« The legacy of Fidel Castro | Main | The best piece on Colombia I have read »

Markets in everything, Australian surfer dude edition

Tired of your current life?

This auction is for a New Life in the coastal town of Wollongong, Australia of a 24 year old male.

- Will introduce to all my friends & potential lovers (around 8 which I have been flirting with

- I have around 15 close friends and around 170 other friends - I have 2 nemeses

- Lifestyle is very social. It includes a lot of going out.

NB: Friends will treat you exactly as they have treated me. This includes friends who take me surfing, running, climbing and cook for me. All of these features will be transferred over to the winning applicant.

Life also includes the following features:

Will have access to a cruisy job in March delivering fruit.
You will write a satirical horiscope in the University of Wollongong Magazine.
You will have new parents to have Christmas with & birthday presents from friends.
A birthday party will also be organised for you.

This auction also includes the following
- A 4 week training course by the former me which includes the following:
- Many anecdotes and stories from a very interesting and intriguing past 24 years of my life
- 6 Jokes
- Training in becoming me (fashion, food, lifestyle, style of seduction, interests)
- Haircut like mine
- Piercings to the value of $180.
- Lessons in my personal history (The good stuff and the bad stuff)
- Skills Lessons (as mentioned above)

NB: After the 4 week training winning bidder will also receive 2 months of on-call support.

Here is the link, thanks to Hugh for the pointer.  There have been eighty bids and the price is over $40,000 Australian dollars.  The winner does not receive the passport, driver's license, or inheritance rights of the seller.

Posted by Tyler Cowen on January 18, 2007 at 12:25 PM in Economics | Permalink

Comments

People have been doing this with online role-playing game characters for years now. It was only a matter of time until the market expanded to Real Life.

Posted by: Cyrus at Jan 18, 2007 1:04:22 PM

i actually assumed it was an on-line character until i read more carefully. very weird.

Posted by: noto at Jan 18, 2007 1:46:43 PM

Nice posting of a silly idea.

The real problem is in the obtaining of lovers. That is the transfer that he cannot enforce. Sure I would like to be able attract young women the way I used to, 23 years ago. But as a post 40 male, I am invisible to under 25 year old women. So I would end up asking for my money back.

Posted by: Murphy at Jan 18, 2007 2:42:26 PM

6 jokes is my favorite bit.

Posted by: josh at Jan 18, 2007 2:50:43 PM

he only agrees to limit his contact with former life to a "different persona"? i think that's the real rub (no good becoming him, even if viable option, if he's possibly still around, regardless whether under another "persona").

Posted by: dj superflat at Jan 18, 2007 7:52:40 PM

On further reflection, the winning bidder might even be able to recoup the initial investment after a few years by similarly selling the identity to a younger surf dude. Eventually, the legend of the eternally youthful Dread Surfer Nichael develops.

Posted by: Cyrus at Jan 18, 2007 8:42:23 PM

This is one of the greatest things ever. The idea of identity as an internal, irreplaceable essence is overrated. This project makes hilarious (and profitable!) use of that fact. I wonder what problems will ensue. I anticipate few, but interesting ones. I just hope the resulting documentary is good.

Posted by: Trieu Truong at Jan 18, 2007 9:00:09 PM

I bet you could recoup the investment through a book deal, the seller could also make some money on the book deal.

Posted by: Michael Foody at Jan 18, 2007 10:32:51 PM

Amazing -- in theory, his parents will embrace you and his ex will despise you. It seems there is a problem, however: the seller is computer illiterate (his roommate is brokering the deal, according to the posting), yet auctioning on Ebay possible buyers are ipso facto computer literate. Could this difference kill the deal?

Posted by: blink at Jan 18, 2007 11:15:01 PM

Given the likelihood that some kind of film or publicity will emerge from this, isn't it worth it for many buyers just to be IN on this public relations bonanza?

This reminds me of the "paper clip for a house" trading website. It's not about the trade itself, it's about the first-mover exposure.

Posted by: jn at Jan 19, 2007 9:24:25 AM

Very entertaining, but I have to admit that the whole thing loses most of its interest for me when I read this little add-on line:

"Also please note that a documentary is being made so anyone who wins this bid will need to participate in the doco."

OK, so *that's* what it's all about.... Never mind...

Posted by: Alex R at Jan 19, 2007 9:55:11 AM

Apparently to be made into a documentary, undoubtedly to be done "reality TV" style. In the 1980s the idea would have just been made into a bad comedy starring Tom Hanks and Roger Candy. Although neither version would be a masterwork, I think the 1980s product would be far more entertaining.

Posted by: Thelonious_Nick at Jan 19, 2007 12:13:29 PM

why would i want to be someone else, especially when the real guy doesnt want to really be him.
As far as Im conserned, the guy must be a real loser anyway if he doesnt want to live his own life anymore
and would leave all his friends and family. This blog really shows that there are some extremely weird
people in this world. I think that it kind of reflects on how messed up our society really is. Im sorry
but some things (peoples lives) are just not for sale.

