Comments on: The economics of Robinson Crusoe http://earlyretirementextreme.com/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html Becoming debt-free is the first step to building a better world. Financial independence is the second. Doing what YOU want is the third. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:07:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jacob http://earlyretirementextreme.com/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html/comment-page-1#comment-18720 Jacob Mon, 13 Dec 2010 00:19:58 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2007/12/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html#comment-18720 Food can be used as currency. Wheat can store almost forever (thousands of years under the right conditions). Rice has traditionally been used as payment in Japan (the masu is a box of a certain size). Food can be used as currency. Wheat can store almost forever (thousands of years under the right conditions). Rice has traditionally been used as payment in Japan (the masu is a box of a certain size).

]]> By: prodgod http://earlyretirementextreme.com/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html/comment-page-1#comment-18679 prodgod Sun, 12 Dec 2010 04:18:04 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2007/12/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html#comment-18679 I was wondering the same thing Justin asked and Frank illustrated - what happens if the surplus berries spoil or a deep frost kills off all the berry bushes (market crash) or Friday takes the berries and runs? (no pun intended). Then all of that extra hard work is in vain. Regardless, GREAT article and one that I'm going to share with my kids right now. I was wondering the same thing Justin asked and Frank illustrated – what happens if the surplus berries spoil or a deep frost kills off all the berry bushes (market crash) or Friday takes the berries and runs? (no pun intended). Then all of that extra hard work is in vain. Regardless, GREAT article and one that I’m going to share with my kids right now.

]]> By: George (the other one) http://earlyretirementextreme.com/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html/comment-page-1#comment-18672 George (the other one) Sat, 11 Dec 2010 21:52:19 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2007/12/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html#comment-18672 @starshard0 I've always thought that a currency based on cheese and wine would be a good idea since they both store for a long time and are extremely value-dense. @starshard0
I’ve always thought that a currency based on cheese and wine would be a good idea since they both store for a long time and are extremely value-dense.

]]> By: starshard0 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html/comment-page-1#comment-18667 starshard0 Sat, 11 Dec 2010 19:22:37 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2007/12/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html#comment-18667 Too bad modern currencies aren't edible. Too bad modern currencies aren’t edible.

]]> By: chris http://earlyretirementextreme.com/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html/comment-page-1#comment-18658 chris Fri, 10 Dec 2010 21:52:21 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2007/12/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html#comment-18658 The debt part is my favorite...I wish someone would have shared this with me in my 20's. The debt part is my favorite…I wish someone would have shared this with me in my 20′s.

]]> By: ET http://earlyretirementextreme.com/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html/comment-page-1#comment-18657 ET Fri, 10 Dec 2010 20:34:06 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2007/12/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html#comment-18657 I was going to ask the question Justin just asked. I was going to ask the question Justin just asked.

]]> By: Jack http://earlyretirementextreme.com/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html/comment-page-1#comment-2056 Jack Fri, 12 Sep 2008 10:12:11 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2007/12/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html#comment-2056 Great post! Great post!

]]> By: Frank http://earlyretirementextreme.com/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html/comment-page-1#comment-1727 Frank Sun, 10 Aug 2008 20:05:07 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2007/12/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html#comment-1727 Investing usually works like this: Robinson C. saves his 20 berries a day and is approached by a bear who says, "give them to me and I can make your berry savings grow *with increased risk* I'll even throw in a 4 berry a week bonus" After some consideration RC agrees. Two months later RC checks his berry savings to find that there are 20% fewer berries than there would have been if he'd simply preserved them. The bear says, "well, you know with what weather conditions ware like food is hard to come by so I had to eats some. Also, Rabbit and Beaver didn't trust me anymore so they withdrew all their berries at once, so this is all you have left." RC now has two choices he can take what's left of his decimated berries now or trust that Bear's company will ride it out and do better in the coming months. RC trusts Bear. Four months later all the Berries are gone, RC Starves and Bear (who survived) retires to Miami. Investing usually works like this: Robinson C. saves his 20 berries a day and is approached by a bear who says, “give them to me and I can make your berry savings grow *with increased risk* I’ll even throw in a 4 berry a week bonus” After some consideration RC agrees.

