I like to think of myself as a smart guy.  I certainly don't know everything, but I do know a little about a lot of things, and a lot about a few things.  I take pride in my ability to grasp a diverse number of topics, and if I don't know a lot about something, I can usually pick up a book and it won't take me long to get it.

Then there's the economy.  The more I read about economics, the more I realize how much I don't get.  Normally as I read more and more on a topic, I can see progress in my understanding.  When it comes to economics though, the more I read the less I understand.

I'm reminded of this as I read this post on Social Security from Asymmetrical Information.  Then I realized that even economists don't know how economics work.  There are so many theories on how and what effects the economy, and what creates favorable environments for growth and what doesn't, that calling it a science is foolhardy at best.

I've come to the realization that the economy is like one giant Rube Goldberg device with about 5,000 steps between dropping a metal ball in one end and your bread being toasted on the other.  Anyone who thinks they understand all the steps in between is either trying to sell you something (like a book as it turns out), or are high on something (in which case they may try to sell you some of it).