A preface to the new weblog
I’m an economist but also teach and write on history, English, communication, philosophy, art and cultural studies. As May West might put it, “I was Snow White . . . but I drifted!” Until 1995 I was named—and was—”Donald.” Raised in Boston, I’ve worked always in the Midwest, at the Universities of Chicago, Iowa, and now Illinois at Chicago. Married for 30 happy years, with two grown children (who alas have not spoken to me since 1995), I live on Printer’s Row in Chicago with my Norwich terrier named Will Shakespeare and my Episcopal church across the street—which is why I’m always late for church!
Dear Deirdre,
Tragic, about your children. Utterly tragic. Their regret will be late. John McCloskey is a co-author of one of your forthcoming volumes on bourgeois virtues. Any relationship?
Best, Susan
Written by susan on February 7th, 2007.Dear Susan,
Yes, but such tragedies are sadly common. Aunt Harriet says something unkind to Uncle Harry at Thanksgiving dinner and they don’t speak for 20 years. So are our few chances for love thrown away with both hands.
John McCloskey is my brother. He stuck by me, as my mother and, after a while, my sister have, and all my friends!
Regards,
Deirdre
Written by Deirdre on February 8th, 2007.Hi Deirdre!
Written by Sandra on March 16th, 2007.I still remember when you told me, in Oslo, during the IAFFE Conference 2001, that your kids didn´t have any contact with you.
Anyway, as I see, you are doing great! I am happy to visit your new website and to be able to, somehow, keep in touch with you.
In case you don´t remember me, I got married and changed names, but I used to be Sandra Lerda at the time we even had some e-mail contact and so on.
I still think Crossing is one of the best things I have read in life, even when I also like your other writings in Economics. I started reading you when you were Donald. I was writing my master’s thesis, beginning of the 80´s, when your writings helped me for the first time…
Well, so much to say…
Much love, and as we say in Swedish, Thanks for existing! (Tack för att du finns!)
Sandra
Prof. McCloskey,
We have never met, but I’d like use the comments section of your blog to thank you for writing “Other things equal: Aunt Deirdre’s letter to a graduate student”. It changed my life. I had just completed a 3 paper-theorem-proof standard issue thesis. By chance, I read your article addressed to the hapless, though insightful, grad student who wrote to you asking for advice in their first year. I decided to go to the US (I’m Irish), and do another Ph.D at the New School for Social Research on foot of your advice to him/her/me. The Ph.D is nearly finished after two years of work. I’m looking at Isaac Newton’s role as Master of the Mint, and as I chose my topic, I did so with your words in my mind:
“Ask what matters to you. Do it. Find out something about the world. Really find out. Really explain it, with reference to the great conversation of economics since 1776.”
Well, I guess I went a little before 1776, but anyway, thanks for the advice, and to borrow the previous comment-leaver’s phrase, ‘thanks for existing’.
All the best,
Steve Kinsella
Written by Stephen Kinsella on March 19th, 2007.Dear Sandra,
No, tack for att DU finns! It is such a pleasure to get such a nice letter—not all blogs have many nice letters!—from the land of my ancestors. . . well, at least 1/4 of them. We come from Handanger (in the glorious West, I say to you non-Norvegans).
Crossing was a hard book to write. I keep wondering if I should write another memoir, but my life since then has been sooo boring! My mother says wisely, “Don’t do anything else more interesting!”
Written by Deirdre McCloskey on March 27th, 2007.Dear Stephen:
I was bragging to Sandra about my Norwegian ancestors, but I guess we Kinsellas and McCloskey’s don’t need to mention the other part! I’m hoping to go to Ireland next year to see my ancestral graves.
Thanks, too, for your kind words about my squib. Yes. If we all in economics stopped playing games and started actually looking into the economic world with the passion of a C. Wright Mills or an Armen Alchian, to take two very different students of society, oh, what a time we’d have! I’ve heard about your work on Newton’s monetary machinations, and good.
I gave a talk a few days ago at Stellenbosch University in South Africa and converted some few to abandon statistical significance. But they asked plaintively, “What are we to do?” Well, be economic scientists, curious, broad and deep. About Mad Newton at the Mint, to take an example.
Written by Deirdre McCloskey on March 27th, 2007.Wow! Thanks for your kind words, they mean a lot, obviously.
And if you’re heading our way, maybe I could persuade you to come give a talk at UL?
Failing that, I’d love to buy you a beer and have a chat when you’re here.
Best,
Steve
Written by Stephen Kinsella on March 28th, 2007.Dear Steve Kinsella,
Always glad to talk, about two things:
1.) The bourgeois virtues
2.) Statistical significance.
Gotta focus! Always at my back I hear/ Time’s winged chariot hurrying near.
Regards,
Deirdre
Written by Anonymous on April 5th, 2007.Dear Prof. McCloskey,
I absolutely love your website! Thanks for all the information that you share. I can’t wait for the opportunity to take one of your courses. I have so many questions for you…especially since my dissertation in economics focuses on the auto industry and England.
