Charlie’s Bio

I am a third-year junior studying economics at UC Berkeley. This is my second foray into the realm of blogging after a stint at a personal and general interest blog called the Almond Gallery. I found that the subject matter was too vague and self-serving to justify other peoples’ reading it, but it still exists somewhere in the attic of the internets. My posts here will be more focused on economics.

I have lived in the Bay Area my whole life–I went to high school in Marin County and I currently reside a few blocks from UC Berkeley’s campus. Inevitably, I have been shaped by northern California’s free-spirited and non-comformist ethos. I am particularly non-conformist when it comes to the region’s dominating political perspective. For example, I attended my middle school graduation dance wearing a tie with a GOP elephant design.

The Republican label served me well through adolescence, but I’ve come to abandon the label in favor of classical liberal. I am skeptical of government’s ability to actively improve society, especially on a large scale. I am a die-hard believer in personal responsibility and I believe that the best way to structure a society is by allowing individuals to pursue their separate interests.

I am particularly interested in finding improved ways of conveying basic economic principles to those who have never had a chance to take a well-taught introductory economics course. I’m lucky to have taken many here at UC Berkeley, but also credit much of my education to the bloggers listed on our always-growing blogroll. I strive to imitate the link-oriented and intellectual-community-based style of many of the bloggers on our roll.

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Not quite a flower-child