Acemoglu and Fisk

Robert Fisk keeps us informed of the facts on the ground in Lebanon, where he lives. Daron Acemoglu, born in Turkey, convinced me that the concept of Extractive Institutions, goes a long way explaining History.

This is very important, because Damascus is the urban center,  continually inhabited in the History of Mankind, for the longest time. Syrians in Damascus, are urban people par excellence.

So what have I learned?

The Joker in Colorado is not going to teach us anything about the human condition. Unfortunately, I've met people like him, in my graduate studies, what else is new?

What I gather from the gentlemen in the title, is that we are witnessing one of the most consequential shifts in human behavior. We have depleted our lands, now we are going against each other, until we reach a society in equilibrium, where people respect each other, instead of exploit each other.

We have been warned!