Many greetings to the mini-Bard.
best regards,
Written by Cristina on April 11th, 2007.Cristina
Dear Christina,
Thank my web developer Susan MacDonald for the web site! She thinks of it as a magazine with the subject of. . . moi! Great idea!
Regards,
Deirdre
Written by Deirdre McCloskey on April 12th, 2007.Dear Prof McCloskey,
I just wanted to let you know how much your memoir, Crossing, impacted my life. Your book was assigned for my feminist philosophy class. You allowed me to consider what it is to be a woman in a new and refreshing way. Thank you so much for allowing me to be an observer in your fascinating life.
Many thanks,
Written by Kimberly on April 16th, 2007.Kim Wall
Dear Ms. Wall:
Thanks for your kind remark about Crossing. These are the days of the memoir, which irritates some people—but I think the more we see into each others’ lives the less can we hate. A certain kind of essentialist feminist (Germaine Greer, for example) just HATES gender crossers. I’ve never gotten it, but I suppose if I read a memoir by her I might!
Sincerely,
Deirdre McCloskey
Written by Deirdre McCloskey on April 18th, 2007.Good blog! Thank you.
Written by Anatoliyqxz on April 22nd, 2007.Dear Deirdre,
not spoken with you for a while but hope to meet you again in the near future. Any change of you coming to NL again this year?
Somehow both your book ‘Crossing’ and our conversation last summer have had great impact on me. It’s good to have an example when you travel through the transition. Love you for the inspiration.
We’re all still together at home and I started on my PhD on accessibility and completeness of transgender care in NL and it’s such a rewarding work! Also recently I started writing a play that will be performed for the first time in June. Truly a dream to work with professional actors on a ‘Festen’-like play concerning family relations and transsexuality. Amazing to see what these actors make of it.
Anyway, things are working out ok for us here and I sure hope it’s much the same for you.
Compliments on your beautiful website. What an improvement!
Love,
Written by Alice Verheij on April 22nd, 2007.Alice Verheij
Netherlands
Lieve Alice,
Lekker van je te horen! Juist: de website is heel beter, ja? Susan MacDonald hebt het gemaakt.
Ja, ik kom vroeg of laat naturlijk naar mijne geliefde Nederland. Maar niet dese somer.
Liefs,
Deirdre
Written by Deirdre McCloskey on April 28th, 2007.Dearest Deirdre,
Written by Margaret on April 30th, 2007.Not for publication, obviously – just the quickest means of communication as our email is down over the whole 5-day long weekend.
I’ve just read your revised “Signifying Nothing”. Slowly(!), in order to understand as well as possible outside my own “world”. If I’m reading correctly, I think you might like to re-proof 2 sentences, if there’s still time. (Though I know that the transfer to electronic format sometimes does create “ghost” errors, as with spacing and apostrophes.)
There seems to be a verb missing in the sentence: “We suspect, actually, that this last [???] why such energetic and intelligent economists…”.
And then, in the para starting “They appear to appreciate…”, did you mean “the purist metaphysics” or “the purest”? Or “purist” without the article?
Hope this is helpful, and in time.
Bloem is caught in a sudden severe cold front with night temperatures little above zero, BTW, but the days are wonderful – clear, sunny and bracing. Wish you could share it!
Fondest love and blessings, always,
Margaret
Liewe Margaret,
I am so glad you wrote, as I lost all my e-mails from when I was in Bloem, and was only gradually realizing I’d have to do some research to get back in touch!
Thanks for the proofing: our standards in economics in such matters do not come close to those in medieval studies!
Baie liewe,
Deirdre
Written by Deirdre McCloskey on May 1st, 2007.Linked to your site via PAE news! Greetings from a very cold Bloemfontein. I want to send you the CD which I never played to you …
Written by Karen Thomas on May 21st, 2007.Sarie Marais and all that!
Liewe Karen,
What a lovely idea! It’ll help me get my Afrikaans in order before I come back next March. Do you mean “send” by mail? If so, 720 S. Dearborn St., Unit 206, Chicago, IL 60605. If my e-mail, deirdre2@uic.edu.
Bloem doesn’t know “cold”! Try minus 15 degrees C in Chicago this January!
Liewe,
Deirdre
Written by Deirdre McCloskey on May 26th, 2007.Hi, Deirdre:
Written by Duilio de A. Berni on May 31st, 2007.I feel very confortable in the world of your books and ideas. A long time ago, I chose “Replete of prices and profits, acres and hand, economic science is the most measurable of all social sciences”. I thought it was in “Econometric History”, browsed in a Library. After reading the whole book in search of that phrase I realized it must have been in other book. No trace if it at “Google”, “Amazon” etc. Is it your phrase? Where was it published?
hug
d.
Hi all,
if you have any idea of what will the FED do on September, 18th on the light of the recent market turmoil, feel free to leave your vote on my blog’s poll at:
http://www.thedailyeconomist.blogspot.com/
best,
Bernardo.
Written by bernardo on September 13th, 2007.Dear Madam
It is with great exhilaration that I stumble on your name while surfing the net to understand the queer feelings of light and epiphany within …
I am a 40 year old male who just graduated as an accountant but have some impairment to account for the indescribable sentiments that bubble inside.
