair. Some are missing an ear, some a nose. But they shamble on, still searching for vulnerable brains to infect.
“How are they still around?” Krugman asks.
Searching for the source, we are led on a dark journey through think tanks, to doomsday bunkers, and finally to the tortured existence of one man. Locked away next to the boiler room on Rupert Murdoch’s yacht. This man, matted grey hair hanging loosely around his head, feeble and thin, is stuck with a cattle prod by Dick Cheney whenever a new narrative is needed. His tortured screams are run through a Mad Libs style blueprint.
“The __________ are coming for your __________. __________ won't tell you the truth because __________.”
We see this man, face contorted in pain, scream “Nazi’s, Christmas, Obama, he hates freedom”
Cheney seems unimpressed, “Lazy effort. We did a version of that already. Plus the Nazi’s are on our side now. Let’s go again.” He rears back the cattle prod, electricity crackling between the prongs.
Krugman, bleeding heart liberal he is, can’t stand to watch. So he wrestles the cattle prod from Cheney. Cheney, surprised, pulls out the shotgun he always keeps nearby. Missing wildly, Cheney’s shot ricochets off a bulkhead, strikes a puddle of nearby oil and sets himself aflame. As Cheney throws himself from the ship into the sea, Krugman looks back at the man who is responsible for the deluge of fake news in today's world.
In a stunning twist of events. We find out that this man is Roger Ailes, locked away since Murdoch faked his death in 2017. Krugman, with the Mission Impossible theme playing, rescues Ailes. Unfortunately, Ailes has been held for so long, in such depraved conditions, that he barely makes it to shore. As the yacht explodes behind them, Ailes whispers a code to shut down Fox News forever into Krugman’s ear. Knowing he has done all he can to balance his karma, Ailes passes away, illuminated by the glow of a burning ship.
Sadly, this book is not post apocalyptic fan-fic like that. Or of another sort where Sarah Palin and her brood are the last remaining survivors after a tea party inspired purge. Holed up in an Alaskan fortress with a handful of political pundits, safe from the shambling mass of Coronavirus zombies because they have no delicious pre-frontal cortex, or higher cognitive processes, only tough fibrous cerebellums. They may be dead, but even zombies hate eating fiber.
This is also not a story of how John McCain’s hologram was brought back to serve another 4 years in the senate. Or how Biden is actually a steam powered animatron.
No, ironically, this book is a collection of rehashed articles and ideas already written by Mr. Krugman for the New York Times. I kept waiting for the zombies, but sadly it seems like that was just a pithy tagline. I mostly like Krugman, and am deferential to his economic knowledge, but I feel frustrated by the fact that I paid for something I could have googled.
If, like me, you lean liberal, you will probably like this book. It reads like a hearty dose of confirmation bias mixed with just enough intellectual superiority to help you feel smug about your viewpoints. However the deeper problem (besides the disappointing lack of zombies) is that this book a lot of it seems to show how smart Krugman is, with his clever phrases and hand waving dismissal of other viewpoints, instead of trying to educate the reader. I found myself nodding along, but after reading, I don't feel that much more educated.
