Economics and astrology...

Economics has beeen my favourite subject. I have dreamt of taking up economics as a subject for higher studies, i.e., doctorate level. But now that I have not done any studies at all, there is no question of higher studies. At some vague point of my life, I have slanted towards computers & sofware and still marinating.

The fascination with economics is still alive, but not to the extent of working on a doctorate. It's now restricted to watching the market factors, working out indexes and sometimes lecturing on inflation, MSPs, WPI, CPI and the likes, to whoever makes the mistake of asking me what is it all about.

More than anything, I indulge on economic analysis, not making any, but reading them from various sources. Newspapers, magazines, web.... Economic analysis is not all about percentages and graphs and piecharts. There are some very interesting articles, like the ones by Swaminathan S Anklesaria Aiyar. He writes some of his pieces in the form of a letter, like the one he wrote in his column dated 21/06/09, addressed to the Finance Minister. I remember writing articles for my school magazine in the form of letters to none other than God Himself. Some of them were published, too! So Swaminathan is an easy favourite.

I like his analysis not just for the simplicity & lucidity nor just because he includes his wife's maiden name (Anklesaria) in his name nor just because he is a global-tamilian nor just for the subtle humour quotient but also for the awesome predictions he makes. For example, the time-period he worked out for the oil prices to fall below $100. (http://www.swaminomics.org) Sometimes I wish he were an astrologer instead of being an economist, just for the simple reason that he could analyse some horoscopes and make accurate predictions. Duh?

I have always wondered if astrology is too arbitrary, owing to the fact that it possesses simply too much scope for varying and inconsistent interpretations. If only an efficient economist can double up as an astrologist, may be I can get a glimpse at the veracity of astrology as a science, just as economics is.