Stability again
Halfway following from previous item about squashing competition....

I've talked a lot about the myth of meritocracy, the false idea that human nature is an infinitely malleable blank slate.

A secondary semi-false idea always runs along with meritocracy, but it doesn't have a name. The semi-myth tells us that economies are not zero-sum, that business grows by adding new innovations.

Not entirely false. Brand-new products do occasionally increase the production of real value.

Mostly, though, increased value is simply an increased quantity of the same product. Grow more wheat, make more washing machines. Historically there's a not much correlation between newness and increased production. A good product like Campbell's Soup or WD-40 or the Jeep can gradually increase its production without major change for many decades. When you factor in the development cost of a new product, the net result strongly favors continued production of an old product.

Real growth, like real learning, requires STABILITY.

The nonzero sum myth is easiest to debunk by looking at patents. The myth tells us that solo inventors in their garages get patents to grow the economy. Thus patents are the measure of innovation and growth.

False on all counts. Gradual innovation comes from established labs and workshops inside corporations, or sponsored by a group of corporations. Patents are NOT used as weapons to spur innovation. Patents are used as DEFENSIVE weapons to block competition.

This myth has a parallel in the area of military war and conquest. Commentators on both sides assume that we invade nations to gain resources.

This WAS true, at least as a pretext, before 1920. It's no longer true. Most of our invasions are pure evil, with no economic purpose at all. Invasions with economic purposes are aimed to STOP the production of a resource, not to STEAL the resource.

We can see this myth in operation right now. Commenters are assuming that we invaded Afghanistan for the lithium, and China will now invade for the lithium. The first part is obviously false. We did nothing at all with minerals in the 20 years of occupation. The second part is half true. China will now create mines and processing plants in Afghanistan by peaceful capitalism, sharing the profit and wages with Afghans. China doesn't invade and doesn't blockade. China INCREASES real value and real production, giving benefits to the local businessmen and workers along with benefits to China.

  ¶ 6:23 AM