I’m really outspoken, and I have a reputation for expressing my opinions. I think if I major in economics next year I’ll be somewhat out of place, because currently no one at my high school challenges (not even teachers) my opinions.
When doing some research about the university I plan on going to I have uncovered that traditionally Chicago school economists have been popular in the economics department. Actually Chicago school economist Myron Scholes got a B.A. in economics from the university I plan on going to. Still not Austrian, but better than pure Keynesian in my opinion.
I would say it is a good thing to be outspoken, as long as you avoid being rude and/or obnoxious. Though at times I do question the investment I’ve made in doing an econ diploma right after my physics masters(instead of valuable work experience), it certainly has allowed me a much better understanding of the neoclassical school and a more broad and critical eye to economics in general. A lot of my more recent ideas have been the identification of where I feel particular errors have been made by the neoclassicals that lead to their divergences, and where there are still gaps in what the Austrians are saying. I still need to flesh these out though…
Another thing I would say is that people shouldn’t discount the influence you can have on your peers, friends and classmates with intelligent class participation in an Austrian manner.
But moving on to your planned degree in economics; are you planning on making a career out of it (being an adviser for a firm, joining a think tank, teaching, etc.) or are you just majoring in it for the more learned insights it will give you into other schools of economic thought? If it’s the former, then I’d say that you should definitiely go forward with it. But if it’s the latter, then I’d have to advise against it. You can learn about Keynes and Marx during your free time and at your leisure for far cheaper than what a university degree would cost you.
I second this, only i’d say if you want to go the former route, you might as well do something like Finance or Statistics. If you want to be a professional economist, you can benefit by learning what the “opposition” thinks in greater detail than the layman, but bear in mind you can do so as well by reading “mainstream” publications and discussing them on fora too, so I second this advice. That said, there’s a lot less intolerance to Austrian views now,as Keynesianism and its variants are no longer as hallowed as they werej ust a while ago.
You essentially aced and can’t find work? That really is funny. Glad I never entertained that route.
I wrote an anti-democracy paper when in the mere English upgrading program at a college years ago. The teacher gave it to the vice department head, who wanted to pass it around to various profs around the college. I got grilled in marks because it was deemed an “opinion paper” rather than a “research paper”. But, everyone was apparently very impressed. All I could think was, I didn’t want the whole school to hate me.
It all depends on what you want to do, financial situation, interests, etc etc. I can’t really be one to judge/criticize, I’m majoring in economics now with a minor in math and my only real post undergraduate plans are to go to graduate school and get enrolled in a PhD program (after that…?). If your or anyone’s goal, is to either get enrolled in a top econ PhD program, blaze through undergrad/grad by starting/winning all arguments againist teachers, or graduate and write MES v2.0 and become the next Rothbard, your going to be disapointed. If you want to be better at economic thinking, you should get an economics degree, regardless of what your textbooks/lecturers teach. Hearing mainstream views helped me understand Austrian criticisms more, as well as aid me in separating the Neoclassical bunk from quasi Austrian ideas that are just written in a Neoclassical format. Sometimes I enjoy nothing more than reading my textbooks, simply because I am there highlighting the lines and writing my critical annotations on the side. If you can’t juxapose the ideas and separate the good from the bad, then your economic thinking will be hurt. Putting your hands around your ears and refusing to read anything that doesn’t have a Mises Institute logo on its spine will get you nowwhere and relegate you to a internet forum “economist”.