Richard Holden
@profholden.bsky.social
530 followers 92 following 39 posts
UNSW Scientia Professor of Economics. Director, Manos Institute for Cognitive Economics. AFR columnist. President Emeritus ASSA. richardholden.org
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Reposted by Richard Holden
ethanbdm.bsky.social
Just here to say:

Pr(Engage in Violence | Very Online) \ne Pr(Very Online | Engage in Violence)

This is a bi-partisan error.

You may now return to yelling at one another.
Reposted by Richard Holden
filipecampante.bsky.social
This will be awesome. Any JHU undergrads and AEI Collegiate Network students interested in economics and politics (and football!) should check it out…
stanveuger.bsky.social
Looking forward to teaching this next summer with @filipecampante.bsky.social
profholden.bsky.social
Oh dear. A “foreign policy for the middle class” was a dreadful idea. “A monetary policy for the middle class” is even worse. And, btw, price stability and preventing financial crises is great for the middle class. www.nytimes.com/2025/09/14/o... via @NYTOpinion
Opinion | Don’t Just Defend the Fed. Reinvent It.
www.nytimes.com
profholden.bsky.social
I'm advertising for 2 full-time pre-docs at the Manos Institute for Cognitive Economics at UNSW. If you've got a strong honors degree in economics or computer science check us out at cognitiveeconomics.com. external-careers.jobs.unsw.edu.au/cw/en/job/5346…. @cognitiveeconomics.bsky.social
profholden.bsky.social
The GOAT Eliud Kipchoge and today’s winner of the Sydney marathon, Hailemaryam Kiros, in action on a perfect “winter” day in Centennial Park. A great race in the world’s best city.
Reposted by Richard Holden
unswecon.bsky.social
Today’s econ seminar featured Ruben Durante presenting amazing work on the effect of GenAI on demand for news (joint with @filipecampante.bsky.social and @ananyasen.bsky.social)
profholden.bsky.social
My latest Economics Explained column is about debt. That has to start with Modigliani-Miller...
"I like to think of it as the Yogi Berra theorem. The American baseball legend once quipped:'You better cut the pizza in four pieces because I’m not hungry enough to eat six.'"
www.afr.com/policy/econo...
How I learnt to relax about corporate debt
A recent proposal from the Productivity Commission raises a question – should we fear how much companies owe in the way we worry about government deficits?
www.afr.com
profholden.bsky.social
My latest AFR column. We need: “To rely on youth–not a time of life but a state of mind, a temper of the will, a quality of imagination, a predominance of courage over timidity, of the appetite for adventure over the love of ease.” Are you up for that PM? www.afr.com/policy/econo...
What Chalmers should do this week to go ‘full abundance agenda’
The treasurer’s “slowly, slowly catches the monkey” stuff is not going to solve the profound productivity and standard-of-living problems Australia faces.
www.afr.com
profholden.bsky.social
A couple of weeks ago we launched the Manos Institute for Cognitive Economics here @UNSW. I'm proud to serve as Director. Our mission is to understand the limits of human computational capacity and the individual reasoning process. Check out what we’re doing at cognitiveeconomics.com
profholden.bsky.social
My latest Economics Explained column in the Australian Financial Review is about government debt.
Reposted by Richard Holden
ethanbdm.bsky.social
I see a lot of folks posting about that NYTimes article. So I'm just going to say something I know you all already know, but is important.

You cannot infer the effect on unemployment of majoring in one topic vs another by comparing the unemployment rates of folks who chose those majors.
profholden.bsky.social
Tip for young players. If an AI tells you to take a substance commonly used as a dog anticonvulsant then seek a second opinion.
jasonkoebler.bsky.social
After asking ChatGPT what to eat instead of salt, a man slowly poisoned himself over course of 3 months and gave himself a psychiatric illness that was common in the 19th century, according to a new medical case study:

www.404media.co/guy-gives-hi...
Guy Gives Himself 19th Century Psychiatric Illness After Consulting With ChatGPT
"For 3 months, he had replaced sodium chloride with sodium bromide obtained from the internet after consultation with ChatGPT."
www.404media.co
profholden.bsky.social
We can and should strengthen regulation of childcare centers. I offer 4 ideas in my latest AFR column. But ultimately it is more supply, competition, and choice for families that is necessary for high-quality, affordable childcare. www.afr.com/policy/econo...
Competition would help keep kids safe in childcare
Under the government’s vision of a single-payer system, we are headed for a very expensive failure to protect our children and provide choice for families.
www.afr.com
Reposted by Richard Holden
accan-aus.bsky.social
Our CEO Carol Bennett wrote about ACMA's recent spectrum proposal in The Canberra Times this morning.

Read in full: buff.ly/KvwGLAf

@profholden.bsky.social
@canberratimes.bsky.social
#acma #spectrum #spectrumauction #spectrumlicence #auspol
Reposted by Richard Holden
accan-aus.bsky.social
🚨 Breaking from ABC News this morning: ACMA is proposing to renew valuable spectrum licences - but this decision means taxpayers may miss out on several billion dollars in licence fees.

Read the article: buff.ly/KCJ5xWY

@profholden.bsky.social
#acma #spectrum #abcnews #auspol
Reposted by Richard Holden
accan-aus.bsky.social
#Spectrum, a crucial public asset, is being renewed for telcos by the regulator #acma instead of auctioned. This could benefit major telcos, cost Australian taxpayers $2–3.2 billion, and hinder competition and innovation.

📹 buff.ly/cSPDQnS

@caroljbennett.bsky.social @profholden.bsky.social
#auspol
profholden.bsky.social
Once a fortnight in The Australian Financial Review my "Economics Explained" column does a deep dive on an important economic idea which isn't driven by the news cycle. Last week was on the "Marketplace for Ideas."
profholden.bsky.social
My latest "Economics Explained" column in @financialreview. "So how efficient is the marketplace for ideas? And how much can we rely on competition in that market to substitute for regulation of speech? More than one might think. And less than one might like." www.afr.com/policy/econo...
How efficient is the marketplace for ideas?
Is significant regulation of speech required? Or can we leave it up to the “marketplace for ideas” to handle it?
www.afr.com
profholden.bsky.social
Here's the video of my talk last week at the Sydney Institute about my book with @shamilton.bsky.social "Australia's Pandemic Exceptionalism: How we Crushed the Curve but Lost the Race." www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgFu...
Professor Richard Holden - Australia's Pandemic: Economic & Health Responses Assessed
YouTube video by The Sydney Institute
www.youtube.com
profholden.bsky.social
Here's the video of my talk last week at the Sydney Institute about my book with @shamilton.bsky.social "Australia's Pandemic Exceptionalism: How we Crushed the Curve but Lost the Race." youtu.be/MgFugDI1Tkg?...
Professor Richard Holden - Australia's Pandemic: Economic & Health Responses Assessed
YouTube video by The Sydney Institute
youtu.be
profholden.bsky.social
It was a great pleasure to chat about how, sometimes, businesses behave badly and what we can do about it with @joshbornstein.bsky.social and @adeleferguson.bsky.social at the #sydneywritersfestival. Such an honor to be in conversation with two wonderful and incisive story tellers.