--- id: 20170801_economics_for_a_12_year_old title: BLOG - Economics for a 12 Year Old category: Biblical Life Counsel predicted_narrative_arc: marketplace-story-to-humility-and-distinctiveness sentiment: Reflective emotions: - Humorous - Humble - Instructive keypoints: - Buyers' and sellers' markets shape price far more than a seller's affection for the product - Dean's first economics lesson came selling his 4-H calf Speedy at a county fair auction - Selling late in a cooling market taught him to sell when demand is hot - Speedy's accidental bolt into the ring made the pair memorable — and raised the sale price - Will Rogers' line frames the moral: stand out by being famous or infamous summary: > Dean Rush retells selling his 4-H calf Speedy at age twelve — an emotional, humorous first lesson in buyers' versus sellers' markets. Early high bids cooled into a buyers' market; Speedy's accidental dash into the ring made the pair unforgettable, and the auctioneer pushed the price above every other steer. Dean closes with Will Rogers: if you stand out in a crowd, be famous or infamous. tags: - blog - marketing - economics - 4-h - storytelling - humility - marketplace - will-rogers - dean-rush sycophancy: 0 truth_score: 7 entropy: 4 sample: false consent: owner_approved agent: blog created: '2017-08-01' updated: '2026-09-09T00:00:00Z' vault_stage: 07_CODEX headwaters: BLOG prefix: BLOG enrich_status: ok enrich_blockers: [] enrich_method: manual pipeline_filename: BLOG_2017-08-01_economics-for-a-12-year-old.md source_kind: blog_article proposed_topic: Wisdom lane: Wisdom voice: desk active_voice: desk voices: - desk routing_source: carbon corpus_topic: Wisdom content_status: active date: '2017-08-01' share_url: https://deanrush.net/blog/economics-for-a-12-year-old source_url: https://deanrush.net/blog/economics-for-a-12-year-old site_category: Marketing archive_month: 2017-08 description: > Dean's Speedy-the-calf auction story teaches buyers' vs. sellers' markets, humility under cooling demand, and the marketplace power of being memorable. --- # Economics for a 12 Year Old. **Author:** Dean Rush **Original post:** [deanrush.net/blog/economics-for-a-12-year-old](https://deanrush.net/blog/economics-for-a-12-year-old) **Archive month:** August 2017 · **Site category:** Marketing > Voice note: Everything under **Dean's article** is Dean's original prose (lightly cleaned of HTML/image artifacts only). Sections marked **Biblical foundations**, **Scholar sidebar**, **Takeaways**, and **First-time learner** are enrichment for Asker / first readers — not Dean speaking. --- ## Biblical foundations (preface) Dean tells a marketplace parable from childhood — affection does not set price; timing, demand, and distinctiveness do. The enrichment below does not turn his humor into a sermon he did not preach; it shows biblical wisdom that sits underneath honest dealing, humility, and being known for something true. | Theme in Dean's story | Scriptural undercarriage | | --- | --- | | Markets and timing are real constraints | "To everything there is a season" (Ecclesiastes 3:1); the plans of the diligent lead to abundance (Proverbs 21:5) | | Attachment to a product does not create buyer value | Differing weights are an abomination (Proverbs 20:10); honest scales (Proverbs 11:1) | | Humiliation can precede unexpected favor | God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5–6) | | Being memorable can open doors — for good or ill | A good name is better than riches (Proverbs 22:1); let your light shine (Matthew 5:16) | | Work and trade belong in a life lived before God | Whatever you do, do it for the Lord (Colossians 3:23); diligence vs. haste (Proverbs 21:5) | --- ## Dean's article ### Economics 101 ![Dean and Speedy from the original post](https://deanrush.net/Portals/0/Dean%20and%20Speedy%20300_1.jpeg) The term "Buyers Market" has been heard all my life. For once in my tenure on earth I would like someone to announce when I was selling something that I am in a "Sellers Market". Do you know what a confidence builder that would be? I would be getting the highest value for the article and I could brag that my selling skills were the best. So far, that has not occurred in my experience as a man except on one memorable occasion. ### First Encounter with Selling Success I first encountered the phrases "Buyers and Sellers markets" at age 12 when I sold my first 4-H calf (by the way, that was emotional sale because "Speedy" went to cow heaven directly from me to the slaughter house). The educational experience in the rules of economics began in a very innocent fashion. 4-H kids all sold their steers at an auction on the last night of the county fair except for the Grand Champion steer, who was in a sales class all his own. There were at least 50 of us 10-17 year old who knew each of our calves were special. Speedy was unique and handsome (if a calf can be classified as handsome?). It was apparent to me I would be rich off the earnings of Speedy's sale. I was certain buyers would recognize the value of this fine animal because I was so attached to Speedy and the quality of this particular bovine. Little did I understand that my attachment or affection for Speedy would not make a bit of difference to these uncaring buyers. I was about to get my first lesson in **economics**. > **Scholar sidebar — Love the work; don't confuse love with price** > Scripture honors diligent labor and honest trade (Proverbs 14:23; 11:1) without pretending sentiment sets market value. Ecclesiastes is equally blunt about seasons under heaven (3:1–8): timing is part of wisdom. Dean's twelve-year-old shock — that affection for Speedy did not move the bid — is a human doorway into that older truth: stewardship includes reading the room God actually put you in. ### Keeping the Faith I wasn't one of the people selling early in the sale. As I remember we drew numbers and I was selling about half way down the list of sellers. The early steers sold pretty high. With those early sellers, the load speaker bellowed the words "It is a Sellers Market". I knew exactly what he meant. It meant I was going to be a 12 year old rich kid. However, things began to change as more cows were sold and the buyers were tired of bidding. It was at that time my hopes of wealth began