But I do worry that the Barro offer sends the wrong signals to younger economists--that by telling them the profession still insists on the appearance of superstardom, that it only values home runs when we really ought to be looking for a solid series of base hits, it will encourage what is already a disturbing propensity to favor attention-grabbing showmanship at the expense of deeper, more time-consuming work.
Putting more importance on image and superstardom instead of actual meaningful work sends the wrong signals to younger economists.
The things that Barro tells brilliant young economists do not bother me at all.