Alan Krueger, a brilliant and well accomplished (probably the world’s leading) Princeton professor of labour economics, who advised two US presidents: Clinton and Obama, recently received glowing tributes from his students (past and present), friends, colleagues, etc.
They are praising him as one of the few that combines brilliance, kindness, humility and grace in the way he treats people. And that many of them owe their winding up & success in the profession to him. That he continually carries smiles on his face.
On top of that, he led, under the Obama administration, the design and successful implementation of US Economic recovery from the 2007-08 financial crisis.
A journalist also said this about him:
“Some economists tend to trumpet their work; others strenuously argue against methods that lead to implications they don’t like. But Krueger was always a beacon of cool-headed reason -- his overriding goal was to get the facts.”
As of March this year, RePEc Ranked him among the 50 most influential economists in the world. Sadly, within the same month, he took his own life at 58. Pathetic! I don’t understand!
It would have been easy to grasp if his past behaviour had given a hint. But none, at least based on an account from those that are close to him. In other words, no trace, from his past actions, of possible suicide.
Marry McKee said, “heaven holds all the secrets that we will never know until we get there.”
One of Alan’s former students said:
“We need to stop thinking that professional success shields people from depression and the like.”
Another lady also said:
“...professional success does not suppress personal struggles.”
I believe both statements to be true.
And this brings to mind:
“The three best possibilities in life’s journey:”
(1) Smooth start,
(2) Smooth going;
(3) peaceful ending.
But seldom a person gets the three.
However, the greatest of them all is
no (3). But no one gets this without the Prince of peace!
Finally, human life can never find solace in the works of its hands: e.g. cars, mansions, clothes, money, other fortunes, etc., because human life is not human-made. It can only find solace in the One who made it.
A great reminder to me that I have only one life (& is not renewable) and at the same, I don’t own it let alone have power over it. More on Alan here and here
They are praising him as one of the few that combines brilliance, kindness, humility and grace in the way he treats people. And that many of them owe their winding up & success in the profession to him. That he continually carries smiles on his face.
On top of that, he led, under the Obama administration, the design and successful implementation of US Economic recovery from the 2007-08 financial crisis.
A journalist also said this about him:
“Some economists tend to trumpet their work; others strenuously argue against methods that lead to implications they don’t like. But Krueger was always a beacon of cool-headed reason -- his overriding goal was to get the facts.”
As of March this year, RePEc Ranked him among the 50 most influential economists in the world. Sadly, within the same month, he took his own life at 58. Pathetic! I don’t understand!
It would have been easy to grasp if his past behaviour had given a hint. But none, at least based on an account from those that are close to him. In other words, no trace, from his past actions, of possible suicide.
Marry McKee said, “heaven holds all the secrets that we will never know until we get there.”
One of Alan’s former students said:
“We need to stop thinking that professional success shields people from depression and the like.”
Another lady also said:
“...professional success does not suppress personal struggles.”
I believe both statements to be true.
And this brings to mind:
“The three best possibilities in life’s journey:”
(1) Smooth start,
(2) Smooth going;
(3) peaceful ending.
But seldom a person gets the three.
However, the greatest of them all is
no (3). But no one gets this without the Prince of peace!
Finally, human life can never find solace in the works of its hands: e.g. cars, mansions, clothes, money, other fortunes, etc., because human life is not human-made. It can only find solace in the One who made it.
A great reminder to me that I have only one life (& is not renewable) and at the same, I don’t own it let alone have power over it. More on Alan here and here
The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law.
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