It is the (near) universal agreement that impresses me
Ah, nice move Duke, in chess terms this I think is called "Check". Can I avert this threat. Let's see.
You make a claim of "(near) universal agreement".
For sure, I concede that you can produce a series of heavy-hitters, an almost Olympian dream-team if you like, Krugman, Stiglitz, Roubini,Thaler, and others,....it is quite impressive. And, im not churlish enough not to acknowledage that such a formidable force will bring behind it a resolute cadre of flag-waving fellow economists. Either nodding in agreement (
well, if they so...) or, buoyed in their own right that their own conclusions have received the royal endorsement (
I told you so!...).
Two points.
The (near) universal agreement is a stretch. Aside from Roubini, little economic research has been done on bitcoin and even what research has been done (Roubini) it is questionable whether it is now, or ever been, on target. It's possible he has been digging in the wrong place. The more I learn about bitcoin, the more I am leaning to that conclusion.
In the main, it is my impression that the economic profession is broadly silent on bitcoin. It is silent because for the most part most are unsure of what it is, and for those who do comment on it, it is predominantly centered around its price action. Namely, anything that rises so fast and so high in value is sure to crash.
Guess what, if we were talking solely about price action I would agree with that also.
Secondly, as I have been pointing out, I am wary of economists giving verdicts on new technologies in industries removed from their field of expertise. I would rather judge economists, and their expertise, on matters of economics.
In no small part macro economics.
Now I will be first to acknowledge their expertise in the field of economics. However, a peculiarity in this field is Roubini's own status. In his own words he became "famous" for predicting the great financial crash. So much so they call him "Dr Doom!"
Now forgive me for thinking it is somewhat an oddity for an economist to become famous for studying economic data and making a correct economic prediction. What next? Mechanic replaces oil in car and declares engine will run smoother?
Of course I'm being facetious here. In order to become "famous" for economic predictions, one would have to stand out from the crowd.
Or to put it another way, to become famous for predicting an economic forecast, there would have to be (near) universal skepticism of his analysis of economic data by all the other economists. Otherwise he would not have become famous.
Economic forecasting is the bread-and-butter of the economic profession. If the profession itself, at a (near) universal scale is analysing the data that Roubini analysed and could not see what he saw, it is indeed a sorry state of affairs.
But in this discourse it is obviously in my interest to beat down on the economists. So I'm reminded of article where they do it themselves
This is how we let the credit crunch happen, m'am
Your move.