Lenalia! @Lenalia@computerfairi.es

Thinking about my old econ professor from college. He was a man who turned milking labor and capitalism into a science; literally. He had the appearance of it too-- having that classical ghoulish look and demeanor to him. He was in his late 50s, wore weird earth tone dress shirts and ties. He spoke with a booming gruff voice and has a dry sarcastic sense of humor. More importantly he was all business and never really editorialized or discussed the material.

Except one day in Econ 101 he came in, sat the book down, sat on his desk, and said "I want you all to understand something. This entire track we're going to be talking about lassiez faire and how the market will self-correct. Well keep in mind that while markets self-correct slowly, people die quickly". Then he just picked up the book and continued.

I dunno why he said that. I dunno what happened to him or went through his mind that morning before he got to class, but I needed to hear that. Suddenly everything made a little less sense to me.

I needed to hear that because, until that day, all of this stuff about money and economics and labor and markets was all on paper, devoid of any attachment to people, to lives, and safety, and well-being.

It came up today, *cough* years later, when someone coldly stated the Great Resignation is due to the devaluing of labor in the age of automation bringing about a price disparity. So clean, so clinical and devoid of the body count of that statement.

Nevermind that statement is just flat wrong.

Anyway, I guess I'm toasting ol' Prof Vic today. I learned more on that one sentence than the rest of my Econ Minor.