a sad reflection of the hyperspecialization among intellectuals

"Egalitarianism as a Revolt Against Nature" by Murray Rothbard:

I think it manifestly true that very few of even the most dedicated economic technicians began their interest in economics because they were fascinated by cost curves, indifference classes, and the rest of the paraphernalia of modern economic theory.

.... they became interested in economics because they were interested in social and political problems and because they realized that the really hard political problems cannot be solved without an understanding of economics.

Infortunately, what usually happens to these people is that .... they learn .... that prestige, rewards, and brownie points are garnered not by pondering the larger problems but by sticking to one's narrow last and becoming a leading expert on a picayune technical problem.