Written By: James Kluge Starting February 10th, 2021, residents of Texas experienced the worst power outage instate history, all stemming from the polar vortex. An extreme snowstorm quickly morphed into ahumanitarian crisis when the non-weatherized Texas power grid failed, leaving 4.5 millionfamilies without heat and electricity and at least 246 dead over ten days (Svitek…
Author: MJE
How Does Standard Economic Theory Account for Gambling Behavior?
Written By: Connor Greig The logic behind gambling has always seemed like quite a mystery; if the house has an edge, why should one even play? This question has stuck in my head throughout the years, but it has become even more resonant as I have progressed through my education in economics. If someone’s goal…
Opinion: How Economic Structure Influences Behavior
Written By: Colin Pfeifer From running a lemonade stand in kindergarten to working a 9 to 5 job, our lives are structured around monetary motivations. However, it would come as a shock to many people that the first market society (one principally organized around markets and currencies) did not fully form until the 19th century…
How “Top Gun: Maverick” affected the economy
Written By: Charlotte Millman While it is missing the award-winning soundtrack from its 1986 predecessor, Top Gun: Maverick (2022) brought Hollywood out of the “Danger Zone,” and took economists and Hollywood officials’ breath away. When pandemic struck, movie theaters were forced to shut down. This shutdown had major implications on the economy. Firstly, people began…
TikTok Shop Takeover: The Economics Behind TikTok Shop’s Success
Written by: Gabriella Land “You need to stop scrolling right now…” the woman on my phone tells me. Another ad appears in bright red reading, “Buy 3 orders, get 50% off”. Within the next 5 minutes of scrolling through TikTok, I encounter the same people trying to sell me the same products. Do I need…
Op-Ed: The Need for Stronger Government Action Against Big Tech’s Growing Power
Written by: Oscar de Castro In recent years, the tension between democratic governments and big tech companies has grown increasingly pronounced. The relationship between these entities has evolved from cautious collaboration to outright confrontation. The heart of the issue lies in the immense power and influence that tech giants wield, which often contradictsthe public interest.…
The Rise and Fall of Streaming TV?
Written by Billy Thompson The streaming service industry is one that just about every person is familiar with. Being led by companies like Netflix, Disney, and Amazon, digital media consumption has become a critical part of our daily lives. An area once dominated by cable TV was changed entirely in 2007 when Netflix changed its…
What’s Going On With Tesla Lately?
Written by Nitya Wanchoo As of lately, Tesla stock owners have been biting their nails watching “TSLA” take a dive in the market. The famous automotive and energy company has become a household name in recent years, primarily known for luxurious, environmentally friendly electric cars. These unique automobiles are notably characterized by their sleek modern…
The Disney Board Vote: Its Importance and Future Implications
Written by Melissa Weinstein Since its foundation in 1923, the Walt Disney Company has stood as an entertainment and media giant. Walt Disney and his brother Roy O. Disney came together in Hollywood, California to create their brotherhood cartoon studio after Walt was able to sell a short film titled Alice’s Wonderland (History.com, 2019). Little…
Beyond Indulgence: The Economics of Addiction
Written by Dhruvi Dedhia In most contexts, an excess of anything is undesirable. One of the most debilitating forms of excess, addiction, has long been studied from an economic perspective to the extent that several economic models of addiction have been proposed over the years. Defined as a “state of psychological and/or physical dependence on…