So what's better for the world?

[wolfwings]

• Giving a single parent struggling with two jobs to make ends meet welfare.
  
• Handing the keys to an apartment to a homeless man for free indefinately.
  

Pick one.

Welcome to logic versus emotion when you start dealing with power-law statistical problems. Enjoy the headache.

Comments

[jaffa-tamarin.livejournal.com]

Define "better for the world".

Logically, we should shoot the homeless man. And probably the single parent's kid(s), too. If you're only looking at the economics, it's stupid to provide any kind of welfare support for anyone who contributes less than their upkeep cost.

Of course, humans do have this inconvenient moral sense that might get upset if we started being that ruthless.

[dragoon1221.livejournal.com]

I find your ideas intriguing and would like to inquire about subscribing to your newsletter.

[sebkha.livejournal.com]

Counterexample: most Hollywood movies contribute less than their upkeep cost.