On the way to class I walked by a wishing well fountain. You know, people throw in change, make a wish, maybe say a quick prayer to Fountainess: The Goddess of Outdoor Décor. Anyways, it was being drained in preparation for winter. I guess they do that here.

In California the fountains run all year, so this was a weird sight. I didn’t realize these things get drained. California is something of an ideal state for wishing wells. Year round coinage.

As I watched the water drain and the naive coins surface, I considered grabbing a few and heading to Taco Bell. I was hungry after all. After pondering the sin value of stealing wish money, I exercised some will power and decided against it. Probably best.

Musing over the economic impact of a wishing well. 

When you spend money, it goes to someone else who eventually spends that money. Through some portal, interest is ultimately added and more money is created. Walla! It’s the big cycle that in essence is our economy. Every time you eat, go to the movies, or buy kitten calendars, you participate in growing the financial system. The more we spend, theoretically, the more our economy grows.

There’s theories and stuff.

Let’s assume we go to a wishing well that is never drained. We stand at the edge and throw in our coin. It hits bottom and falls out of reach, theoretically for all eternity. In another words, it’s spent. What’s most interesting is that the transaction (a wish for a coin) effectively takes money out of the economy. This never happens! Head explode? Anyone? (Is this thing on?)

I think it’s safe to assume I just defied all modern economic theory.

It may at least explain why California can’t balance the budget or seem to tax enough to pay for anything. I mean, their wishing wells are in full swing year round! That’s money taken out of the economy every day! At least Idaho recoups in the winter.

So this brings me to the close. I’ll leave you with some conundrums to query.

What income level makes it socially acceptable to steal from a wishing fountain?

Are there any other ways we spend and kill money at the same time?

Who throws change into a wishing well during a recession anyways?  

Is Kevin’s Theory of Wishing Well Economics worthy of a Nobel Prize?