May 6, 2021
(อ่านต้นฉบับภาษาอังกฤษ)
คอลเลคชั่นบทความจากคอลัมน์ใน NYT ของนักเศรษฐศาสตร์และคอลัมนิสต์ในดวงใจ คัดเลือกจากข้อเขียนเด่นๆ ของเขาในรอบ 15 ปีที่ผ่านมา บางส่วนเคยอ่านแล้วตั้งแต่ตอนที่เป็นคอลัมน์ แต่พอมาอ่านรวมกันก็เห็นเส้นความคิดสนุกดี ที่ชอบเป็นพิเศษคือบทความที่ว่าด้วยการค้าระหว่างประเทศ (หัวข้อที่ทำให้ครุกแมนได้รางวัลโนเบลเศรษฐศาสตร์) การพยายามพูดย้ำๆ อธิบาย ล้อเลียน และเสียดสีพรรครีพับลิกันอย่างสุภาพว่า เลิกยึดติดกับความเชื่อใน “เศรษฐศาสตร์ไหลริน” (trickle-down economics) ที่เชื่อว่าประโยชน์จะไหลจากคนข้างบนมาถึงคนข้างล่างเสียที ทฤษฎีนี้ไม่เวิร์ค อเมริกาเหลื่อมล้ำขนาดไหนแล้วรู้ไหม ฯลฯ
ความน่าสนใจยิ่งกว่าเนื้อหาสำหรับตัวเอง คือ ความสามารถของครุกแมนในการอธิบายเรื่องยากๆ ให้คนเข้าใจ ความกล้าหาญทางจริยธรรมที่วิพากษ์วิจารณ์นโยบายและมาตรการต่าง ของรัฐที่เขาเห็นว่าไม่ถูกต้อง และความอดทนในการคุยกับเหล่า “ซอมบี้” คือพวกขวาจัดที่ไม่ใช่เหตุผลในการคุย — ทั้งหมดนี้ทำให้ครุกแมนเป็นแบบอย่างที่ดีเยี่ยมสำหรับนักเขียนและนักวิชาการ :)
คอลเลคชั่นบทความจากคอลัมน์ใน NYT ของนักเศรษฐศาสตร์และคอลัมนิสต์ในดวงใจ คัดเลือกจากข้อเขียนเด่นๆ ของเขาในรอบ 15 ปีที่ผ่านมา บางส่วนเคยอ่านแล้วตั้งแต่ตอนที่เป็นคอลัมน์ แต่พอมาอ่านรวมกันก็เห็นเส้นความคิดสนุกดี ที่ชอบเป็นพิเศษคือบทความที่ว่าด้วยการค้าระหว่างประเทศ (หัวข้อที่ทำให้ครุกแมนได้รางวัลโนเบลเศรษฐศาสตร์) การพยายามพูดย้ำๆ อธิบาย ล้อเลียน และเสียดสีพรรครีพับลิกันอย่างสุภาพว่า เลิกยึดติดกับความเชื่อใน “เศรษฐศาสตร์ไหลริน” (trickle-down economics) ที่เชื่อว่าประโยชน์จะไหลจากคนข้างบนมาถึงคนข้างล่างเสียที ทฤษฎีนี้ไม่เวิร์ค อเมริกาเหลื่อมล้ำขนาดไหนแล้วรู้ไหม ฯลฯ
ความน่าสนใจยิ่งกว่าเนื้อหาสำหรับตัวเอง คือ ความสามารถของครุกแมนในการอธิบายเรื่องยากๆ ให้คนเข้าใจ ความกล้าหาญทางจริยธรรมที่วิพากษ์วิจารณ์นโยบายและมาตรการต่าง ของรัฐที่เขาเห็นว่าไม่ถูกต้อง และความอดทนในการคุยกับเหล่า “ซอมบี้” คือพวกขวาจัดที่ไม่ใช่เหตุผลในการคุย — ทั้งหมดนี้ทำให้ครุกแมนเป็นแบบอย่างที่ดีเยี่ยมสำหรับนักเขียนและนักวิชาการ :)
February 7, 2020
This is a very fine collection of essays, blog posts, and articles covering essentially two decades worth of issues, though there are also a couple of foundational works from the early 90's included as well. Nobel prize winning economist Paul Krugman displays a breadth and depth of work that includes economic research and public policy polemics. The focus of this volume is dealing with an element of post-truth speak in which ideas and notions that have been consistently and thoroughly debunked, or more plainly, have never had an ounce of truth or fact to support them, nevertheless keep reappearing in either the same or shabbily re-edited form. Thus, they become, "zombie ideas," that fester and end up eating the brains of their host(s).
Now, if you have been a follower of his work in the New York Times for a while, many of these articles will be familiar to you, though I must say it was refreshing to see how well many of them had aged. I also appreciate that he isn't one to engage in 2020-hindsightery, a term that this year especially rings true, and is honest with where prediction or foresight was lacking. Even though he was one of many Cassandras warning of the housing bubble, like most others he was also blind to just how fragile the economy was to that bubble bursting in 2007-08.
