I heard economics is also becoming more and more popular in colleges and universities in Indonesia. If so, why? Here are some knee-jerk speculations:
- Econ is
easiergloomier than physics or pure math but sexy enough to outshine its fellow social sciences -- at least on the newspapers. - Econ allows you to become a "pengamat ekonomi" (economic commentator), the most respectable position in the media these days -- Wait, as a second thought, you don't even need training or certificate in econ to become a popular "pengamat ekonomi". Accounting and management science will do, any engineering will do, agriculture is alright.
- Econ is flexible: you can teach its principles in the classroom and do the exact opposite in politics or in media. No one will sue you, you're still an economist. Just say: the assumption changes. People will forget.
And Econ even allows you to write a rave review on poetry book, or a forthcoming novel --the way that guy of exegesis did :-))
ReplyDeletePhD in Economics is too sexy and feminine. ;-) What's the alternative?
ReplyDeleteYes, girlie indeed! Biology and psychology come close?
ReplyDeletean undergrad friend of mine once said (he's american by the way), "what's the point of having an econ major in college when most of the accepted applicants to grad school [in economics] are either math, physics or engineering major?"
ReplyDeletePerhaps economics is sexy enough to lure math, physics or engineering majors :D
mas Rizal, and Econ even allows you to be a English Premier League pundit -- the way that guy of A Gallery of Mind did :-))
ReplyDeleteBeing econ literate makes you comfortable with numbers and presenting numbers and stylized facts to support arguments...which can score you some points in heated debates on any social issues(i.e. impressing the opposite sex at cocktail parties)
ReplyDeleteAh, Co -- we know that neoclassical econ a.k.a. neoliberalism is evil, right? A wise man said, if you want to beat those evil, learn from the source. So give credits to those who wants to be.. ghostbusters!
ReplyDeleteThe main reason why econ is sexy is because of the superiority complex that you get when you gain the ability to pass judgment on other people's policies and arguments while being able to back up your criticisms with your superior knowledge of economic theory. It's just utterly gratifying to be able to prove that you're better than they are =P.
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