Current Events > I started studying economics for fun on the side

(+) Yeah! (+)

Started reading an actual textbook, watching online lectures and youtube videos, and reading about various concepts.

This is what happens when you turn 30. I'm 33 now. My goal is to master this stuff by the age of 40.

I wish I could just pick stuff up like that... Enjoy your journey

You should master it and then petition some college for a degree

I don't want to be a growed up

MedeaLysistrata posted...

I wish I could just pick stuff up like that... Enjoy your journey

Its extremely hard. Work is about 60+ hours per week. I have 2 small children. Between those 2 there is basically no free time. I listen to youtube videos and audiobooks on my commutes, and while I work out in the early morning. I put e-books on my phone so any little down-time throughout the day, instead of browsing instagram I started reading the book.

If I didn't have kids and wasn't married, doing all this would be no problem. I could probably even take actual classes i I wanted in that scenario.

...how do you master economics?

Dan_Haren- posted...

Its extremely hard. Work is about 60+ hours per week. I have 2 small children. Between those 2 there is basically no free time. I listen to youtube videos and audiobooks on my commutes, and while I work out in the early morning. I put e-books on my phone so any little down-time throughout the day, instead of browsing instagram I started reading the book.

If I didn't have kids and wasn't married, doing all this would be no problem. I could probably even take actual classes i I wanted in that scenario.

What is the ultimate goal? Did you know some people are mixing physics with economics now?

warlock7735 posted...

...how do you master economics?

I'm reading a basic textbook right now and any concept that isn't crystal clear I'm googling and reading more about. I've look at the syllabi for different college level classes and the class list for degrees just to get an idea of the pathway. I'm just going to take it 1 step at a time. Starting with basic macro, then micro. Theres so much information online its insane. I was watching lectures from Stanford until they actually took that class down a few weeks ago.

i mean... i thought this topic was awesome until I read what you wrote...

SEVEN YEARS? wtf is that you lazy blob.

master this shit in 6 months or dont do it at all

MedeaLysistrata posted...

What is the ultimate goal? Did you know some people are mixing physics with economics now?

Just a better understanding of the way the world works, the way money flows, etc. I think money is at the center of everything and in a way economics is a study of the flow of money. Then ultimately I want to pass on my knowledge to my kids. I never had that advantage coming from a low-middle class family, my parents knew jack shit about money.

Dan_Haren- posted...

I'm reading a basic textbook right now and any concept that isn't crystal clear I'm googling and reading more about. I've look at the syllabi for different college level classes and the class list for degrees just to get an idea of the pathway. I'm just going to take it 1 step at a time. Starting with basic macro, then micro. Theres so much information online its insane. I was watching lectures from Stanford until they actually took that class down a few weeks ago.

Gotcha. I just thought the phrasing was really weird. I can see someone mastering something like carpentry, but mastering economics sounds like mastering philosophy to me, just something that has a weird bent to it.

Its just my personality that I can never sit still and that just makes sense to me. Sitting still in life just doesn't make sense to me. I have to constantly be learning something new or else I feel like I'm just wasting my time. I make this kind of topic to sorta type out my thoughts and plans....which helps me brainstorm new ideas to tweak what I'm doing, either from you guys or from me thinking about it and typing it out.

Just so you know economics gets pretty mathematically intense.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDQXFNWuZj8

Shadow_Don posted...

Just so you know economics gets pretty mathematically intense.

Yes...and I want to re-learn calculus. I was good at it back in HS/undergrad. I've posted about that before that I want to re-learn math/calc...but for that I wouldn't even know where to start. That will come back quick I would imagine.

Dan_Haren- posted...

Yes...and I want to re-learn calculus. I was good at it back in HS/undergrad. I've posted about that before that I want to re-learn math/calc...but for that I wouldn't even know where to start. That will come back quick I would imagine.

You just need basic algebra and trig to do calculus. Thats literally all pre-calc is.

I've read a couple intro level texts on econometrics and I'm pretty sure you need calc, some libear algebra, and an intermediate level stats course (one that uses some calc and goes into some detail about regression).

Shadow_Don posted...

You just need basic algebra and trig to do calculus. Thats literally all pre-calc is.

I've read a couple intro level texts on econometrics and I'm pretty sure you need calc, some libear algebra, and an intermediate level stats course (one that uses some calc and goes into some detail about regression).

Hmmm, I just need to find the right resource to refresh math, I'm confident it will come back quick. I was pretty good at it back in the day. Got a 5 on the AP test and A's in college level calc. But one thing I never studied properly and I really regret is stats. I find that it comes up constantly in my life. I completely half-assed it in college.

Linear algebra and post-calculus mathematics are a completely different beast than calculus level math. Just be warned, it is a lot of learning and takes a LOT of practice.

warlock7735 posted...

Linear algebra and post-calculus mathematics are a completely different beast than calculus level math. Just be warned, it is a lot of learning and takes a LOT of practice.

I don't have much interest in learning calc beyond calc BC which I've already learned in the past.

Mostly referring to #16 because they were saying that intermediate econ has a lot of advanced math.

Dan_Haren- posted...

Hmmm, I just need to find the right resource to refresh math, I'm confident it will come back quick. I was pretty good at it back in the day. Got a 5 on the AP test and A's in college level calc. But one thing I never studied properly and I really regret is stats. I find that it comes up constantly in my life. I completely half-assed it in college.

My 2 cents as someone who works in academia doing econ related research:

If you want to actually turn this into a career in the future go to community college and start a degree in stats or comp sci and do the economics as a minor.

There isn't a whole lot you can do with an undergrad econ degree except data analysis or business intelligence (which are good jobs). And in those cases most people would rather have a stats or comp sci degree. Econ is still pretty good though if you make sure to not skimp out on stats and programming.

Definitely not going for a career, pure hobby and my own interests. Think of it as a lifelong learning type of thing. I'm sorta maxed out my own career and things are going good. So I just want to put my effort in my spare time somewhere new, rather than perfecting my craft which I've done.

warlock7735 posted...

Mostly referring to #16 because they were saying that intermediate econ has a lot of advanced math.

Yea I have a graduate degree in applied math lol. I've taken real/complex analysis, measure theory, topology, advanced algebra, PDEs, etc.

I was just trying to convey that the math gets way more difficult than intro to micro econ where you are just trying to solve areas of triangles.

Econ does get into graduate level math if you go deep enough. I have a book somewhere that is a real analysis text with specific applications to econ.

_

while yall were bullshitting in this topic i learned more about pseudo random numbers and linear feedback shift registers.

just fucking do it.

also if you want to learn economics, read David Graeber's Debt: The First 5000 Years