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DesireeMoshayediFirstEssay 4 - 17 May 2021 - Main.DesireeMoshayedi
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| | | III) Corrupt Representation of Inaccurate Models as Truth | |
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< | These incomplete models of the world used in cost-benefit calculus makes it a useful tool to present policy decisions as truths when they are often nothing more than a pretextual justification for decisions made in the best interest of those most powerful in society. Politicians are given all of the facts. They know that the economic evidence conflicts with reality yet choose to present their reasoning as fact. Why? Either they simply do not believe in it, or they are choosing the explanation that best fits their desired result. The calculus leaves room for these choices as to what matters and how much, allowing the most powerful people in society (businessmen, politicians, and government officials) to choose the argument that best fits their self-interest (being, for most men and women in the world, money and power) and portray as in society’s best interest with a mathematical argument to convince people of its truth. | >
> | The incomplete models of the world used in cost-benefit calculus are tools to misrepresent policy decisions as truths when they are often nothing more than a pretextual justification for decisions made in the best interest of those most powerful in society. It is hard to believe that politicians are not given all of the facts; they likely know that their economic evidence conflicts with reality. Nevertheless, they choose to present their reasoning as undeniable truth. Why? Either they simply do not believe the counterposition, or they are choosing the explanation that best fits their desired result. | | | The wealthy benefit from income inequality and go to great lengths to ensure its survival. The primary objective of business is profit, and the objective of their leaders is to retain as much of it as they can. Most politicians are elected as a result of business donations, so their objective is to make wealthy businessmen happy and get reelected. Similarly, government officials, particularly business regulators, leave and reenter the business sphere cyclically, making them impartial toward business interests to the detriment of the nation. These interests make redistributive policies incredibly difficult and since the decisionmakers generally have a selfish stake in the decision, they have likely already made it prior to weighing the costs and benefit. | |
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> | The calculus leaves room for opinions, allowing the most powerful people in society (businessmen, politicians, and government officials) to choose the argument that best fits their self-interest (being, for most men and women in the world, money and power) while portraying it as calculated to be in society’s best interest. It allows politicians to back policy with semi-mathematical arguments, portrayed as undeniable truths, and shield themselves from blame. | | |
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