A New Way to Learn Economics (newyorker.com)

John Cassidy, writing for The New Yorker: With the new school year starting, there is good news for incoming students of economics -- and anybody else who wants to learn about issues like inequality, globalization, and the most efficient ways to tackle climate change. A group of economists from both sides of the Atlantic, part of a project called CORE Econ, has put together a new introductory economics curriculum, one that is modern, comprehensive, and freely available online. In this country, many colleges encourage Econ 101 students to buy (or rent) expensive textbooks, which can cost up to three hundred dollars, or even more for some hardcover editions. The project is a collaborative effort that emerged after the world financial crisis of 2008-9, and the ensuing Great Recession, when many students (and teachers) complained that existing textbooks didn't do a good job of explaining what was happening. In many countries, groups of students demanded an overhaul in how economics was taught, with less emphasis on free-market doctrines and more emphasis on real-world problems.

Comments

An ideolog's wet dream

[Q-Hack!]

From the Article:
" In many countries, groups of students demanded an overhaul in how economics was taught, with less emphasis on free-market doctrines and more emphasis on real-world problems."

Read: Karl Marx good, Adam Smith Bad

What a bunch of drivel. We need more emphasis on free-market doctrines and how/why the system we have currently isn't. The more we try to add Marxist ideology to today's society, the more problems we introduce.

Re:An ideolog's wet dream

[reve_etrange]

Today, we know that ability is entirely genetic and that it follows a bell curve distribution.

Nothing could reveal a deeper lack of understanding about contemporary biology than that sentence. It simultaneously rejects our actual findings and betrays an erroneous confidence in the power of current methods, all without any apparent irony.

Under other circumstances I would feel compelled to say more, but the parent is either a troll or an ideologue and I don't want to waste the time.

Great misunderstanding. about Econ 101

[140Mandak262Jamuna]

The Econ 101 is not meant for learning economics. In fact none of the courses in these top private colleges are meant to learn anything. All of them are for signalling. The graduates signal to the prospective employers they have the money to pay for 300$ text books and 60K$ tuition. This serves as a filter to throw away the unwashed masses.

After this it becomes easier to separate the free loading poor scholarship graduates and pick the legacy admissions and old money descendants. Then they get a free pass to enter CXO level job streams. One can do masters in marching band after bachelors in beer appreciation, still get to be the chief of cyber security in a major company.

Re:Leftist

[allcoolnameswheretak]

It must be really hard to live in a world in which science seems to be interconnected with an opposing ideology.

Ever cared to consider that it isn't and it is actually your world view that is the problem?

Re:Leftist

[HornWumpus]

The people writing a textbook based on idiotic Marxist dogma?

Re:Leftist

[bankman]

meritocracy of capitalism

Good one!