Michael Giberson
We ought not let Sarah Skwire’s second hit-and-run posting here at Knowledge Problem slip by without mentioning that she is also lead-off essayist in the current month’s Cato Unbound. The teaser from Cato:
Literary scholar Sarah Skwire asks us to revisit the western canon’s portrayal of business and commerce. Mainstream scholars and libertarians both seem to agree that these works portray business in a negative light, but Skwire finds the evidence for this contention to be thin. She proposes a much more nuanced view, in which critiques of the market stand side by side with favorable depictions and even sound, encouraging advice for would-be businessmen. It’s time to get beyond the clichés about literature and commerce.
Skwire begins her essay, “There is a problem with the relationship between literature and business. But it’s not the one you think.” Go read the rest of it. All good, but for the instruction to read more (and more broadly, and more deeply); I already want to read more than I have time for, so now the trade-offs will only become tougher!
As is the Cato Unbound practice, several invited responses to the lead essay will be posted in the next few days, Skwire will respond, further interaction, etc. Enjoy.