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Veröffentlicht 31. August 2017 von Lisa Vincenz-Donnelly

Young Economists Comment on the ‚Post-Truth‘ Era

The economic consensus on such matters as the benefits of trade, technology and global integration has taken a political battering recently. We asked young economists of #LiNoEcon about their perspectives on what is often referred to as a ‚post-truth‘ era, and what they think economists could or should do to combat it.

 

67th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting, 25.06.2017, Lindau, GermanyI think it is hubris to think that the economic consensus has ever played a role in influencing the man on the street. While the effects of trade nationalism may be catastrophic in economic dimensions I feel that in other research disciplines (e.g., climate research) the stakes are much higher. Consequently, we should stay resilient, persistent and join our fellow researchers from other fields speaking up in the name of truth.

        Chris Flath from Germany

 

 

 

 

 

 

        Photo/Credit: Julia Nimke/Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings           

 

 

67th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting, 25.06.2017, Lindau, GermanyEconomists and other academic researchers are often wary of over representing their findings, which does not make it easy to communicate the complexities of these problems to the public.

Sarah Quincy from the US

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

           Photo/Credit: Julia Nimke/Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings

 

 

67th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting, 25.06.2017, Lindau, GermanyI think that this fact is mainly the outcome of the financial crisis and, more importantly, of the growing inequality in our societies.

        Dimitris Papadimitriou from Greece

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
Photo/Credit: Julia Nimke/Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings           

 

 

HelenaPolitical instability worldwide associated with migration flows and the financial crisis of 2008 (and thus rising income inequality) might be responsible for the development of extreme political and economic attitudes across society, especially in Europe.

Helena Chytilova from the Czech Republic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
           Photo/Credit: Julia Nimke/Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings

 

 

6th Lindau MeetingI don’t think that this ‚post-truth‘ phenomenon is a reaction against truth or science, but against ideology-based opinions disguised as facts.

        Pedro Degiovanni from Argentina

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           Photo/Credit: Julia Nimke/Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings           

 

 

6th Lindau Meeting on Economic SciencesCommunicate, communicate, communicate. We need to better explain our work and results, and actively engage in a discussion with the greater public.

Sofie R. Waltl from Austria

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
           Photo/Credit: Christian Flemming/Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings           

 

 

6th Lindau MeetingI believe we as economists need to do a much better job of communicating ideas, basic economic concepts and research findings in a manner conducive to being easily understood by lay persons.

        Farooq Pasha from Pakistan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           Photo/Credit: Julia Nimke/Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings          

 

 

67th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting, 25.06.2017, Lindau, GermanyThe tackling of anti-intellectualism should follow from building a consensus that is capable of better foreseeing the consequences of the policies justified by it. Additionally, economists would be in a much better position to address anti-intellectualism if we embraced natural sciences, and built the profession as a natural offspring of other major disciplines.

Benjamin Leiva from the US

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           Photo/Credit: Julia Nimke/Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings           

 

 

 

6th Lindau MeetingIn my opinion, the dissemination of information is the best way to combat the ‚post-truth‘ mentality. Economists and researcher in various fields of study should try to connect their work with people; the debate should come out of closed circles, be more interactive and open to the dialogue in various areas of society using simple and easily accessible communication tools.

        Giovanna Zeny from Brazil

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
           Photo/Credit: Julia Nimke/Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings           

 

 

67th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting, 25.06.2017, Lindau, GermanyWhile I believe it is important to speak in terms everyone can understand when explaining economic ideas, economists should not simplify so much as to say ‘trade is always good’ when we know that trade creates winners and losers.

Andrew Jonelis from the US

 

 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
           Photo/Credit: Julia Nimke/Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings           

 

 

67th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting, 25.06.2017, Lindau, GermanyOur policies should have in mind the poorest, neediest, and least educated citizens in our societies. We need a Europe that takes care first of all of those citizens who do not travel abroad and do not speak any other idiom than their native language. Once we’ll have that Europe, we will be dramatically closer to a truly united Europe.

        Alessandro del Ponte from Italy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           Photo/Credit: Julia Nimke/Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings           

Lisa Vincenz-Donnelly

Lisa Vincenz-Donnelly is a member of the communications team of the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings. Before joining the Lindau team, she studied Chemistry and Biochemistry in Galway, Ireland, and completed her doctoral degree in the lab of F. Ulrich Hartl at the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry in Martinsried, Germany.