Action Quote by Paul Krugman
“Our popular economics writers, however, are not in the business of giving their readers a ringside seat on the research action; with no exception I can think of, they use their books to do an end run around the normal structure of scholarship, to preach ideas that few serious economists share. Often, these ideas are not just at odds with the professional consensus; they are demonstrably wrong, and sometimes terminally silly. But they sound good to the unwary reader.”
About This Quote
Source Article: Opinion column, The New York Times, 2015
Popular economics books often bypass scholarly rigor, promoting ideas that contradict expert consensus and can be outright false, yet they appeal to non‑specialists.
In simple terms: These books ignore academic standards and spread misleading ideas that sound attractive.
Key Takeaway
Critically evaluate economic claims before accepting them.
Themes
media literacy
economics
critical thinking
public discourse
Mood
skeptical
informative
cautious
Type
analytical
advisory
When to use this quote
- reading popular economics
- academic research
- policy analysis
- teaching economics
Key Concepts
confirmation bias
misinformation
expert consensus
Questions to Reflect On
- How can readers differentiate credible economic analysis from popular hype?
- What responsibilities do authors have to accuracy?
A Different Perspective
Readers may lack tools to discern flawed arguments, leading to misinformation.
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