I haven’t decided yet and I can’t figure out which side this is evidence for:
Me: Oh I have to remember to set up your desk today because I promised that I would and that if I didn’t I would give you $2.
7 year old: I was hoping you would forget.
Me: Are you saying you would rather have $2 than your desk?
7yo: No, I am saying I would rather have $2 today and my desk tomorrow.
Me: Hold on, what would you rather have: $2 today and your desk tomorrow or $2 today, another $2 tomorrow and then your desk the next day?
7yo: $2 today, another $2 tomorrow and then my desk the next day.
Me: $2 today, $2 tomorrow, $2 the next day, and then your desk the day after that?
7yo: Yep.
Me: And what is the number of days you would like to have $2 before you finally get your desk?
7yo: Infinity.
Cheap Talk 
4 comments
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September 7, 2013 at 2:03 pm
Scot
Jeff, where did child get the idea that infinity is a number?
September 7, 2013 at 4:37 pm
jeff
from Cantor?
September 9, 2013 at 9:19 am
jamesoswald
Under reasonable interest rates, a $2/day annuity for life is worth a lot more than any desk. At age 7, probably around $15,000 or so.
September 9, 2013 at 9:55 am
Anonymous
credit markets are imperfect for 7 year olds, so his daily consumption is capped at $2/day. therefore the appropriate comparison is really just the $2 versus the flow services of the desk.