Being out of a job can erode people's confidence and their sense of possibility; and employers, often unfairly, tend to take long-term unemployment as a signal that something is wrong. James Surowiecki confidenceemployererode Change image and share on social
You might think of consumption as a fairly passive activity, but buying new products and services is actually pretty risky, at least if you value your time and money. James Surowiecki activitybuyconsumption Change image and share on social
Flexible supply chains are great for multinationals and consumers. But they erode already thin profit margins in developing-world factories and foster a pell-mell work environment in which getting the order out the door is the only thing that matters. James Surowiecki chainconsumerdevelop share on social
Moviegoers love the intricacies of a crime all the more when it's for a good cause. James Surowiecki crimegoodintricacy Change image and share on social
Solyndra's failure isn't a reason for the government to give up on alternative energy, any more than the failure of Pets.com during the Internet bubble means that venture capital should steer clear of tech projects. James Surowiecki alternativebubblecapital share on social
Companies often become victims of their own mythologies. James Surowiecki companymythologyvictim Change image and share on social
The reason advertising is governed by fear, after all, is that most agencies rely on just a few clients to bring in the lion's share of their revenues. James Surowiecki advertiseagencybring Change image and share on social
The world's central banks and the International Monetary Fund still have vaults full of bullion, even though currencies are no longer backed by gold. Governments hold on to it as a kind of magic symbol, a way of reassuring people that their money is real. James Surowiecki backbankbullion share on social
When Americans think of college these days, the first word that often comes to mind is 'debt.' And from 'debt' it's just a short hop to other unpleasant words, like 'payola,' 'kickback,' and 'bribery.' James Surowiecki americanbriberycollege share on social
When all is said and done, cheap gas is an illusion, because our reliance on gas creates a whole series of costs that aren't factored in to the pump price - among them congestion, pollution, and increased risk of accidents. James Surowiecki accidentcheapcongestion share on social