Though the articles themselves are not new, he does include a few pages of essay at the start of each section that are new and reflect on how his thinking changed or how events unfolded in relation to his works since their publication. These sections are: Saving Social Security, The Road to Obamacare, The Attack on Obamacare, Bubble and Bust, Crisis Management, The Crisis in Economics, Austerity, The Euro, Fiscal Phonies, Tax Cuts, Trade Wars, Inequality, Conservatives, Eek! Socialism!, Climate, Trump, On the Media, and concluding philosophy in the form of Economic Thoughts.
Written in very clear and enjoyable prose while at the same time wielding a fine scalpel for dissecting complicated issues, Krugman is a singular columnist, polemicist, and economist and I'm certain even casual readers of his will enjoy this collection.
Now, if you have been a follower of his work in the New York Times for a while, many of these articles will be familiar to you, though I must say it was refreshing to see how well many of them had aged. I also appreciate that he isn't one to engage in 2020-hindsightery, a term that this year especially rings true, and is honest with where prediction or foresight was lacking. Even though he was one of many Cassandras warning of the housing bubble, like most others he was also blind to just how fragile the economy was to that bubble bursting in 2007-08.
Though the articles themselves are not new, he does include a few pages of essay at the start of each section that are new and reflect on how his thinking changed or how events unfolded in relation to his works since their publication. These sections are: Saving Social Security, The Road to Obamacare, The Attack on Obamacare, Bubble and Bust, Crisis Management, The Crisis in Economics, Austerity, The Euro, Fiscal Phonies, Tax Cuts, Trade Wars, Inequality, Conservatives, Eek! Socialism!, Climate, Trump, On the Media, and concluding philosophy in the form of Economic Thoughts.
Written in very clear and enjoyable prose while at the same time wielding a fine scalpel for dissecting complicated issues, Krugman is a singular columnist, polemicist, and economist and I'm certain even casual readers of his will enjoy this collection.
February 15, 2020
It is always a pleasure to spent some time reading the thoughts & views of Paul Krugman. I am one of those sad souls who read economics & politics for pleasure. With Paul you get both. Much of what he says, I agree with, & over the years he has convinced me to turn away from Monetarism & embrace Keynesian.
Mr Krugman worked in the Reagan administration, as a young man. He described his time there as that of being a technocrat seeking to do some public good. Today, he is highly critical of the Republican Party & most especially the current administration. In this book he argues that the Republicans have lost the intellectual plot & know it. To survive they argue in bad faith & spend a lot of time inventing or sponsoring conspiracy theories. In short they have made Conservatism non serious. Whether it can be made ever again serious again remains to be seen. In the meantime please read this book & enjoy engaging with a first class mind, whether you agree with him or not.
Mr Krugman worked in the Reagan administration, as a young man. He described his time there as that of being a technocrat seeking to do some public good. Today, he is highly critical of the Republican Party & most especially the current administration. In this book he argues that the Republicans have lost the intellectual plot & know it. To survive they argue in bad faith & spend a lot of time inventing or sponsoring conspiracy theories. In short they have made Conservatism non serious. Whether it can be made ever again serious again remains to be seen. In the meantime please read this book & enjoy engaging with a first class mind, whether you agree with him or not.
May 22, 2020
JAV ekonomisto, rašančio apžvalgas "The New York Times'', 2008-iais gavusio Nobel Memorial Prize in Economcs Paul Krugman knyga.
Puiki. Tiems, kas sekė jo straipsnius spaudoje bus tikrai kiek nuobodoka, nes ši knygą pagrinde yra jo per 30 metų paskelbtų esė rinkinys. Man, kaip nieko jo neskaičiusiai, ypatingai nekliuvo šiek tiek senstelėjusi info. Didžiausias dėmsys - JAV ekonomikai ir politikai, bet neapeinama ir Europos/pasaulio problemų. Labiausiai įstrigusi/patikusi jo esė apie tai, kad esame ant baltojo nacionalizmo epidemijos slenksčio...beje, kai kurios šalys tą slenkstį jau peržengusios.
Rekomenduoju.
Puiki. Tiems, kas sekė jo straipsnius spaudoje bus tikrai kiek nuobodoka, nes ši knygą pagrinde yra jo per 30 metų paskelbtų esė rinkinys. Man, kaip nieko jo neskaičiusiai, ypatingai nekliuvo šiek tiek senstelėjusi info. Didžiausias dėmsys - JAV ekonomikai ir politikai, bet neapeinama ir Europos/pasaulio problemų. Labiausiai įstrigusi/patikusi jo esė apie tai, kad esame ant baltojo nacionalizmo epidemijos slenksčio...beje, kai kurios šalys tą slenkstį jau peržengusios.
