On Economics

This post has nothing to do about my time in Denmark. It's about my life, or at least, a little glimpse into what I care about.

My favorite website, outside of news sites like the Wall Street Journal and Financial Times, is Marginal Revolution. It's a blog written by two economists from George Mason University. The lead writer is Tyler Cowen. He is one of my current icons. He is a full time professor, an author of a new book, and a writer for the general public with his blog. He brings the best--and sometimes the oddest--economics stories from the net to his site for viewing by the general public. He writes how to interpret the latest Fed actions, brings interesting academic papers to the fore, and even comments on the best restaurants in the DC area. He impresses me and inspires me to continue with my studies.

Another one of my current economic icons is N. Gregory Mankiw. An economics professor at Harvard, he also has a blog. He doesn't write as much as Tyler, but his posts are always informative and timely. He studied at Harvard and MIT, chaired the CEA, and has written quality textbooks for undergraduate students. Awesome.

Both of these economists inspire me to work harder during my undergraduate years. I study political science and economics--and right now I lean more toward the latter--and of course I really want to do well in school. Sometimes, I doubt whether I can be so accomplished as my icons. Sometimes, I see a challenging future and wonder if I can do it. But then I dig in, focus, and remember that it was not easy for them, so it won't always be easy for me. I love economics and I want to excel in my studies, so there is no reason I cannot.

I feel that this is consuming my life as I try to master the subject and decide which area I want to focus on: labor economics, monetary policy, international trade. What do I really care about within this field? Right now, I don't know; I like reading about anything economics. I read the the Journal daily, FT frequently, and the Economist financial section weekly. I read books about globalization, about former Fed chairmen (ahem Alan), and the Chicago school (my winter break read). I cannot get enough of this as I still want more. I am unsatisfied with my current knowledge; it is not enough. I want more and more and until I reach the stage of Mssrs. Cowen and Mankiw, and beyond, I will not be satisfied. Certainly, I have something to strive for.

- TAD