Concerns!

Hello people.

Like many of you, I'm about to start economics at uni. However, over the last couple of weeks my interest in the subject has plummeted, which is rather worrying. Therefore, I need you enthusiastic economists to rekindle my love affair :biggrin:

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Reply 1

Eternity Forever

Order some textbooks and start reading :yep:

, get back into reading current affairs and applying your economics knowledge. The interest should come back naturally....but if all of that bores you then...

Reply 2

Paulwhy

Eternity Forever

Order some textbooks and start reading :yep:

, get back into reading current affairs and applying your economics knowledge. The interest should come back naturally....but if all of that bores you then...

then what??

Reply 3

im in a coma

Coming towards the end of A-level I was concerned that I was losing the interest that I previously had in Economics. Upon beginning my degree I found that things sorted out because you learn new things or in a different way, largely because university study is different from the A-level. Whereas you learn the basics in a-level at degree level it tends to be more varied, and at a greater depth.

Reply 4

username141550

Eternity Forever

Order some textbooks and start reading :yep:

, get back into reading current affairs and applying your economics knowledge. The interest should come back naturally....but if all of that bores you then...

I've not stopped reading The Economist and textbook economics has never fascinated me.

im in a coma

Perhaps. The problem, however, is I can only see my interest shrinking at university - what with the abstract nature of much of the course (or at least I believe it is like that) and the maths (which I'm not the biggest fan of).

Hmmms.

Reply 5

im so academic

Why did you originally apply for economics? What is your heart set on? What are your opinions of today's economy? What fascinates you? What do you just love about economics? How do you feel being in the perfect university studying the perfect course? Economics isn't just a subject, for you, it's a passion.

I say, if you have to time, go down to the economical world of The City. Pass by Canary Wharf, look around over the River Thames and regained your feeling for economics. What is there in economics not to love? (Well maybe econometrics or mircoeconomics or somethin like that :rolleyes:

)

(Note: The questions mentioned in this post are rhetoric, so I don't expect an answer.)

Hope you have a great time at uni! By then, you probably regained your love for economics! :smile:

Reply 6

TSRreader

I don't think people should be discouraged too much about the mathematical side of economics. Maths is there not only to help you to calculate stuff but to apply its logic in understanding economics. If you read some books about mathematical proofs then it will probably make you feel more comfortable about using mathematics in economics. Mathematics help economist piece together puzzles that sometime naked eyes can't detect.

Reply 7

Paulwhy

Dan-IW

Ok. So what made you apply for econ?

TSRreader

Reading proofs in maths books may or may not help, Dan.. But to be clear undergraduate econ does not involve learning mathematical proofs.

Reply 8

TSRreader

Paulwhy

Reading proofs in maths books may or may not help, Dan.. But to be clear undergraduate econ does not involve learning mathematical proofs.

I found reading them to be useful in helping me to understand why there's mathematics instead of pure qualitative analysis. They reassured me that mathematics didn't change what economics is all about from what I originally perceive it to be.

I was drawn to Economics by its literature by famous economists. I loved their critical analysis and sharp thinking. But when I heard that Economics is very mathematical, I became discouraged with hoping the Economic courses would be anything close to what first drawn me to the subject. But when I read mathematical proofs, it gave me another outlook on mathematics. Mathematics was far from what an accountant would get addicted to. The wittiness of certain proofs draws clear parallel with top economist's qualitative analysis in Economic literature. It clearly showed the relevance to formalise economic science. I felt, by understanding mathematics existence in economics, was a great confidence booster and more content about economics. It also put one into understanding the process of how these great economists came to certain conclusions with logic.

Though, mathematical proofs are not part of economic courses, I believed understanding justification of using mathematics in economics can do wonders in learning economics.

I read A Concise Introduction to Pure Mathematics and A Very Short Introduction to Mathematics.

