Can Economics Explain Human Sacrifice?

[oyarde]

Illinois cattle , watch out If the cattle are in a Socialist state , are thy tainted ?

[Demigod]

Natural resources < human population.

[Xerographica]

The sacrifice was made with the expectiation of getting some positive return in the future (Heaven or salvation? better crops next year? Storms to go away?). Money is invested with the hope of getting some future positive return (otherwise you could go and spend it today and definately get something for it). Both can have emotional reasons for making a particular investment. Yes, I suppose it could be done for economic reasons. Can you put a dollar value on the sacrifice or its hoped for benefits? That is more difficult to calculate.

If I sacrifice a cattle each year...and each year the gods provide adequate rains to ensure plentiful crops...then why try to fix something that's not broken?

Clearly our public sector is broken...except, unfortunately, it's not really clear to the large majority of taxpayers. Here's why...

Every year, 100 million homes pay for a bundle of cable channels. Like any bundle, it's hard to see exactly what they are paying for. That is somewhat the point of bundling -- to disguise the true cost of the constituent items. - Derek Thompson

General-fund financing is analogous to a market situation where the individual is forced to purchase a bundle of goods, with the mix among the various components determined independently of his own preferences. The specific tie-in sale is similar to general-fund financing, that is, nonearmarking. - James M. Buchanan

It’s very difficult indeed to work out what government spending is actually worth: for as we’ve not a choice in it then there’s no market price nor accurate valuation from the people who actually get whatever is produced. - Tim Worstall

In the private sector, the voluntary sector of the economy, we know that something is "well worth the money" if people are willing to spend their own money on it. In government, politicians work to separate the payment of taxes from the receipt of specific services. We're not asked "will you pay $100 right now for farm subsidies and $4000 for Medicaid and $1600 for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and $130 for a new presidential helicopter and ... ?"

If we did get such a question, we might well decide that lots of government programs were not "well worth the money" to the people who would be paying the money. - David Boaz, Well Worth the Money

If we allowed taxpayers to choose which government organizations they sacrifice to...then each and every one of them would be able to decide whether the actual benefit was greater than the cost of the sacrifice.

[cubical]

I am giving up something of lesser value, my cattle, for something of greater value, obedience to God.

So I guess you can say part of economics can. Very odd question.

[awake]

Tony Robbins charges 200 bucks a ticket. Poll the audience and see why they traded 200 bucks for feeling good about themselves. Value is a personal thing that is universal in that everyone does it, but thats where it ends, personal values are never the same.

If a man wishes to give to God, let him feel good in the exchange.

[Working Poor]

I wish I could make 1000 people give me 200 bucks for spouting 3 hours of BS

[rpwi]

How can economics explain people buying defective products?

Donating money to a cult?

Buying Justin Bieber CD's?

Easy...value is subjective.

Also people never buy products for themselves...but what they benefit from them. I buy ice cream, because it will make me happy...not because I want to own ice cream. I buy a couch because I want to feel comfortable...not because I want to have title over a couch.

These feelings are ultimately filtered through our perceptions. If we choose to perceive a happy exchange, we will get it. Ultimately happiness is our goal and perceptions are our gate-keepers to it.

Ultimately all value is subjective. Now economics can ascertain objective principals by which subjective means are obtained though. Economics can study the quantity of humans available for sacrifice, how much they will fetch on the market, how to transport the humans to the sacrificial altar...but economics can't argue that human sacrifice shouldn't bring happiness. No more than economics can argue that asparagus is tastier than brussel sprouts.

[oyarde]

Cults , Beiber , I guess you have convinced me that value is subjective....

[Henry Rogue]

If I sacrifice a cattle each year...and each year the gods provide adequate rains to ensure plentiful crops...then why try to fix something that's not broken?

Clearly our public sector is broken...except, unfortunately, it's not really clear to the large majority of taxpayers. Here's why...
If we allowed taxpayers to choose which government organizations they sacrifice to...then each and every one of them would be able to decide whether the actual benefit was greater than the cost of the sacrifice.

Are you saying government is God?

[Xerographica]

Now economics can ascertain objective principals by which subjective means are obtained though. Economics can study the quantity of humans available for sacrifice, how much they will fetch on the market, how to transport the humans to the sacrificial altar...but economics can't argue that human sacrifice shouldn't bring happiness. No more than economics can argue that asparagus is tastier than brussel sprouts.

Just because values are subjective doesn't mean that human sacrifice is economically sound. Human sacrifice, when it isn't voluntary, is nothing more than a command economy.