Hello all. I’ve been a reader of the Mises site for a couple of months now and I’ve decided to join to ask a question. I’m currently a college student with no job; I left my last job last month. Anyway, I have the opportunity to get a job working for the Federal Reserve through a friend that already works there. It is nothing big of course just a nice desk job that pays very well, which is what I’m looking for. So my question to any of you reading is, would any of you take the job?
Yes. First of all, it’s a work experience that future employers will respect. Secondly, it probably pays well. Thirdly, you get a free pass inside Leviathan. Sounds like a win-win-win deal to me.
Definitely. Depending on your access, you may get to meet some brilliant people and see how things get done from up close. It sounds like a really great opportunity for you; congratulations on being in your position! Sure most of us would like to live in a society where no one got to work at the Federal Reserve, but it’s not like you’ll be striking a blow against The Man by withholding your services. Take the opportunity to learn and to expose yourself to new ideas and alternative viewpoints. You’ll almost certainly be glad you did.
lol. I expected that. My decision was already made before I asked, but was just curious to know if anybody would take it.
Wasn’t really expecting that, but it sounds good Donny, maybe I will take the job. Thanks.
Sure thing; good luck!
Here’s another question for some people out there. How do you feel about someone becoming a teacher at a public school?
How do I feel about someone else becoming a teacher at a public school? Well, I generally decry the public school system as inefficient, anti-intellectual and morally hazardous, however, supposing one uses a position as a teacher to spread Austrian ideas, then it would be beneficial. I would probably not take a job as a teacher at the public school level due to the various constraints that is placed on your curriculum.
Yeah, I meant someone else. I, for one, could never do it. My friend and I were discussing the ups and downs of becoming one, as he was thinking about becoming a teacher.
nothing wrong with receiving stolen goods and counterfeiting money =] – have fun.
Huh ? ‘Alternative viewpoints’ and ‘new ideas’ in the central bank…? What are you talking about ?
Yes. If only to know how CB’s work from the inside.
Juan, someone looking for a college job couldn’t possibly have an in-depth understanding of the economic and philosophical paradigm which motivates central bank officials. Even as a libertarian adopting Austrian ideas, it’s important to gain a deep understanding of what people coming from other schools of thought believe and why they do the things they do. For better or worse, the federal reserve system is staffed by some of the best minds in the economics profession (though many of them ascribe to theoretical paridigms which I believe to be mistaken, which leads them to do things that I believe to be unwise and uncharacteristic of an informed attitude of due respect for others), and an up-and-coming economist or political thinker could do a lot worse than to be exposed to that kind of environment. If he keeps an open mind, he could learn a whole lot.
Take the job. Banks will always hire someone who has worked at the Fed.
If you were someone who was offered a teaching job at a public school I would also say “take the job”. The good teachers love to teach and would do so if there were public schools or not (but I would advise that a teacher not take a NYC teaching job at a public school simply because their talents would likely be wasted).
If you are good at your trade and the Fed goes down the toilet (like I want it to) then your talent will be your job security and not the institution that hired you. The same can be said for teachers in public schools.
Couple of questions…1) Do you consider yourself a libertarian ? 2) Are you aware that you’re joining a criminal enterprise ?
1.) Yes
2.) I’m new to the site. I’ve only been reading the forums and blog for a couple of months and don’t really know much about economics or politics, but I do agree with most of you all on about pretty much everything (that I can understand).
I’m still undecided, but I will keep learning before I make a decision. I read the forum and blogs everyday. There’s no rush because I can get the job any time in the future.
Keep in mind that we don’t agree on a lot of things amongst ourselves. I, for example, don’t view the federal reserve as a criminal organization at all. In trying to think about these issues, it’s sometimes best to explore them yourself and decide what you think is right, rather than trying to learn what the party line position is. You may find out that you think we’re all full of nonsense! But if you’re going to take someone’s word for things, you should listen to me, not Juan; he disagrees with me on this issue, and is therefore stone evil. [:P]
Well, if I were a libertarian I would try, as a principle, to avoid working for the government. I don’t see much benefit in working for a bureaucracy anyway. What can you possibly learn there that the private sector couldn’t teach you in a better way ? Unless you want to see corruption and inefficiency first hand that is.
What the Fed/central bank does is to counterfeit money and ‘regulate’ the financial system in order to hamper competition and prevent a real free-market from emerging. If you join the fed, it seems to me that you either have to do what you’re told and further those government ends or else oppose your boss and get fired in a couple of days…
On the other hand, you could take the job for a limited period of time, out of curiosity, and regard it as an ‘experiment’…
Good luck =]
A fact which would suggest that the ‘private’ banks are as good (or bad…) as the fed itself…
If you are OK with working for a criminal organization, go for it.