February 18, 2008
How economics lightened up
In the New Statesman, Mario Pisani, a former Nico Colchester fellow at the FT, asks how economics got to be so cool all of a sudden:
One of the earliest examples of what many call “pop economics” was Steven E Landsburg’s book The Armchair Economist. He recalls how “in 1991, when I first approached publishers, my covering letter began thus: ‘When lawyers or executives meet for lunch, they more often speculate about economics than about evolutionary biology. Yet bookstore shelves are well stocked with books on evolution and almost empty of economics.’ Nobody could say the same thing today. Dozens of good writers have stepped in to explain the economic way of thinking to a wider audience.”
The essay is pegged on the publication of The Logic of Life, but ranges widely. Even readers who are fed up of my linking to reviews of The Logic of Life should enjoy this one.
As all informational knowledge has increased in availability and such their is still a major lack of understanding for the meanings within econ.
Posted by: Aron Gunkelman | February 21st, 2008 at 3:30 pm | Report this commentI believe this is a lack of the U.S. school systems stepping up to the plate and producing materials that are relevant to live a efficient life. U.S. school systems should be pressing for courses such as an introduction to micro an macro at 6th grade not waiting until on is in university. Not to mention we are failing to even stay in the same league as certain developing nations educational structure especially in all sciences, mathematics. If the U.S. school systems do not change our country will be wasting talent.