Economics class in high school.HELP!!!

[Smallmaniac]

I'm a senior in high school and I consider myself a libertarian, classical liberal, Hayekian, and part of the Austrian school. The only problem is, I only get the main ideas of economic liberty and nothing else. So, I take an economics class to learn about economics. Like mergers, corporations, trade offs, scarcity, etc. The problem is I know the teacher will touch on things I don't agree with. On the board, he has a list of famous economists. The first is Adam Smith, who isn't as good as everyone thinks he is, and the last is Ben Bernanke(nononono!). Right in the middle is Keynes. How do I combat the false info and still learn the basics of economics to better reinforce my economic opinions? In other words, what is a liberty lover to do in a classroom full of sheeple?(sheep people if you don't get that term) Please help if at all possible.

 

[dannno]

I have a college degree in Business Economics from a very good University.

Let me just say that learning economics, no matter what economic system, is not going to be a bad thing for you. In fact it will be a good thing because it will allow you to use your critical skills to see the weaknesses of various economic theories. Don't feel obligated to speak up in class about your beliefs, but don't be afraid to, either.

On the other hand, most of what you will learn is fairly objective. Most of what you will learn is not "wrong". In fact, most of what you will learn will go a long ways to support what you already know now.

As someone once said (maybe Ron Paul?) Austrian Economics IS Economics. There are no laws of economics that Austrian Economics breaks, so most of what you will learn will help to solidify the information you already know.

 

[danberkeley]

I'm a senior in high school and I consider myself a libertarian, classical liberal, Hayekian, and part of the Austrian school. The only problem is, I only get the main ideas of economic liberty and nothing else. So, I take an economics class to learn about economics. Like mergers, corporations, trade offs, scarcity, etc. The problem is I know the teacher will touch on things I don't agree with. On the board, he has a list of famous economists. The first is Adam Smith, who isn't as good as everyone thinks he is, and the last is Ben Bernanke(nononono!). Right in the middle is Keynes. How do I combat the false info and still learn the basics of economics to better reinforce my economic opinions? In other words, what is a liberty lover to do in a classroom full of sheeple?(sheep people if you don't get that term) Please help if at all possible.

Laugh to yourself when the professor speaks.

 

[danberkeley]

I have a college degree in Business Economics from a very good University.

Let me just say that learning economics, no matter what economic system, is not going to be a bad thing for you. In fact it will be a good thing because it will allow you to use your critical skills to see the weaknesses of various economic theories. Don't feel obligated to speak up in class about your beliefs, but don't be afraid to, either.

On the other hand, most of what you will learn is fairly objective. Most of what you will learn is not "wrong". In fact, most of what you will learn will go a long ways to support what you already know now.

Danno, did you go to a UC? The only colleges in California that I know that give out degrees in "Business Economics" are UC Santa Cruz andUC Santa Barbara.

 

[dannno]

Oh ya, I just took an economics class in Grad school a few months ago. The book we used was written by Bernanke.. Sometimes I wanted to throw it across the room, but that is OK. There is nothing wrong with reading and critiquing others' theories, in fact as I said before it is a good exercise.

 

[dannno]

Danno, did you go to a UC? The only colleges in California that I know that give out degrees in "Business Economics" are UC Santa Cruz andUC Santa Barbara.

Ya I went to sb.

 

[Kludge]

You're there to learn, not espouse your own opinions. Don't bring up vaguely related topics just to speak about your beliefs. Don't be aggressive and respect the teacher. Think before you speak and before you write. When you do, go well beyond his expectations. Give examples, but don't go too far less you come off as a conceited asshole.

Lead by example. Earn others' respect and admiration (especially the teachers'). Don't dress like a slob, slut, gangsta, or pothead (yes, potheads have their own fashion). Smile. Teachers pick out students who they want to see succeed because they relate to or admire the kid. NEVER attack opinions aggressively in class. Appear objective, thoughtful, intellectually honest, and as open-minded as possible. Don't reference people or organizations if at all possible.

