One of the toughest things about writing this blog has to be being an economist. Economists aren’t hip. They’re not even hip in that “we’re so much more high-tech than you that we must be hip” way. Yeah, so we use complicated models, but being an economist is definitely square. Unlike the cool kids (programmers, designers, engineers), who can blog about their fields and get respected, the only economists that get respect on the Net are–well–a heck of a lot more qualified than me.
In short, blogging extensively about Economics is out. And that presents a problem. I strive to have a site that’s full of light-hearted humor, and that provides an interesting take on life. A site that is interesting without being heavy. But economists just aren’t funny enough.
Of course, it’s not for lack of economists with a sense of humor. Last week Jagdish Bhagwati came to Carleton, and I have to say, he is a very funny man. I told him we should start a satire magazine for economists; he told me to get submissions from Bob Solow. I think it’s a good idea. Maybe I should start it in blog form (would anybody worth reading actually write for it? Are economists in general just too serious? This is a good question).
I guess we’ll just have to leave it to the B-School kids to provide us with some humor (From Economist’s View):
Check this out: “Every Breath You Take,” by Dean Glenn Hubbard. It’s worth it (music video about Bernanke to the tune of “Every Breath You Take” - wmv file). Update: iTunes link (mp4). Update: Source - Columbia Business School Follies.
Wait, did I just call programmers and engineers cool kids?
economics is hilarious, well maybe not but it’s not as bad as accounting.
i think it was Jagdish Bhagwati who said bad economists are reborn as sociologists and good economists are reborn as physicists.
oh and “The Economist” is kind of funny, in a dry, witty, british way.