Personal Lives
Lawyer and Economist Ben Stein Writes on Economics of Love
Posted Jul 14, 2008, 08:35 am CST
By Debra Cassens Weiss
Law and economics is a burgeoning field, but lawyer and economist Ben Stein is addressing another field: love and economics.
Stein writes in the New York Times that, in general, “the returns in love situations are roughly proportional to the amount of time and devotion invested. If you invest caring, patience and unselfishness, you get those things back.”
Just as junk bonds are a bad investment, so too are junk relationships with people who have many serious problems. Returns are best when you have a monopoly relationship with your long-term partner. If you are receiving less in returns than the amount you invest, it’s time to back off. And remember to stick with winners.