Most economics education teaches students the rules of a game without asking who wrote the rules, who benefits from them, or whether we might want to play something else entirely. A provocation for educators at all levels.
Greetings from Beijing!
If you are feeling well and life is unfolding in ways your heart hoped for, I am genuinely happy for you. And if, on the other hand, you have been feeling discouraged, anxious, or even disillusioned at times, I want to say this clearly: you are not alone—and that feeling may not be a bad thing.
I have often wondered whether that discomfort is, in fact, a sign that we still care deeply about the ideals we once wrestled with together while learning and discussing economics, education, and the world we inhabit. I know I have felt it myself—especially as negative headlines flood our consciousness and a quiet sense of TINA (There Is No Alternative) settles in. In Chinese, those three words—没办法—capture that resignation all too well.