Other than those guidelines, be yourself and enjoy the discussion/learning.

 

[HOLLYWOOD]

Danno, did you go to a UC? The only colleges in California that I know that give out degrees in "Business Economics" are UC Santa Cruz andUC Santa Barbara.

YEAH... UC Santa Cruz!

Yah gotta love a Educational center with the Banana Slug as their School Mascot!

but, if yah want those 6 figures most northeast IVY LEAGUE schools will enable you to advance much quicker, in general rule of thumb.

Sammy the Slug

***Smallmaniac - There's plenty of information on everything you mentioned in your post... use the search function on key words.

 

[dannno]

(yes, potheads have their own fashion)

 

[icon124]

I have a college degree in Business Economics from a very good University.

Let me just say that learning economics, no matter what economic system, is not going to be a bad thing for you. In fact it will be a good thing because it will allow you to use your critical skills to see the weaknesses of various economic theories. Don't feel obligated to speak up in class about your beliefs, but don't be afraid to, either.

On the other hand, most of what you will learn is fairly objective. Most of what you will learn is not "wrong". In fact, most of what you will learn will go a long ways to support what you already know now.

As someone once said (maybe Ron Paul?) Austrian Economics IS Economics. There are no laws of economics that Austrian Economics breaks, so most of what you will learn will help to solidify the information you already know.

ditto, I majored in Economics (and Finance too) in college and I'm glad I did. I now know both sides of the game and use information from both to help in my real world decisions.

 

[danberkeley]

YEAH... UC Santa Cruz!

Yah gotta love a Educational center with the Banana Slug as their School Mascot!

but, if yah want those 6 figures most northeast IVY LEAGUE schools will enable you to advance much quicker, in general rule of thumb.

Ya I went to sb.

Cool. I was at SBCC for a year. Santa Barbara is beautiful town. Santa Cruz is ok. Lot's of trees. Did ya'll find a degree in "business economics" useful?

 

[Kludge]

Just given' ya what I observe. It's fairly similar to the emo getup, except the top is almost always a sweatshirt and it reeks terribly of marijuana. The harder drug users these days seem to also be fond of ridiculous ear-rings that expand their ear lope. I'm not saying it's good or bad, but I think it's fairly obvious that there is a drug subculture. Object language = communication based on clothes. Don't dress yourself to fit in a label if you don't want the label.

 

[MsDoodahs]

YEAH... UC Santa Cruz!

Yah gotta love a Educational center with the Banana Slug as their School Mascot!

but, if yah want those 6 figures most northeast IVY LEAGUE schools will enable you to advance much quicker, in general rule of thumb.

Sammy the Slug

***Smallmaniac - There's plenty of information on everything you mentioned in your post... use the search function on key words.

I haven't seen the yellow slug in a while! I had a roommate many years ago who went there.

 

[MsDoodahs]

To the Thread Starter:

Just listen, parrot what you have to parrot to get your grade, and get out.

JMO.

 

[DamianTV]

I dont have any majors in economics and I know more about economics than your teacher. So let me put it to you this way: If your teacher was such a smart economist, why is he working as a teacher and not an economist? Answer, because he is not an economist. Its basically the same thing as trying to get legal advice from a criminal because they think they know the law because they've been in a courtroom and convicted at least once.

 

[Knighted]

How do I combat the false info and still learn the basics of economics to better reinforce my economic opinions?

It's simple, learn about every economic philosophy that you can. If you isolate yourself in the Austrian school's mindset, how will you be able to contrast it with the Keynesian, Monetarist, or other policies? There is a reason that most economists follow economic schools other than Austrian. It doesn't mean the Austrian school is wrong, merely that there is a strong basis for the others, and that basis is important to understand if you expect to be able to recognize their flaws.

