I was reading the article 'Paul Samuelson: The Maverick Professor with three faces' in Economic times.
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For his PhD students, as with any other friend he liked, Prof Samuelson was extremely generous and suffered idiocy with full kindness. I recall once handing him something I had written for comment and he ruefully said he was going to the Virgin Islands on vacation. I replied I would happily wait for his return. The following morning, his secretary called anxiously to say Prof Samuelson had dictated a page of remarks over the long-distance line from the Virgin Islands as he had read my stuff in the plane.The only time I saw him angry was when a young economist wrote a caustic comment on his latest published paper and the editor of the journal sent it to Prof Samuelson for his response. Prof Samuelson asked me to examine the note.
I returned the next day upset myself that the tone of the paper was rude. “I am not asking for politeness,” he growled, “Is his point valid?”
I thought so, I stammered. “OK, go, and never forget one thing,” he said, “If the older always knew better, the monkey would be the wisest man.”
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Humble side of a towering personality, coming out in curt manner.
great post balajhi. I like it where he says that if the older ones know best, the monkey would be a genius.
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Regards,
Yes it's that bit that impressed me that too coming from some one whose faculties are held in high esteem in economics community.
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