Have you ever heard of a PhD in biology who graduated from the top university of his country, who has published 3 papers in the most prestigious journal in his discipline, and has a stable position at the famous National Institutes of Health (USA) with a considerable salary, decides to give up what he already has and plan an entirely new life by switching to economics? Most people think that this guy must be crazy. “Why is he doing this at such great sacrifice?”
I am that “crazy” guy. To start with, in high school, I was bothered by questions such as: Why do people work so hard but get so little salary? Why do people in developed countries have so much leisure time and enjoy a wealthy life, while most of our people in China are still struggling for food and clothing? I was taught that this imbalance was caused by our lagging behind in science and technology. To a teenager, it did seem to be the right answer. Naturally, when I entered college, I chose biochemistry as my major and decided to be a scientist, convinced that biology would be the bellwether of the natural sciences in the 21st century. However, the more I studied biochemistry and observed the functioning of our society, the more I understood that the level of science and technology is not the most important factor influencing the development of a country; instead, a well-designed system and appropriate economic policies are crucial factors. Therefore, my pursuing research in economics would make far greater sense. Even as a graduate student in biology, I was self-motivated to study economics through auditing and taking elective courses. I found economics to be an exciting discipline. With a powerful and reasonable framework of thought, economists engender many insights not possessed by a layperson. I felt sure that I had found my true calling.
I am that “crazy” guy. To start with, in high school, I was bothered by questions such as: Why do people work so hard but get so little salary? Why do people in developed countries have so much leisure time and enjoy a wealthy life, while most of our people in China are still struggling for food and clothing? I was taught that this imbalance was caused by our lagging behind in science and technology. To a teenager, it did seem to be the right answer. Naturally, when I entered college, I chose biochemistry as my major and decided to be a scientist, convinced that biology would be the bellwether of the natural sciences in the 21st century. However, the more I studied biochemistry and observed the functioning of our society, the more I understood that the level of science and technology is not the most important factor influencing the development of a country; instead, a well-designed system and appropriate economic policies are crucial factors. Therefore, my pursuing research in economics would make far greater sense. Even as a graduate student in biology, I was self-motivated to study economics through auditing and taking elective courses. I found economics to be an exciting discipline. With a powerful and reasonable framework of thought, economists engender many insights not possessed by a layperson. I felt sure that I had found my true calling.