James_K comments on A speculation on Near and Far Modes - Less Wrong

14 Post author: MichaelVassar 21 July 2010 06:24AM

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Comment author: James_K 22 July 2010 09:56:32AM 1 point [-]

I agree, the 19th Century railroad surge was most likely bubble driven. Some bubbles drive investment in capital goods (these tend to have some positive spillovers for non-investors) and some don't. In recent times the tech bubble was a capital good bubble and the housing bubble was pretty much a consumption bubble. In the 19th Century the railroad bubble was a capital bubble and the tulip bubble was consumption good based.

Comment author: Douglas_Knight 22 July 2010 01:40:22PM 0 points [-]

FWIW, the tulip bubble was in the 17th century. The South Seas bubble was in the 18th.

Comment author: James_K 22 July 2010 06:58:32PM 1 point [-]

That's what happens when I try to comment from memory. I think the basic point stands though. Bubbles of different kinds have existed since financial exchanges have existed and I don't think there's a pattern toward particularly destructive ones.