General

Re: "Economics" Students?

Esuric — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 23:16:05 GMT

I'm a Mathematical-Eco major about to graduate in May. The math really sucks, and all of my professors are hardcore socialists (the eco chair is a Neo-Marxist/Post-Keynesian).

Re: "Economics" Students?

Angurse — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 21:39:58 GMT

I'm in my senior year at Laval, I've actually enjoyed my stay. The school actually has a separate program for "mathematical economists" and while I'm very good at math, I'm glad I didn't go into it. I think the school is making a big mistake starting students off with principles but, apart from econometrics and environmental economics (as well as some aspects of price theory), I've enjoyed most of my classes.

Re: "Economics" Students?

socialdtk — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 19:37:59 GMT

scineram:
What was bad about them? Or are you not interested in them?

Both lessons were interesting and informative but were lacking key pieces of infomation such as property rights. Without acknowledging that both government intervention and market externalities are a violation of ones property rights it's hard to make a case against them.

Re: "Economics" Students?

wolfman — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 16:09:13 GMT

My teacher's specialization was in quantitative models.

I did hate those regressions and calculus stuff so bad.

He, obviously, did not see a bubble until it bursted.

Re: "Economics" Students?

scineram — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 15:30:03 GMT

socialdtk:
It was a pleasant experience but still didn't make lessons on market externalities or government intervention any easier to sit through.

What was bad about them? Or are you not interested in them?

Re: "Economics" Students?

Conza88 — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 15:01:04 GMT

socialdtk:

She teaches what she is required to teach while at the same time reminding students that there are competing theories. I don't think she would stay employed very long if each and every student that took economics under her left an anarchist.

Well anarchism is political philosophy. What about if her students left as followers of the Austrian School of Economics?

Never mind - I know the answer. ;p

Re: "Economics" Students?

socialdtk — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 14:50:19 GMT

Conza88:

Wait, what? lol.

But he's not an Austrian? Or is - but still teaches the same tripe?

She teaches what she is required to teach while at the same time reminding students that there are competing theories. I don't think she would stay employed very long if each and every student that took economics under her left an anarchist.

Re: "Economics" Students?

Conza88 — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 14:38:37 GMT

socialdtk:
To my surprise a few weeks into the semester my professor brought each of us a copy of a Mises.org article discussing Fannie and Freddie and provided us all with links to the bailout reader. It was a pleasant experience but still didn't make lessons on market externalities or government intervention any easier to sit through.

Wait, what? lol.

But she's not an Austrian? Or is - but still teaches the same tripe?

Re: "Economics" Students?

Annie — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 14:30:37 GMT

P.I.G.S? Why are you separing with points?? UE? Nice way to call these countries, S.I.G.P.? By the way, what are you talking about?

Re: "Economics" Students?

socialdtk — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 14:14:13 GMT

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I've heard many of the same complaints in regards to Economics at the university level and upon registering for Econ101 I expected mostly misinformation. To my surprise a few weeks into the semester my professor brought each of us a copy of a Mises.org article discussing Fannie and Freddie and provided us all with links to the bailout reader. It was a pleasant experience but still didn't make lessons on market externalities or government intervention any easier to sit through.

Re: "Economics" Students?

Annie — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 14:08:28 GMT

I'm studying these kinf of things and I untersand you. Now I have to know about a PS-WS-MR and NAIRU model (whith maths) and it's a problem because it's not explained in a way you can prove with calculus and without asking about accounting things. Nation treatment, and everything else. I think is interesting but a problem at the time you have to make an exam. I think it could be a big social problem if this kind of methodology rules in all of the academic programs the next 5 years.

Re: "Economics" Students?

wolfman — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 13:43:13 GMT

Very interesting. Thank you for the info.

Bogart:

You are missing the point of the whole "experience". That is to be like Bernanke or Greenspan you have to do all sorts of crazy mathematics. Make predictions exactly in line with what politicians, financiers and the like expect. And then with a straight face sit there with every prediction failing, you just make more of them. The secret is the straight face. This path is not easy. You have to ignore the logic in the science of Micro-Economics and instead focus on giving people information they want to hear. Then when wrong you blame someone else. Lets examine some recent Federal Reserve Chairman remarks paraphrased by me:

1. There is no housing bubble.

2. There is stress in the housing and lending markets but that won't affect the economy at large.

3. The failure of these lending institutions will not cause unemployment to rise.

4. If we buy up these toxic assets then we will not have unemployment go above 8%.

5. The economy is not yet recovering but we see green shoots out there.

6. The economy is recovering but it is a jobless recovery.

The only consistent thing about these is that they were all completely wrong.

And the blamed:

1. Chinese savers.

2. Icelanders.

3. Free Markets.

4. Under Regulation.

5. Chinese currency value.

6. P.I.G.S in the EU.

Re: "Economics" Students?

Bogart — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 13:39:52 GMT

You are missing the point of the whole "experience". That is to be like Bernanke or Greenspan you have to do all sorts of crazy mathematics. Make predictions exactly in line with what politicians, financiers and the like expect. And then with a straight face sit there with every prediction failing, you just make more of them. The secret is the straight face. This path is not easy. You have to ignore the logic in the science of Micro-Economics and instead focus on giving people information they want to hear. Then when wrong you blame someone else. Lets examine some recent Federal Reserve Chairman remarks paraphrased by me:

1. There is no housing bubble.

2. There is stress in the housing and lending markets but that won't affect the economy at large.

3. The failure of these lending institutions will not cause unemployment to rise.

4. If we buy up these toxic assets then we will not have unemployment go above 8%.

5. The economy is not yet recovering but we see green shoots out there.

6. The economy is recovering but it is a jobless recovery.

The only consistent thing about these is that they were all completely wrong.

And the blamed:

1. Chinese savers.

2. Icelanders.

3. Free Markets.

4. Under Regulation.

5. Chinese currency value.

6. P.I.G.S in the EU.

Re: "Economics" Students?

wolfman — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 13:33:51 GMT

That's what brought me to AE. I hated math................not because I hate math............but because math is not economics. Anyways I learned a lot of stuff.

Re: "Economics" Students?

hayekianxyz — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 13:03:38 GMT

Like you I'm an economics student and I don't know, I really enjoy my course. Perhaps we have very different universities, but I find that in spite of the math (which there really isn't that much of at the undergraduate level) the economics is still about the economic way of thinking and the like. I find a lot of the micro to be very interesting, especially the stuff on auction theory, game theory and experimental and behavioural economics. This is still my second year, I'm expecting it to get better in the next two years when I have more freedom in the classes that I choose.

I agree that macro can be a bit dull and a lot of the theory I do seems very contrived, but other than that I really enjoy all my classes.