Rekomenduoju.
May 20, 2020
A book of Krugman columns! He is always fun to read but also filled with insights. He is especially valuable to read as someone who has a good sense for policy issues while also remaining rigorous. I have always liked his economic geography work. I had read some of these before but they are short and well crafted. The book is organized on a mixed basis by time and by subject area. Re the title, Krugman is at his best in responding to ideas that are popular with pundits but lack intellectual coherence or a basis in quality data driven study. These are zombie ideas that are dead but continue to roam the political landscape causing damage - and eating peoples’ brains. I first read about this in a column penned after visiting a popular business news channel.
The essays about the market bubbles and crashes around 2000 leading up to the Great Recession of 2008 are informative and get one thinking about how the current economic downturn is going to develop over the next few years. The columns about health care are effective, although he undersells what he has to say about the debates. My favorite sections were more towards the end, with essays focusing on tariffs and trade policies and essays on the more general issues around income inequality.
For those looking for general summaries and arguments, these work well. Sometimes, one might need to go further into the weeds to appreciate what he is saying, but this is infrequent.
Overall, this is a fun volume of essays that have not grown stale yet. Those who do not agree with him may differ in their judgments, but even so it is nice to have strong positions to argue against.
The essays about the market bubbles and crashes around 2000 leading up to the Great Recession of 2008 are informative and get one thinking about how the current economic downturn is going to develop over the next few years. The columns about health care are effective, although he undersells what he has to say about the debates. My favorite sections were more towards the end, with essays focusing on tariffs and trade policies and essays on the more general issues around income inequality.
For those looking for general summaries and arguments, these work well. Sometimes, one might need to go further into the weeds to appreciate what he is saying, but this is infrequent.
Overall, this is a fun volume of essays that have not grown stale yet. Those who do not agree with him may differ in their judgments, but even so it is nice to have strong positions to argue against.
December 6, 2020
From most of the essays in this book I realized that I am a non-Republican zombie and Mr. Krugman believes he won the argument by rolling his eyes.
February 11, 2020
I liked Krugman’s economy views, and I disliked his political ones.
Krugman, as most liberals, is failing miserably to understand the existential threat to Western civilization which is driving the political sentiment to the right.
His view that Republican Party supporters are just old grumpy white men is shallow and childish. His hatred for the right makes him also severely blind to the terrible corruption within the Democratic Party.
If he is protesting that the republicans are just supporting the rich elite, he fails to see that the left in general and the Democratic party in particular has long past abandoned the poor and is now a slave for the “pervert elitism” (including the Islamists fascistic agenda).
Otherwise, I enjoyed much his simplified explanations of economic issues. And yes, I agree something must be done to solve the economic inequality crisis.
Krugman, as most liberals, is failing miserably to understand the existential threat to Western civilization which is driving the political sentiment to the right.
His view that Republican Party supporters are just old grumpy white men is shallow and childish. His hatred for the right makes him also severely blind to the terrible corruption within the Democratic Party.
If he is protesting that the republicans are just supporting the rich elite, he fails to see that the left in general and the Democratic party in particular has long past abandoned the poor and is now a slave for the “pervert elitism” (including the Islamists fascistic agenda).
Otherwise, I enjoyed much his simplified explanations of economic issues. And yes, I agree something must be done to solve the economic inequality crisis.
March 4, 2020
This is Krugman bringing his NYT articles from behind the paywall. He dismantles bad faith arguments of the Conservatives and has great fun while at it. The few articles from the Bush era remind you the Republicans have always been crooked.
May 14, 2020
A Nobel laureate who in Estonian public is more known for Twitter fights around economic situation Estonia with former president Ilves. The book is essentially a collection of essays from past 15 years on different socio-economical topics. I felt quite lost in the first chapters that were very much focused on the political landscape of US and it's economic consequences, as the topics became more international or focused to Europe they became more easier to follow. When reading Krugman I felt subliminal similarities with Taleb books (although significantly less angry). From one side the book is very academic while from time to time he is walking on thinner ice: some standpoints did feel one-sided (i.e. on European Union and common currency) on the way he ridiculed opposing views or how he personalized different US presidents. It's a nice collection, but you probably have heard most of the statements already when following respective public debates.
