Mansfield on Economists

Here is Harvard’s Harvey Mansfield on economists (in relation to the Summers affair).

Summers is an economist, and there is almost no such thing as a suave
economist. The great Joseph Schumpeter, a Harvard economist of long ago, claimed
to be the world’s greatest lover as well as the world’s greatest economist (it
is said), but he was a singular marvel. The reason why economists are blunt is
that words of honey seem to them mere diversion from reason and self-interest,
which are the only sure guides in life.