Economics Archives

Is 2023 a Bull or Bear Market? It Depends on Who You Ask

Is the US in a bull or bear market right now? Why can’t the experts agree? Depending on which financial analyst or media outlet you listen to, right now the US stock market is either a bull, a bear, or a bull within a bear. To avoid risky bets on stocks, ignore current, frenzied bull and bear forecasts and look to experts who take a retrospective approach to assessing the market’s health. Continue reading for a breakdown of each side’s opinion on the matter, and how to create your investment strategy.

John List’s The Voltage Effect: Book Overview & Takeaways

Is your idea scalable? If so, what’s the best way to scale it over time? In his book The Voltage Effect, John List uses the word “voltage” to describe the power and momentum of scalable ideas. He lays out a framework for building and preserving your idea’s voltage as you scale. Continue reading for an overview of John List’s The Voltage Effect.

What Is the Spillover Effect? Unintended Consequences of Scale

What is the spillover effect? How does it impact your ability to scale an idea? In The Voltage Effect, economist and professor John A. List provides advice on how to figure out if a particular idea will scale. In order to do this effectively, you must understand the spillover effect, recognize it when it’s happening, and manage it well. Read more to learn how to deal with the unintended consequences of scaling your idea.

Alexander Hamilton as Secretary of the Treasury: His Duties

How did Alexander Hamilton become Secretary of the Treasury? What were the major changes he made during his time in the role? According to Ron Chernow’s biography Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of the Treasury was one of the biggest roles to fill after the Constitution was ratified. President George Washington appointed Hamilton as the first person to fulfill this duty and changed the course of the US economy. Find out how Hamilton changed the US economy by imposing new taxes, which led to criticisms from other politicians.

How to Change Your Money Mindset: Advice for Women

Do you want to change how you think about money? What should you do to transform your money mindset? According to Rachel Rodgers’ book, We Should All Be Millionaires, an essential part of becoming a millionaire as a woman is to transform the beliefs you have about money. These beliefs are holding you back from earning more and building wealth. Learn how to change your money mindset and add some zeros to your bank account.

How to Avoid the Sunk Cost Fallacy: Why Quitting Is for Winners

When should you give up on an idea or a project? What’s the best way to identify diminishing returns? Sometimes it’s hard to give up, especially when you’ve invested so much and you don’t want to be a quitter. But, sometimes cutting your losses and moving on is the best course of action. In The Voltage Effect, economist John A. List explains why, sometimes, quitting is for winners. Continue reading to learn how to avoid the sunk cost fallacy and stop wasting valuable resources.

Focus Investing vs. Modern Portfolio: Warren Buffett’s Choice

What’s focus investing? How is it different from modern portfolio theory? Which approach does Warren Buffett take? According to Robert G. Hagstrom, Warren Buffett departs significantly from the mainstream when it comes to portfolio management. While most investors diversify their portfolios broadly to minimize volatility, Buffett focuses on a select handful of stocks to maximize his chances of above-market returns. Read more to learn about focus investing and why Buffett prefers it to the modern portfolio approach.

What Is the Attention Economy—and How Is It Harming Us?

What is the attention economy? Why is it easier for people to be manipulated these days? Why are people more lonely than ever? According to Jenny Odell, the harmful modern need to constantly do something derives from capitalism. Using examples from art, history, and her own life, Odell recommends doing “nothing”—devoting time and attention to “non-productive” activities that deepen your connection with the world. Read more to understand what the “attention economy” is and why you constantly feel pushed to be productive.

Resisting Capitalism: The Wrong & the Right Ways to Fight Back

Are you feeling burned out? Do you sometimes feel like retreating from the world, either temporarily or permanently? In her book How to Do Nothing, Jenny Odell discusses different ways people try to resist capitalism, particularly the attention economy mindset of placing a monetary value on time and attention. She identifies the methods she believes are flawed and then shares what she thinks is a better way. Read more to learn about the wrong and right ways to resist capitalism and take back control of your life.

Can and Should the US Abolish the Debt Ceiling?

What purpose does the debt ceiling serve? What are its pros and cons? Is abolishing the debt ceiling feasible? Many Americans agree that Congress’s increasingly chaotic debt ceiling negotiations have become a distracting and dangerous spectacle. But to date, calls to abolish the ceiling have fizzled. We’ll examine why the US has a debt ceiling and what it would mean to abolish it.