But then I notice an economist who made some grounds. And I start to feel reassured of my sanity, humanity, maleness or whatever.
Thank you for being here.
For today it is just a hello. But I look forward to read your books and know you better. In order to accept myself better.
My love to you.
Written by accountant on December 19th, 2007.Deirdre,
Although I am not surprised to see economists endorsing John Edwards, I am surprised that such a person would also call herself free-market. How do you connect the two?
Thanks,
Bill
Written by Bill on January 5th, 2008.Dear Bill:
John Edwards is one of two candidates—the other is the wacky and wonderful Ron Paul, for whom I have voted before—likely to actually carry out “change.” As Edwards says, largely to deaf ears, the only relevant “change” is breaking the Iron Triangle in Washington.
As to “calling myself” a free market economist, well. . . my writing speaks to that!
Regards,
Deirdre
Written by Deirdre McCloskey on January 10th, 2008.I don’t remember when was the last time I saw such a narcissistic website, self-congratulatory and self-obsessed. Perhaps in tandem with the author’s push of the idea of ethical capitalism, a lot of self-promotion does not go unnoticed.
Written by Lena on April 15th, 2008.Dear Lena,
Yes, of course. If a website can’t advertise I don’t know what it’s for! I take it you are anti-capitalist. Care to argue the case beyond silly sneering?!
Regards,
Deirdre McCloskey
Written by Deirdre McCloskey on April 29th, 2008.My comment (April 15)re your narcissistic website has nothing to do with capitalism, but everything to do with shameless self-promotion using your sex change as a way to attract attention. I wonder if it weren’t for this fact, which I see many people treat as something worthwile mentioning and congratulating you on (and why do they? this should be your private business, not information for public consumption), whether your mediocre and wordy teachings would attract a fraction of attention that you have so smartly organised for yourself? Why is it that so many trasvestites, gay, and other people with confused gender feelings (fortunately not all) identify themselves so strongly first and foremost with sex and gender rather than what they are as individuals and professionals? Take away this part of your life (sex change), what do you have left to amuse yourself and other people? As for now, much of what I see on your website is all about me! me! look at me! I am so impressed with myself! Are you? Well, I am not.
Written by Lena on November 1st, 2008.Come off it, Lena – one doesn’t hold three Harvard degrees, a couple of Honorary Doctorates from leading European universities and several Visiting Fellowships or Professorships by being “mediocre”! And judging by the rest of this weblog, just about all of us except you enjoy Deirdre’s rhetorical style (and her humour) and are pretty darn “impressed” with her. If you knew her, you’d have discovered for yourself that she has plenty with which to “amuse” – and enlighten, inspire, and nurture – other people. And that she’s not in the least narcissistic, but touchingly modest with a genuine desire to learn from others, in all fields.
Written by Margaret on November 2nd, 2008.She may not be a better economist simply because she’s had a gender change, but it could be argued that she is now a better (more humane and humanist) economist because, as a woman, she’s a better human being. There’s no “shameless self-promotion [via her gender change] to attract attention”: when lecturing to Economics staff and students at my university, she makes no mention of it; only when lecturing to Gender Studies or Women’s Literature students, to whom it is very relevant – and deeply thought-provoking.
It’s supremely important to realise that transitioning, or being transgendered, IS NOT about sex; it’s about identity. As Deirdre’s often said, it’s about who one IS, not whom one makes love to. It’s not a utilitarian choice at all, and definitely not in terms of sex – if it were, the person transitioning would have to know in advance what her sexual preferences would be afterwards – and in the current state of medicine and psychology, that is not the case.
Furthermore, what most people don’t realise is that the only way a person who has transitioned can keep it her “private business” (if she wishes to) is to leave her home, her job, her friends – her whole life – and start afresh somewhere she wasn’t known before. Why on earth should she have to? And if she chooses the more courageous option of staying on home turf, why on earth shouldn’t she be allowed to exercise generosity of spirit in sharing her experiences in a sincere attempt to help others who might be transgendered?
And as for the website, (a) it’s put together by a professional web designer, not by Deirdre herself, so “narcissism” doesn’t come into the equation; (b) websites are actually intended to publicise the person/institution/cause concerned, and (c) readers will only access it when they look for it, by “gender change” or “economics” or any other appropriate keyword. There’s a very simple answer for anyone who isn’t “impressed” with it … just stop visiting it!
Dear Lena,
Wow. You do have a BIG homophobia problem, right? I can’t tell for sure from our brief exchange, but what is certainly clear is that you do have issues with anger management.
I decided early on (1.) not to become a professional gender crosser (and anyone who has troubled to read my CV, say, could confirm that I’ve stuck by that decision) but (2.) to never, ever give the impression through silence—a silence you wish I would adopt—that I am ashamed. You are like the old ladies who say, “Oh, I don’t mind gays. I just don’t want to hear about it.” “Hearing about it” means doing things that heteros do, such as holding hands, kissing when they go off to work, getting married.
If you don’t want to hear about it don’t write about it.
And get some therapy before your blow your top.
Peace,
Deirdre
Written by Deirdre McCloskey on November 19th, 2008.