Sound Economics

If you have heard of the otaku culture, then you know more or less about anime conventions. When participating in anime conventions, you will see some people dressed up as corresponding anime or comic characters, they are cosplayers. Imagine Halloween, people dress up to celebrate this day, I like pumpkin heads. It’s just different from celebrating Halloween. The existence of anime conventions is more like a year-round festival for the otaku community. Buy anime DVDs and comics, try out digital games, cosplay, these conventions are not only fan gatherings, but also important economic catalysts, affecting various industries around the world. Continue reading Have You Been to Anime Conventions?→

The funeral industry generates roughly 16 billion dollars of revenue in the U.S. Over the past decade, dying has become more expensive, with the average funeral costing around $9,000. More people are choosing to cremate or have a small service with less expensive caskets and burials. An entirely rational person would try to maximize value while minimizing expenses, but a rational decision-making process, especially regarding grieving the loss of a loved one, becomes quite difficult especially due to the environment of funerals. It becomes easy for funeral homes to take advantage of the emotional vulnerability families are in when planning Continue reading The Irrationality Behind Funerals→

Sam Altman was fired from openAI, then hired by Microsoft, and then returned to openAI to continue being CEO. Commercial agreements aside, the latest artificial intelligence tools, including language models like ChatGPT-4, have become the focus of attention around the world. It’s clear that artificial intelligence may be about to shake up our understanding of knowledge work, as well as the broader economy. Just as the car kicked away the coachman, how to apply AI will become a top priority. How should we hold the steering wheel of the AI economy? Artificial intelligence (AI) is an unprecedented and great technological Continue reading What will determine AI’s transformation of the human economy?→

In my last few articles, I have discussed some of the benefits of raising the federal minimum wage and why we should regulate the federal minimum wage outside of politics. While I have clarified my stance, hearing perspectives from the other side of the aisle is essential. As an economics student who likes to get the complete picture of any issue I am discussing, it would be a disservice to you, the reader, and Myself if I did not fully flesh out this contentious issue. In this article, I will address the issue of Unemployment and the minimum wage. When Continue reading Does Raising the Federal Minimum Wage Reduce Jobs?→

As students across the globe gear up for their standard academic and professional evaluations, a discussed and intense activity burgeons alongside — the economy of exam preparation. This mini-multifaceted market has grown into a substantial sector of the education industry, thriving on the aspirations of students and the demands of an increasingly competitive world. I want to delve into the dynamics of this game, thinking about the players and the products that define the fiscal landscape of preparing for standard exams. Not merely considering that students are the players. Educational institutions such as colleges, tutoring services like Coursera, and Education-Tech Continue reading The Economic Maze Navigation of Exam Preparation→

The infamous British TV game show starring two contestants who would interact with one another to either split or steal a cash prize. It’s a prime example of the classic game of Prisoner’s Dilemma. Prisoner’s Dilemma is a game where two contestants can either work together to share an outcome or betray one another in hopes of getting the entire prize. The catch is that if they both betray one another, then they both get the worst possible outcome. The game’s contestants go through multiple rounds, each with an increasing cash prize. In each round they have a few minutes Continue reading Golden Balls→

In my last blog post, I discussed the possible benefits of raising the federal minimum wage to 15 an hour. I noted that this is a critical discussion to have, and it is also very complicated. Given the issue’s complexity, many people, politicians, and protestors don’t have a complete picture. Instead, individuals rely on the political or physical benefits the minimum wage discussion brings directly to them rather than fully understanding all sides of the issue. While I am by no means different from these people, I hope that this particular blog post will convince you to look at the Continue reading Depoliticising the Federal Minimum Wage→

When talking about the economy, we discuss GDP, inflation, wages, etc. From macro indicators to micro analysis, some data (Employers added 336,000 jobs in September, the strongest gain since January and up sharply from the prior month’s upwardly revised 227,000 gain) in the JOB market can tell us about future trends. However, perfect predictions never exist, and it is crucial to maintain crisis awareness at all times. Affected by COVID-19, the U.S. employment situation has not been optimistic in the past few years. While recent statistics about the U.S. job market paint a rosy picture, anyone familiar with economic history knows that Continue reading An Awareness of Economic Risk in the Booming Job Market→

When you look down at the Las Vegas strip, your attention gets caught by the dozens of casinos. It is notorious for its crazy lavish experiences and gambling. Millions of people every year go there to spend lots of money, have a good time, and make some overall bad decisions. When most people leave Las Vegas and look at their bank statements, they are shocked as to how much money they’ve really spent gambling. How is it that Casinos have gotten so good at making you spend your money? When you first step into a casino, you are bombarded with Continue reading The Art of a Casino→

Do you hear otaku culture? If not, that totally fine! You definitely know about Anime or Manga. Those things are part of otaku culture! Anime, which are animated TV shows and films, and manga, which are comic books or graphic novels, are indeed the pillars of otaku culture. Popular anime like “Naruto,” “One Piece,” “Attack on Titan,” and “Demon Slayer” have reached audiences far beyond Japan’s borders. Similarly, manga series has seen international success and are often the source material for much popular anime. The term “otaku” originally refers to a person with intense interests, particularly in aspects of popular Continue reading Otaku Culture and Economy→