A Love-Hate Relationship with Economics

As I entered IIT Kanpur, I found myself drawn to the intellectual allure of economics, a subject I believed would shape my future. The prospect of using data and statistics to explain why you can't always get what you want seemed a challenge worth pursuing. So began my love affair with economics, an encounter that, in hindsight, was like cultivating a cactus - fascinating, slightly thorny, and probably not destined to provide me with sustenance in the long run (pun intended).

Economics, as I understood it back then, was an elaborate labyrinth of principles and theories, each more convoluted than the last. It felt like an exotic dance with theoretical constructs that promised to paint a clearer picture of the world, yet often resulted in more questions than answers. The sea of -isms was overwhelming, to say the least, and many a models like Neo Keynesian Models with all their assumptions and simplifications felt like a cruel joke on the unsuspecting student.

Perhaps the most fascinating part of my academic journey was when we dived into the world of econometrics. Here, the idea was to apply statistical models to predict economic behavior. It was akin to weaving intricate spider webs hoping to catch unicorns. The statistical methods were so elaborate, they sometimes felt like a form of data torture. But much like Stockholm Syndrome, I was drawn to the sheer elegance of it.

For me, the turning point was perhaps the 2008 global financial crisis. It was a slap in the face for every economist who believed in the infallibility of economic predictions. My fascination with economics started to wane. It seemed like we were just using complicated statistical models to fit our preconceived beliefs and decisions.

Once I took my first steps into the professional banking world in 2011, I started to see even more chinks in the economic armor. My time at Citigroup made it clear that the economy is more like a rambunctious child than a well-tuned machine. Predictions often seemed more like darts thrown in the dark. The statistical models that were once captivating now appeared to be merely torturing data until it confessed to anything we wanted.

My disillusionment with the field led me to reconsider my career path. Looking back, I had already been laying the groundwork for this transition during my time at IIT. Alongside economics, I had been studying computer science, even qualifying for a minor, with a particular interest in artificial intelligence. I realized that technology and AI held more appeal for me. They felt tangible, practical, and had the power to affect real-world change in a way that economic theories didn't.

Still, life has a funny way of working out. I've since found my footing in the tech industry, which feels more real and impactful to me. I'm grateful for my journey through the world of economics. It might not have turned out the way I expected, but it taught me a lot about the world, and even more about myself.

Reflecting on my tryst with economics, I've come to see it as an eccentric artist – complex, perplexing, and under no obligation to make sense. And as I venture forward in my tech career, I can't help but look back at my economics days with a bemused smile. It was a wild ride, but hey, it was definitely unforgettable.