Two months later RC checks his berry savings to find that there are 20% fewer berries than there would have been if he’d simply preserved them. The bear says, “well, you know with what weather conditions ware like food is hard to come by so I had to eats some. Also, Rabbit and Beaver didn’t trust me anymore so they withdrew all their berries at once, so this is all you have left.”

RC now has two choices he can take what’s left of his decimated berries now or trust that Bear’s company will ride it out and do better in the coming months. RC trusts Bear. Four months later all the Berries are gone, RC Starves and Bear (who survived) retires to Miami.

]]> By: aardvark@aardvark.com http://earlyretirementextreme.com/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html/comment-page-1#comment-587 aardvark@aardvark.com Fri, 29 Feb 2008 05:01:54 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2007/12/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html#comment-587 Why doesn't he just hire a lobbyist to smooch up to a congressman that has been granted the power to write line items (pork barrel) into a bill that directs berries received from the natives into his own wine factory, while he cruises away from the island on a private luxury liner? Why doesn’t he just hire a lobbyist to smooch up to a congressman that has been granted the power to write line items (pork barrel) into a bill that directs berries received from the natives into his own wine factory, while he cruises away from the island on a private luxury liner?

]]> By: justin http://earlyretirementextreme.com/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html/comment-page-1#comment-585 justin Fri, 29 Feb 2008 00:10:20 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2007/12/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html#comment-585 In light of the current situation - what happens if the berries go bad? In light of the current situation – what happens if the berries go bad?

]]> By: herman http://earlyretirementextreme.com/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html/comment-page-1#comment-470 herman Wed, 20 Feb 2008 15:47:40 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2007/12/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html#comment-470 Where do the berries come from, maybe a bit of education should come first. Maybe the berries are not edible Where do the berries come from, maybe a bit of education should come first. Maybe the berries are not edible

]]> By: Jacob http://earlyretirementextreme.com/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html/comment-page-1#comment-178 Jacob Fri, 18 Jan 2008 01:01:07 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2007/12/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html#comment-178 Aaron @ I honestly don't know. But there might be a good chance that in a survival situation they would wait to be bailed out by "them" as in "they" will think of something? Aaron @ I honestly don’t know. But there might be a good chance that in a survival situation they would wait to be bailed out by “them” as in “they” will think of something?

]]> By: Aaron Stroud http://earlyretirementextreme.com/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html/comment-page-1#comment-167 Aaron Stroud Wed, 16 Jan 2008 06:08:38 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2007/12/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html#comment-167 This is a great post. However, I wonder how effective it is at reaching people disconnected from the financial realities of modern life. I wonder if they're capable of comprehending the realities of a surivival situation. Either way, it was a fun read and convinced me to subscribe. Keep 'em coming! This is a great post. However, I wonder how effective it is at reaching people disconnected from the financial realities of modern life. I wonder if they’re capable of comprehending the realities of a surivival situation.

Either way, it was a fun read and convinced me to subscribe. Keep ‘em coming!

]]> By: Pinyo http://earlyretirementextreme.com/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html/comment-page-1#comment-136 Pinyo Sat, 12 Jan 2008 17:06:18 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2007/12/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html#comment-136 Great article. Very educational. Great article. Very educational.

]]> By: Atish http://earlyretirementextreme.com/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html/comment-page-1#comment-130 Atish Fri, 11 Jan 2008 17:53:22 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2007/12/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html#comment-130 Excellent article ... this should be required reading for everyone ... Excellent article … this should be required reading for everyone …

]]> By: moneymonk http://earlyretirementextreme.com/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html/comment-page-1#comment-71 moneymonk Wed, 02 Jan 2008 18:48:23 +0000 http://earlyretirementextreme.com/2007/12/the-economics-of-robinson-crusoe.html#comment-71 "pluck more berries than you eat." ohhh Im loving that concept. I have to use that scenerio. It sad that people may not still understand it. Simply because instant gratification plays a big part in our culture to us not to accumulate anything, but "STUFF" “pluck more berries than you eat.”

ohhh Im loving that concept. I have to use that scenerio.

It sad that people may not still understand it.

Simply because instant gratification plays a big part in our culture to us not to accumulate anything, but “STUFF”

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