May 3, 2020
I am a lifelong Reagan/Friedman fan. I know, both are flawed mortals. Friedman and Krugman demonstrate that people can be brilliant, well read in a subject, wrestle a long time with complex issues, and see things very differently. Krugman grows on me. I can accept he is perhaps to the left (if that word still has any meaning after 2106) of me. It is always very evident that Krugman doesn't write an opinion without extensively reading about the subject first, and he does have a Nobel Prize in economics. The only problem with Krugman is that he attributes bad faith in everyone who doesn't agree with him. This is beneath him and very prevalent in this set of articles, or it would be a 5.
His discussion on trade (the reason for his Nobel Prize) is the most important subject in the book. He points out that everyone misses the entire point of trade. The fact that trade makes everyone richer is a bonus but not the point. The entire point of trade deals after 1945 has been part of a larger set of programs to spread and defend peace.
He very politely tells people to avoid bitcoin and the entire concept is a farce. This is probably because a lot of his followers believe in cryptocurrency. I'm quite sure if Krugman believed more fox news watchers were buying into the idea then he'd be his more usual self and simply say that if you believe in cryptocurrency then you're a moron.
His discussion on trade (the reason for his Nobel Prize) is the most important subject in the book. He points out that everyone misses the entire point of trade. The fact that trade makes everyone richer is a bonus but not the point. The entire point of trade deals after 1945 has been part of a larger set of programs to spread and defend peace.
He very politely tells people to avoid bitcoin and the entire concept is a farce. This is probably because a lot of his followers believe in cryptocurrency. I'm quite sure if Krugman believed more fox news watchers were buying into the idea then he'd be his more usual self and simply say that if you believe in cryptocurrency then you're a moron.
February 28, 2020
A brilliant economist turned pundit, Paul Krugman has used his role as a NYT columnist and TV personality to give hope (most often dashed in the era of the Tea Party, Mitch the Grim Reaper and the Stable Genius)to the center-left and migraines to the right of the political spectrum for the last twenty years (a bit less).
In the book, a number of the major policy issues of the period are covered. Dr. Krugman highlights his view that a high degree of intellectual deceit drives the conservative movement’s stated opposition to affordable health care, climate change mitigation, responsible fiscal policy, an equitable social safety net, etc.
I would recommend the book to both Dr. Krugman’s friends and foes as a refresher on his contribution to the policy debate in the US.
In the book, a number of the major policy issues of the period are covered. Dr. Krugman highlights his view that a high degree of intellectual deceit drives the conservative movement’s stated opposition to affordable health care, climate change mitigation, responsible fiscal policy, an equitable social safety net, etc.
I would recommend the book to both Dr. Krugman’s friends and foes as a refresher on his contribution to the policy debate in the US.
July 24, 2021
Recopilación de artículos que dan una visión general de la economía en las dos decádas que llevamos de este siglo, además de desmontar lo que el autor denomina "ideas zombi": aquellas que están muertas pero continúan moviéndose, devorando el cerebro de los que creen en ellas. En particular, aquella tan difundida por ciertos sectores de que bajar los impuestos mejoran la economía.
La idea es atractiva, pero el resultado me ha resultado decepcionante. Aunque tiene una sección dedicada al Euro, el grueso del libro está dedicado a la política y economía de EEUU, y la mayoría de los artículos que he leído me resultan bastante ajenos. Además Krugman no termina de encontrar un término medio, y pasa de artículos muy superficiales a otros que resultan incomprensibles para neófitos.
Todo esto con un tono general de "hay dos corrientes aquí, la mía y la de la gente que está equivocada" que acaba resultando algo cargante.
La idea es atractiva, pero el resultado me ha resultado decepcionante. Aunque tiene una sección dedicada al Euro, el grueso del libro está dedicado a la política y economía de EEUU, y la mayoría de los artículos que he leído me resultan bastante ajenos. Además Krugman no termina de encontrar un término medio, y pasa de artículos muy superficiales a otros que resultan incomprensibles para neófitos.