Posted by: james at Jan 19, 2007 4:44:03 PM

"surfer dude" is incorrect english for an australian surfer, try "surfie". :)

Posted by: Anon at Jan 20, 2007 11:33:07 PM

Talking of book edition may be if you want to buy some new edition books at best price I have a suggestion to make do look up Online Shopping

Posted by: m at Feb 6, 2007 12:49:11 PM


liqingchao 07年8月21日

google排名
google排名
wow gold
wow gold
powerleveling
powerleveling
wow gold
wow gold
powerleveling
powerleveling
wow powerleveling
wow powerleveling
wow power leveling
wow power leveling
wow power level
wow power level
world of warcraft powerleveling
world of warcraft powerleveling
world of warcraft power leveling
world of warcraft power leveling

china tour
china tour
hongkong hotel
hongkong hotel
beijing tour
beijing tour
翻译公司
翻译公司
上海翻译公司
上海翻译公司
北京翻译公司
北京翻译公司
北京搬家公司
北京搬家公司
鼓风机
风机
风机
货架
光盘刻录
光盘刻录
光盘制作
光盘制作
光盘印刷
光盘印刷
红外测温仪
红外测温仪
超声波测厚仪
超声波测厚仪

超声波探伤仪
超声波探伤仪
频闪仪
频闪仪
涂层测厚仪
涂层测厚仪
电火花检测仪
电火花检测仪
google排名
仓库
仓库
仓库出租
仓库出租
物流园区
物流园区
集团电话
集团电话
四环素牙
口腔常识
口腔常识
口腔医生
口腔医生
网站设计
网站设计
多媒体
监控
监控
监控系统
监控系统
门禁
门禁
门禁系统
门禁系统
搬家公司
搬家公司
条码打印机
条码打印机
牙周炎
牙周炎


Posted by: wslmwps at Aug 21, 2007 1:07:39 AM

数控机床数控机床。。
数控改造。。
数控机床。。
数控机床改造。。
数控机床仿真软件数控机床改造。。
数控机床。。
数控机床。。
数控机床。。
数控车床数控车床。。
数控车床。。
华中数控车床。。
大连数控车床。。
无锡数控车床山东数控车床。。
南京数控车床。。
数控车床。。
数控车床。。
广州数控车床数控车床。。
广州数控车床。。
华中数控车床。。
数控车床。。
数控车床北京数控车床。。
数控车床简介。。
教学车床。。
教学数控车床。。
数控铣床南通数控铣床。。
数控铣床。。
数控铣床。。
数控铣床。。
教学数控铣床教学铣床。。
数控机床实训设备。。
加工中心。。
加工中心。。
加工中心加工中心。。
微型加工中心。。
数控加工中心。。
加工中心。。
加工中心加工中心。。
加工中心。。
上海加工中心。。
加工中心

Posted by: 南京北春 at Aug 21, 2007 2:30:54 AM

Hi
Best wishes
Allow me to offer my heartiest wishes.
常年提供高、中、低压锅炉无缝管、流体无缝管、结构无缝管、化肥专用钢管、石油裂化无缝钢管
地质钢管、液压支柱钢管
合金钢管
无缝管
无缝钢管
论文发表资讯/刊物信息,协助客户制定论文发表方案.
xicao loves
lovesxicao
网站优化
google优化
网站优化
搜索引擎优化
网站优化
搜索引擎优化
百度优化
SEO

Posted by: 钢管无缝钢管无缝管 at Nov 20, 2007 9:00:28 PM

吴尊
阿穆隆
林志玲
尚雯婕
大人物
王睿
Mac DVD Ripper
火狐浏览器
Firefox浏览器

Posted by: hoojk at Dec 2, 2007 10:48:28 PM

吴尊
阿穆隆
林志玲
尚雯婕
大人物
王睿
Mac DVD Ripper
火狐浏览器
Firefox浏览器

Posted by: hoojk at Dec 2, 2007 10:49:07 PM

吴尊
阿穆隆
林志玲
尚雯婕
大人物
王睿
Mac DVD Ripper
火狐浏览器
Firefox浏览器

Posted by: hoojk at Dec 2, 2007 10:49:28 PM

資金を増やそうとするのに不動産投資をするのが手っ取り早い。日本で不動産で東京 賃貸をさがすのはきわめて難しくシステム開発は日本の会社が良い。

Posted by: 不動産投資 at Jul 18, 2008 4:44:22 AM

出会い
チャットレディ
出会い

Posted by: masinn at Aug 28, 2008 12:58:48 AM

acer batbl50l4 battery

Posted by: laptop battery at Oct 22, 2008 9:17:31 PM

acer aspire 5500 battery

Posted by: usa-battery at Oct 25, 2008 4:18:23 AM

Post a comment