Ducks and Economics

Alternatively, you could title this post: Why journalism education programs are useless (in most respects).

Then, of course, there’s the very germane fact that many highly successful bloggers didn’t get a formal training in journalism because they were too busy getting a formal training in the thing they’re writing about — business, finance, economics. The likes of Yves Smith or Brad DeLong or Simon Johnson or John Hempton are popular partly because these people know what they’re talking about and actually do it; it’s surely an advantage to be able to use first-hand rather than second-hand knowledge when you’re writing about something.

Can you think of any popular (and legitimate) economic or finance blogger who a) has a journalism degree and b) didn’t receive a second degree or c) wasn’t self-educated about their subject?