Reply 9

kat2pult

It's just nerves :wink:

Seriously, I've got this about every subject I've considered. You won't know what it's like unless you give it a go, and, if you decide that for whatever reason you don't like your course, changing is possible :smile:

You know what always works for me? Reading through a few uni brochures. It'll get you excited again!

Reply 10

username141550

Paulwhy

Ok. So what made you apply for econ?

Well, I fancy myself as a bit of an intellectual. Or rather, I would like to be an intellectual :p:

. Anyway, I used to think Economics had all the answers - the market was all knowing, all powerful and a generally lovely thing, and development economics was fab. But I've had so much time to read, I've become disillusioned, I don't know what to think. As I'd like to know what to think, I'd like a subject that does a little more questioning :rolleyes:

Grrr, I wish I was delighted to be on the verge of studying economics. Poo.

Reply 11

Paulwhy

Dan-IW

Well, I fancy myself as a bit of an intellectual. Or rather, I would like to be an intellectual :p:

Grrr, I wish I was delighted to be on the verge of studying economics. Poo.

You are probably just apprehensive about making a big life change. Starting to realise that you will not only by independent of, but also separated from, your parents. Starting to see there will be negative sides as well as positive sides to being at uni. And that will be affecting your judegement.

Yes economics does not hold all the answers to all the questions. But it does hold some of the answers to some of the questions. :smile:

In short it sounds like you are becoming more mature. Moving from a stage of infatuation on to a more real and complex but ultimately more worthwhile relationship.

Reply 12

username141550

Paulwhy

Well, I doubt that. I've lived with my dad for the last year, having lived with my mum beforehand. I'm very independent here - I cook most of my meals, do all my own washing, have no restrictions on being out etc.

Paulwhy

Yes economics does not hold all the answers to all the questions. But it does hold some of the answers to some of the questions. :smile:

I'm not sure if it asks the right questions though.
-

Reply 13

Paulwhy

Dan-IW

I'm not sure if it asks the right questions though.
-

So what questions would you like it to ask then?

Reply 14

Alexii

Yeah, read some Begg, he's amazing.

Reply 15

username141550

Paulwhy

So what questions would you like it to ask then?

Well, it never seems to ask 'why'. Just 'What can make us richer?!' 'How can we deploy resources to make us richer?!'

Reply 16

Paulwhy

Dan-IW

Well, it never seems to ask 'why'. Just 'What can make us richer?!' 'How can we deploy resources to make us richer?!'

No way is it that restrictive!
or monetarised.

It is about attempting to understand the world we live in and the human iteractions and how Gov interventions can improve things for everyone.

Read "Micromotives and Macrobehaviour" by Schelling or "The Sciences of the Artificial," by Herbert Simon.

Reply 17

username141550

Paulwhy

No way is it that restrictive!
or monetarised.

I know, I was being silly.

Paulwhy

It is about attempting to understand the world we live in and the human iteractions and how Gov interventions can improve things for everyone.

How exactly does it attempt to understand the world in which we live? Other than the obvious interaction resulting in sharing out resources. It's hardly all encompassing.

Essentially the second part of that reads 'how Gov interventions can make everyone richer', be it monetary riches, enriching education... etc. It's simply, is it not, how can we make people 'better' off by altering some variable? It's hardly revolutionary or some deep searching questioning.

It's what happens when you post at 1 in the morning.

Reply 18

Paulwhy

Dan-IW

I know, I was being silly. .

Dan-IW

How exactly does it attempt to understand the world in which we live? Other than the obvious interaction resulting in sharing out resources. It's hardly all encompassing.

Essentially the second part of that reads 'how Gov interventions can make everyone richer', be it monetary riches, enriching education... etc. It's simply, is it not, how can we make people 'better' off by altering some constant variable? It's hardly revolutionary or some deep searching questioning.

Ignoring what a constant variable is (that sounds oxymoronic to me!), making everyone better off would be revolutionary. And the process of attempting to do that is deep searching as it involves striving for important understandings of humans and humanity and human interactions.

And economics is very dynamic it is as much engineering as science.