The Enigma of Milton Friedman’s Alleged Isolation

On September 4, I delved into a post titled “The Isolated Milton Friedman,” where I highlighted excerpts from Michael Hirsh’s book, Capital Offense: How America’s Wise Men Turned America’s Future Over to Wall Street. While my focus was not on this particular aspect, a passage from Hirsh’s work caught my attention.

One statement that seemed rather perplexing was the claim that during the Cold War era, Friedman was seen as a renegade figure, shunned even within the confines of the Chicago campus. The mention of instances where no one wanted to dine with him in the faculty dining room struck me as odd, considering Friedman’s reputation as a warm and approachable individual.

For most of those years of the Cold War, he remained the leader of a maverick insurgency, isolated and condemned even on the Chicago campus as the 1960s counterculture grew. There were times when no one would eat with him in the faculty dining room. (Italics added.)

Upon reflecting on this passage, a longtime friend, Christopher Jehn, who has known me since our acquaintance at Richard Thaler’s residence in 1977, shared his thoughts via email, granting me permission to share his insights:

I wound up reading your Sept. 4 post on Friedman’s “isolation.” Your post and especially the quote from Hirsh didn’t ring true. Indeed Hirsh (and his references) sounds almost delusional. Recall I was a graduate student at Chicago from 1965 to 1970. I do not remember any discussion, none, among grad students or between us and faculty, consistent with this story. Odd.

Christopher’s recollection raises doubts about the veracity of the claims made by Hirsh regarding Friedman’s alleged isolation. The absence of corroborating evidence from someone with firsthand experience at the Chicago campus during that period casts a shadow of doubt on the narrative.

It is indeed perplexing to contemplate where Hirsh sourced his information from, especially considering the contrasting accounts provided by individuals who were part of the academic milieu at that time. The mystery surrounding Friedman’s purported isolation continues to intrigue and perplex those who seek to unravel the enigmatic persona of this renowned economist.