to dwindle. The auctioneer was pumping up the crowd by saying that "it was now a Buyers Market". (I was learning basic economic lessons at the worst time.) Slowly the buyers began to lower their offers and as the time for my sale was nearing, the ring master handling the auction said those dreaded words, "Folks you can get a deal because **it is now a buyers market and we need to get rid of the rest of these cattle**". How rude and how devastating at the same time. The basic lesson was, if you are going to sell, do so when the market is hot. If you try to sell when there is a lot of your commodity available, you are going to have visions of grandeur quickly shattered. There is only one catch and that revelation hit me as I stood in line to sell the wonderful, well mannered, lovable hunk of beef on the other end of the halter I held so gently in my hand. The problem was that Speedy and I were still twenty places back from our turn in the sales ring and the price was deteriorating rapidly. A neon "**BUYERS MARKET**" sign might as well be turned on in front of me. To show my maturity I swallowed my pride and stayed in line to take my low sales price punishment like a man. (Didn't they know I was only 12? Give me a break because I am but a kid. Manhood wasn't expected until at least 13). ### Miracles Do Happen I then experienced a very humbling event. It was right up there with miracles for 12 year old kids. A well meaning man walked by to reassure all of us down the line that our cattle would sell although he made no promises about the price. As the man walked by expounding his reassurance, he slapped Speedy on the rump. Speedy jumped and lunged forward pulling the rein on his halter completely out of my hands. He bolted into that sales ring in front of all the buyers with me chasing behind unable to contain my embarrassment. Now it was evident to me that we were going to end up in the bottom fifth of the lowest third in the sale. The buyers were laughing and applauding as I finally grabbed Speedy's rein and, red faced, led my steed (calf) back into line. That is when I discovered another element of economics. The buyers recognized the kid who couldn't control his calf and ran around the sales ring nearly having to tackle his charge. Apparently, the buyers enjoyed the humor of the event more than I did. When Speedy's and my time came to enter the arena for our verdict on value, it wasn't looking good for my dreams of wealth. Then it happened. The auctioneer began the sale with these words, "Folks we have a real showman (sarcastic humor for lack of control) and let's make this one a good one". I wasn't sure whether that meant good for me or the laughter we had caused? I had not intended to be a comedian. I just wanted to sell Speedy and get the heck out of there before they all began laughing again. It all ended well because the auctioneer pushed, prodded, and pulled bids from the buyers until Speedy sold for more than any other cow ahead or behind him. Yeah, I have stumbled into a "Sellers Market". I liked the lesson. The buyers remembered the event which made Speedy unique. I hope Speedy is happy in cow heaven, Nirvana, purgatory, or where ever cattle go because I did end up with at least a new bike. It was many years and many calves later that I finally got the car I had dreamt of when I was 12. There was a final lesson in all of this mayhem. In the words of Will Rogers, *"If you are going to stand out in a crowd either be famous or infamous."* *In Him* *Dean* > **Scholar sidebar — Humility, memory, and a good name** > Dean's "miracle" is comic providence: embarrassment became distinctiveness, and distinctiveness moved the market. James 4:6 and 1 Peter 5:5–6 teach that God gives grace to the humble — not that every red-faced moment becomes a bike, but that pride is a poor trading partner. Proverbs 22:1 prizes a good name above silver; Matthew 5:16 wants distinctiveness that glorifies the Father. Will Rogers' quip (famous or infamous) is secular wit; Asker answers can keep Dean's humor while noting that Scripture prefers a name worth having to notoriety for its own sake. --- ## Takeaways 1. **Affection ≠ market value.** Loving Speedy did not raise the bid; buyers price supply, demand, and timing. 2. **Sell when the market is hot.** Early "sellers' market" cheers cooled into a buyers' market as cattle piled up. 3. **Stay in line anyway.** Dean swallowed pride and took his turn — maturity as endurance, even at twelve. 4. **Memorable beats invisible.** Speedy's bolt made the pair unforgettable; the auctioneer leveraged the story into top price. 5. **Stand out on purpose — wisely.** The Will Rogers closer frames marketing distinctiveness; biblical wisdom adds that a good name matters more than mere fame. --- ## First-time learner ### What is Dean saying in one sentence? Markets don't pay you for how much you love what you're selling — timing, demand, and being memorable do — and sometimes humility comes before the surprise win. ### Why tell a calf story on a marketing blog? Because abstract "buyers vs. sellers market" talk sticks when you feel the twelve-year-old panic of watching prices fall twenty places ahead of you — then watch embarrassment become the thing buyers remember. ### Key verses to read with this post - **Ecclesiastes 3:1** — A season for every purpose. - **Proverbs 11:1; 20:10** — Honest weights and measures. - **Proverbs 21:5** — Diligent plans vs. hasty want. - **Proverbs 22:1** — A good name above riches. - **James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5–6** — Grace to the humble. - **Colossians 3:23** — Work as for the Lord. - **Matthew 5:16** — Distinctiveness that glorifies God. ### A simple practice Before your next sale, pitch, or ask: (1) name whether you are in a buyers' or sellers' climate honestly, (2) separate your affection for the offer from the buyer's need, (3) ask what *true* distinctiveness (not gimmick) would make the offer memorable for good. ### How this feeds Ask Dean Seed material for questions such as: *What did Dean learn from selling Speedy? How does Dean explain buyers' vs. sellers' markets? What marketing lesson does he take from Will Rogers?* Keep the story primary; use scholar notes only as light biblical scaffolding around humility and honest trade.