Todo esto con un tono general de "hay dos corrientes aquí, la mía y la de la gente que está equivocada" que acaba resultando algo cargante.
July 8, 2020
Arguing With Zombies is a great read from someone who speaks truth to power, specifically those who use power and obfuscation to attack the truth. Someone who is brilliant but works hard to make ideas accessible. Someone who is incredibly accomplished but calls the Nobel Prize "the Swedish thingie" because what really drives him is factual foundations for discourse about critical topics. In reading these articles dating back decades, and clustered into topics with new introductions, I admire Mr. Krugman even more for his intense but reasoned voice in the face of those who lie, put their own needs above those they serve, and refuse to recognize facts and evidence. This is a very worthwhile read.
January 29, 2021
This gives the dismal science the dismal adjective. Reading past columns dating back up to 20 years was much less intriguing than expected. I enjoyed having prior knowledge and ideas questioned. Last chapter is by far the best. I would not suggest reading the whole book through but rather by sections as they interest.
November 5, 2021
Good information from a Nobel Prize winning economist.
February 27, 2024
Very interesting book. The author did tend to be a bit too biased at times, in my humble opinion, but I learned tons and enjoyed it.
September 5, 2022
I absolutely love Paul Krugman. He is a true giant in the economics field but makes a concerted effort to make economics accessible to a much wider audience. He writes complex ideas in a simple way while also showing passion behind his writing. He is undoubtedly an inspiration to many aspiring economists (including myself).
In his book "Arguing with Zombies" Paul Krugman shows you many of his writings over the years addressing many subjects. The book is organized not chronologically but by topic. This means this book is an amazing reference to check back to when exploring one of the subjects mentioned. He talks about social security, healthcare, fiscal austerity, the financial crisis, and more. Many of these writings in this book are meant for the larger public and not the restricted space of academia. Also instead of touching on subjects where there is still a lot of meaningful disagreement, he tries to take on ideas that have been dead for years but have come back to life in a more extreme political environment (hence "Arguing with Zombies").
Paul Krugman expresses the need to call out these "dead ideas", but also those that give them credibility. He challenges those with "centrist bias" or practice "bothsidesism" where they always give credit to two competing ideas. However, sometimes an idea is just wrong, regardless if it comes from one of the two major political parties or not. This centrist bias is often seen as credible, and well thought out because it gives the impression that it came about without regard to partisan fighting. But centrist bias is just another bias and is just as capable of keeping "dead ideas" from actually being buried.
"Arguing with Zombies" is a great book. Not just because it is simple yet compelling economics writing, but because I think it can give you the tools to fight those dead ideas yourself.
In his book "Arguing with Zombies" Paul Krugman shows you many of his writings over the years addressing many subjects. The book is organized not chronologically but by topic. This means this book is an amazing reference to check back to when exploring one of the subjects mentioned. He talks about social security, healthcare, fiscal austerity, the financial crisis, and more. Many of these writings in this book are meant for the larger public and not the restricted space of academia. Also instead of touching on subjects where there is still a lot of meaningful disagreement, he tries to take on ideas that have been dead for years but have come back to life in a more extreme political environment (hence "Arguing with Zombies").
Paul Krugman expresses the need to call out these "dead ideas", but also those that give them credibility. He challenges those with "centrist bias" or practice "bothsidesism" where they always give credit to two competing ideas. However, sometimes an idea is just wrong, regardless if it comes from one of the two major political parties or not. This centrist bias is often seen as credible, and well thought out because it gives the impression that it came about without regard to partisan fighting. But centrist bias is just another bias and is just as capable of keeping "dead ideas" from actually being buried.
"Arguing with Zombies" is a great book. Not just because it is simple yet compelling economics writing, but because I think it can give you the tools to fight those dead ideas yourself.
