Funny Things About Economics
Economics is known as a dismal science. It studies, without any emotions involved, the scarcity of resources (including food), unemployment and GDP growth and often instructs businesses to lay off low- and mid-level workers in order to increase profits for those at the top. Naturally, many people have found it helps to have a sense of humor about these things.
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Funny Quotes
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Throughout history, famous people have commented on human nature via economics. Benjamin Franklin once observed, "If you would know the value of money, go and try to borrow some." He is also credited with saying, "If you'd lose a troublesome visitor, lend him money." Playwright George Bernard Shaw was similarly skeptical about money. "To be clever enough to get a great deal of money, one must be stupid enough to want it."
Little Known Facts
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People may be funny about their money, but sometimes it's just a matter of funny money. For example, the largest bank note ever produced was the Chinese 1 Kwan, printed in the 14th century. With a size of 9 by 13 inches, it would be difficult to put it in a wallet these days. The heaviest coin was from Sweden. It weighed a little more than 43 pounds.
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Puns About Finance
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Money may be the root of all evil, but it's also the source of many bad puns. Banks are favorite targets -- for example: "During an earthquake in California, a bank went into default." Another one is "two banks with different rates have a conflict of interest." Some puns note the questionable moral nature of some financial institutions, for instance, "the barber opened up a shavings account" and "securities are the cause of many people's insecurities."
Puns About Business
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Businesses have not escaped their share of pun-ishment. If you have a lot of debt, you will understand this: "You feel stuck with your debt if you can't budge it." As one of the most widely used products in the world, oil has not slipped away unscathed by popular humor: "Oil executives are always using crude language." Users of credit, meanwhile, should bear in mind that "money doesn't grow on sprees."
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References
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