 

[surf]

i agree with most everyone here. if you are trully a free-market Austrian economist you will have a helluva time making your way through the Keynesian BS that is often taught in classes today. Most of the Keynesian equations are pure BS, but if your teacher is a keynesian and wants you determine output (or economic benefit) given a certain amount of government input or wants you to calculate the money multiplier effect of building a 1000 foot high gold pyramid in New Jersey, you will be better off to come up with a better answer than zilch or not a f#cking thing.

but if you are going to emphasize anything it oughta be something along the lines of individuals being better decision makers and market drivers than central planners. be prepared w/examples and get ready for the "who'd build roads?" question with an answer about the demise of rail-roads and rise of the automobile as a result of lobbying by car and tire companies. ask where'd we be today if the market were to have evolved in a free-way (probably not more freeways). programmable pods?

point out how Ben's manipulation of interest rates - rather than market forces - is responsible for the housing bubble (and other asset bubbles).

good luck and sorry for the longwinded suggestions

go Banana Slugs!

 

[2young2vote]

Just do what i did and learn the stuff that is pure fact that can't really be spun in any way. Look at both sides of the economic argument and prove why the other person is wrong...just don't use analogies to prove that you are right because that isn't proving anything with fact. I got lucky and got a teacher who was "libertarian at heart" and was pretty unbiased. I am thinking about going to Northwood University which teaches about the free market (its funny, that private school is actually cheaper than every other state school that i know of with the exception of one which is $30 less...but that is only with estimates...private business winning again ) . Does anyone recommend Northwood?

 

[Conza88]

Oh ya, I just took an economics class in Grad school a few months ago. The book we used was written by Bernanke.. Sometimes I wanted to throw it across the room, but that is OK. There is nothing wrong with reading and critiquing others' theories, in fact as I said before it is a good exercise.

I refused to buy the book. So for the whole semester I only got it out, for the 2 hrs on short loan it was allowed, took it to tutes and then took it back to the library.

The only good that comes out of learning the fallacies and illogical bs errected in the other schools, is so that you can blow them down better.

You're there to learn, not espouse your own opinions. Don't bring up vaguely related topics just to speak about your beliefs. Don't be aggressive and respect the teacher. Think before you speak and before you write. When you do, go well beyond his expectations. Give examples, but don't go too far less you come off as a conceited asshole.

Lead by example. Earn others' respect and admiration (especially the teachers'). Don't dress like a slob, slut, gangsta, or pothead (yes, potheads have their own fashion). Smile. Teachers pick out students who they want to see succeed because they relate to or admire the kid. NEVER attack opinions aggressively in class. Appear objective, thoughtful, intellectually honest, and as open-minded as possible. Don't reference people or organizations if at all possible.

Other than those guidelines, be yourself and enjoy the discussion/learning.

Mostly this.

It's simple, learn about every economic philosophy that you can. If you isolate yourself in the Austrian school's mindset, how will you be able to contrast it with the Keynesian, Monetarist, or other policies?

Umm, because Austrian writers have critiqued and fken pwned them all? You don't need to read "The General Theory" by Keynes, to find out it's all bullshit. Instead, go read "The Failure of the New Economics" by Henry Hazlitt.

You don't need to read Das Capital to know Marx was a retard. Read "Marxism Unmasked." "Socialism" or the "Anti-Capitalist Mentality" by Mises...

There is a reason that most economists follow economic schools other than Austrian. It doesn't mean the Austrian school is wrong, merely that there is a strong basis for the others, and that basis is important to understand if you expect to be able to recognize their flaws.

Because they don't know any better. There is only a "basis" for other ideologies, because it supports and attempts to legitimize the state. The state doesn't have a self interested in propelling those theories and eradicating the others?

Austrian School - built on axioms, self evident truths.

Keyesianism and all the other mumbo jumbo - animal spirits did it.

Go to lewrockwell.com and mises.org (media and literature section) - FREE pdf's, entire books and audio books.

You'll learn more than your teacher in a few months. And can easily dissect the bullshit. Although hearing the bs all day is going to be hard to cope with. lol