[MUD-Dev] Academic rejection of male/female paper

[Tess Snider]

On Thu, 10 Jul 2003, Castronova, Edward wrote:

>   "Personally, I'm much less interested in the pricing of the
>   characteristics of 'virtual' things than of those that are
>   real."

> Among professional people, the line between the virtual and the
> real is still very thick. Food for thought.

I wonder what in the world your reviewer thinks paper money is.
What about money in the bank?  I think it's a bit narrow-minded to
confine economics to "real" things, when modern money barely exists
as a "real" thing, in the first place.  Sure, we've got gold
reserves, and such, but ultimately, modern money is just a lot of
numbers in computers and hopeful promises.

If REAL money is changing hands, why does it matter whether the
purchased goods are "real"?  Isn't it still a relevant economic
story?  How would (s)he distinguish between the reality of virtual
goods and, say, the reality of consulting services?  Our planet's
most successful economies are service economies.  It's all about
intangibles.

In short, all other critique of your article aside, I find the
response downright strange.  Maybe I should get some sleep?

Tess
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