Courage. To me, being courageous means that you are willing to take risks in the face of great obstacles and adversity. I believe that many achievements in the world today are a product of courageous and bold ideas or actions. However, it is impossible for economists to easily detect or put a value to what courage really is, because courage is associated with limitations or barriers that are unique to the individual: an act that may be considered courageous for one person could appear trivial to another. What makes an act courageous is not the act itself, but rather the unique hurdles that one must overcome in order to perform it.
While advancing my research project on income inequality in Argentina, I became more and more drawn to Joseph Stiglitz’s work on globalization, economic inequality, and free trade. I find that his ability to think globally in terms of economic reform is extremely useful to the world economy today. I am intrigued by his overall willingness to challenge and critique today’s global market economy and his constant call for governments to reform the gap between the “haves” and the “have-nots” in both developed and developing countries.
The following books are ones that, no matter how many times I may read them, always bestow a greater sense of wisdom:
HOT: Living Through the Next Fifty Years on Earth, by Mark Hertsgaard
The Post-American World: The Rise of the Rest, by Fareed Zakaria
A Thousand Splendid Suns, by Khaled Hosseini
…and for Spanish-speakers…
Veo veo, by Gabriela Bustelo
Contribute your optimal skills and effort in any given situation. It is vital to do the best that you can in any task that comes your way and to remain resilient—otherwise you will never fully recognize your true potential.
Giving back to the community at least once a month—whether it be by volunteering at a soup kitchen, donating old books and clothes to a nearby shelter, or offering homework help to young students at an after-school program. It’s too easy to get wrapped up in our own busy lives and overlook how fortunate we really are. Making community service a priority is one of the best ways to remain optimistic and feel connected.
PhDEI Shoutout: While an undergraduate, M’Balou volunteered with the International Rescue Committee’s Refugee Youth Project as a student coordinator.
“Refusing to deal with numbers rarely serves the interests of the least well off.”
– Thomas Piketty, Capital in the Twenty-First Century
