Comic #2811: 2013-01-27

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Here’s the text from the comic transcribed as accurately as possible:

Panel 1: Person 1: "We have asymmetric knowledge of each other's preferences." Person 2: "Okay."

Panel 2: Person 1: "Given that fact, it would be a non-optimal expenditure of time and resources for me to buy you a gift myself."

Panel 3: Person 1: "Therefore, I analyzed my past gift-buying behavior and determined the amount of time and wealth I typically would've spent."

Panel 4: Person 1: "So, happy birthday. I allot you P of my dollars and T of my time, with α as a conversion factor."

Panel 5: (Shows a chart with the equation: P = αT)

Panel 6: Person 1: "I think learning economics has made you respond inappropriately to other people's feelings." Person 2: "Thanks!"