Beyond numbers, real wealth

What is the economy? What is wealth? What is it that is actually gained or lost when people say "x created wealth" or "the economy is growing"? To try and understand this, let's start with a couple of jokes about economists. Two economists are walking in a forest when they come across a heap of dung. The first economist says to the other, "I'll pay you $100 to eat that dung." The second economist takes the $100 and eats the pile. They continue walking until they come across a second heap. The second economist turns to the first and says, "l pay you $100 to eat this one." The first economist takes the $100 and eats the dung. Walking a little further, the first economist becomes thoughtful. He says, "You know, I gave you $100 to eat dung, then you gave me back the same $100 to eat dung. I can't help but feel like we both just ate dung for nothing." "That's not true", responded the second econ