May 30, 2020
I don't know how this ended up on my library queue. I am not a fan of Krugman or of Democratic party policy makers in general. But it was an informative read. The format is not my favorite, since this is a collection of articles, blog posts, and essays. So it did repeat itself more than I would like. But I did learn some things, even if I don't share his outlook on many things. Perhaps the most frustrating thing about where Paul Krugman stands politically and economically is that he seems to be a progressive at heart, that just doesn't believe real progress is possible. So he constantly sells himself(and the rest of us) short with his policy prescriptions. On monetary policy, national debt, Medicare For All, and on and on. He seems to know what the "right" answer is, and know that it would work, but he continues to believe that you have to triangulate and compromise to the point that your intended policies look nothing like what you feel is right or would work best. (He believes universal healthcare is the right position, but believes that the ACA was the right compromise for the time and the foreseeable future, as a quick example) I disagree, not least because even with the watered down ACA even without a public option, they still got absolutely zero republican votes. So all of the compromise won them zero votes....so why not just force through the right policy anyway. They're going to hate you all the same...
May 6, 2020
Paul Krugman remains a guiding light in a sea of confusion and misinformation.
However, this is not a fully considered book per se; it's a collection of his columns from the past decade. The small snippets are interesting but ultimately unsatisfying as a long read.
I think I was hoping for something more along the lines of "Conscience of a Liberal" which remains bright and fully meaningful today, despite the fact that it was written before the first Obama administration.
However, this is not a fully considered book per se; it's a collection of his columns from the past decade. The small snippets are interesting but ultimately unsatisfying as a long read.
I think I was hoping for something more along the lines of "Conscience of a Liberal" which remains bright and fully meaningful today, despite the fact that it was written before the first Obama administration.
May 5, 2020
Do not like books made by collection of articles or blog's posts, but nothing to argue about the topics and the writing style. I really wonder why so many persons belonging to the middle class fall into the neoliberist trap, but I would argue the same would work with any belief paradigm based on nothing
May 25, 2020
Paul Krugman is an economics professor in NYU. He's the 2008 Nobel Prize winner in Economics. The past 20 years, Krugman has been a columnist for the New York Times. Arguing with Zombies is a collection of some of the articles he'd penned for the Times. The topics covered in this volume ranged from climate change to social security to healthcare to the Euro.
Zombie ideas are ideas that should have been killed by contrary evidence, but instead keep shambling along, eating people’s brains. The Zombies are the people (mostly right-wing conservatives) who peddle these ideas.
Krugman is one of the most influential contemporary liberal thinkers. In this collection are some of the most profound liberal arguments that cover the most critical economic questions in the world today.
A must-read for policymakers.
Zombie ideas are ideas that should have been killed by contrary evidence, but instead keep shambling along, eating people’s brains. The Zombies are the people (mostly right-wing conservatives) who peddle these ideas.
Krugman is one of the most influential contemporary liberal thinkers. In this collection are some of the most profound liberal arguments that cover the most critical economic questions in the world today.
A must-read for policymakers.
April 21, 2020
Krugman seems to see the world in only black and white but many of the issues discussed here are complex and certainly have shades of gray. Despite this Krugman seems to think he has a monopoly on truth and his opponents “don’t understand basic math” in this collection of egotistical essays. He also seems to cherry pick his articles that came true and ignore the ones where predictions were wrong to make himself look smart. This seems especially disingenuous when many of your issues with opponents is that they ignore data to justify their claims. I guess it shouldn’t be surprising when the author calls his opponents zombies. Wouldn’t waste your time. Go find a book written by a economist who anchors analysis in numbers rather than party rhetoric.
March 16, 2020
I didn't read it quite as fast as it might seem - it's simply that I'd already read most of these online. If I had known that it was a collection of his columns, I probably wouldn't have requested it from the library. It's an enjoyable read nonetheless.
April 7, 2020
Brilliant. The only sad part, like all of these books, is that it is missing a method to get through to Republicans. The Covid 19 is only an appetizer for what is going to happen with climate change and the behavior of the GOP will be no different. You would have difficulty arguing with Mr. Krugman's logic but if I presented any of it to Trump supporters all I would get is what aboutism. What abot that nasty Pelosi or any of the other Zombies.
April 12, 2020
Paul Krugman articles are arranged here in a thematic sections instead of chronologically. Other then some repetitions from time to time, he clearly explains how the economy works on the main issues on the world agenda and personally he is able to convince me on many issues that I previously thought I am more right-wing thinking.
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