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Austrian economics jokes bleg
The Austrians need some good jokes if they're ever going to be taken seriously.
So writes to me one loyal MR reader. He has a specific and indeed noble reason for wanting these jokes (someday I'll be able to explain but the best jokes will in fact be used publicly). Although I've been connected to Austrian ideas for a long time, I don't know the jokes. Nor does Google seem to yield much.
But surely MR readers can deliver in a pinch (Raivo? Are you there?). And note that simply listing the name of an Austrian economist you don't like isn't actually that funny. It should have a punchline something like "I cut off their noses" or "I'm sick and tired of all this bickering about oatmeal," etc. Puns and limericks are OK too.
I thank you all in advance.
Posted by Tyler Cowen on May 3, 2009 at 07:27 PM in Medicine | Permalink
Comments
What do you call 100 Austrian Economists at the bottom of the ocean?
A reaction to monetary policy incompatible with individual time preference.
Posted by: beamish at May 3, 2009 7:44:35 PM
Hmm, checking account is getting low, maybe I should write more checks to stimulate demand for MY money!
Posted by: Dave at May 3, 2009 7:47:08 PM
Will Wilkinson had about Mises and Buddhists:
"Q: What does Mises call beheading a room full of meditating yogis?
A: Gardening!"
The link explains:
http://www.willwilkinson.net/flybottle/2005/11/16/mises-the-yogi/
Posted by: Student @ NCSU at May 3, 2009 7:48:20 PM
Non-Austrian economist: 'Linda Evangelista doesn't get out of bed for less than USD 10k per day'
Austrian economist: 'That model doesn't work'.
Posted by: nick at May 3, 2009 8:19:33 PM
The grand tome written by that most notable of Austrian economist in China, Lu Mi, "Hunan Action."
Posted by: anonymous at May 3, 2009 8:19:47 PM
sorry, can't do it -- we are not as funny as we thought we were
Posted by: babar at May 3, 2009 8:20:54 PM
Doesn't forcing jokes about Austrian economics just eventually lead to a shortage of them?
Posted by: Enda at May 3, 2009 8:29:17 PM
How many University of Chicago economists does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A- Zero, they expect the market to do it.
Posted by: drtaxsacto at May 3, 2009 8:37:07 PM
How many Austrian economists does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
All of them. First, Ludwig von Mises has to screw the bulb in personally. Then the rest of the Austrian economists have to spend the next 80 years writing about what a good job he did.
Posted by: steve at May 3, 2009 8:51:38 PM
And the biggest Austrian economic joke of all time is... drumroll please... Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Posted by: BoscoH at May 3, 2009 8:56:01 PM
What's an Austrian economist's favorite movie?
DOGMA
Posted by: Anonymous at May 3, 2009 9:28:46 PM
"How many Austrian economists does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
All of them. First, Ludwig von Mises has to screw the bulb in personally. Then the rest of the Austrian economists have to spend the next 80 years writing about what a good job he did."
Steve, best Austrian economics joke ever mate :D
Posted by: Matt Nolan at May 3, 2009 9:44:32 PM
Rothbard and Kirzner?--Jews for Mises.
Posted by: Carl at May 3, 2009 9:51:07 PM
clever, tagging this one "Medicine"
Posted by: Michael at May 3, 2009 10:04:07 PM
Mises Christ Superstar? I can't think of the joke for which that is the excellent punchline.
Posted by: Will Wilkinson at May 3, 2009 10:04:47 PM
Econ Prof 1: Hey, here's a good one...What did the Austrian economist say to the other?
Econ Prof 2: Wait, you mean there's more than one?
Posted by: Bill at May 3, 2009 10:10:33 PM
Q: How would you describe that play about Austrian capital theory?
A: I'd say it was a roundabout production
Q: How many Austrians does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
A: None. It was screwed in a priori.
Q: How did Professor Hayek ask his students to line up?
A: In spontaneous order.
Posted by: Arnold Kling at May 3, 2009 10:14:12 PM
beamish wins: I can't stop laughing.
Posted by: liberty at May 3, 2009 10:43:21 PM
Not bad, not bad. I'm sure most have already seen this, but just in case: Here is the classic Hayek vs. Hayek.
Posted by: Bob Murphy at May 3, 2009 10:56:25 PM
Q: How many Austrian economists does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
A: It used to be that it only took one, but the government has started training more Austrian economists.
Posted by: sleepy_commentator at May 3, 2009 11:01:23 PM
Q: Why did the Austrian Economist loose his job as a supermarket cashier?
A: He couldn't figure out how to imput the prices without knowing what you were making for dinner.
Posted by: sleepy_commentator at May 3, 2009 11:12:30 PM
Q: Why did the Austrian economist call to complain when the university decided to add a new glass wing onto his department's classroom building?
A: Because they would be artificially extending the structure of production.
Posted by: liberty at May 3, 2009 11:23:16 PM
Not quite, but close:
A group of macroeconomists are sitting on a panel at a conference discussing developments in the discipline.
In a heated exchange, the New Keynesian says to the Real Business Cyclist: “You guys have put macroeconomics back twenty years with this nonsense!”
The Real Business Cyclist smiles and says “So you DO believe in negative productivity shocks after all.”
Posted by: Jeff Holmes at May 3, 2009 11:26:21 PM
Three economists are stranded on an island, a Keynesian, a Monetarist, and an Austrian. The Keynesian says they need to start a government and its demand for a boat will lead them off the island. The Monetarist says no no you are wrong we need to gather all the sand dollars and when inflation is under control there will be reasonable prices on supplies to make a boat. The Austrian says, no you are both wrong sell me your shirts for $5, the "signal" will save us.
Posted by: Emarrassingly_corny at May 3, 2009 11:39:29 PM
Ludwig von Mises found consumer indifference "impossible to observe in practice." It just bugged them too much that he was watching.
Posted by: sleepy_commentator at May 3, 2009 11:46:58 PM
