Chris Blattman

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Everything I know about development I learned from my back doctor?

Doctor A told me that for my bad back to get better, I should wear a back brace frequently, all the time if possible.  “This will help facilitate the healing.  Keeps things from rattling around inside,” he said.  So with high hopes, I eagerly applied the brace.

But recently I visited Doctor B, a spinal surgeon.  He saw my brace, shook his head with furrowed brow, and gave me one of those tsk-tsk doctor looks.  “I see you’re wearing a brace,” said Doctor B.  “I worry about those.  May lead to muscle atrophy and that back will never heal.”  My countenance fell.  “But my other doctor…uh…I try to do lots of sit-ups,” I replied lamely.

One of the problems with bad backs is nobody really knows what works and there is lots of contradictory advice.  Likewise, one of the problems with economic development is that nobody really knows what works and there is lots of contradictory advice.  But the contradictory advice between Doctors A & B about back braces brings up an even deeper question that affects both bad backs and bad economies.  How much help is too much?

That is Bruce Wydick.

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