Mommy, I'm Going to be an Economist When I grow Up !
Go to your room.
Wikipedia defines 'Economist' as "...an expert in the social science of economics" Must be a tough gig these days. Get up, read the morning newspaper, cringe. Go to the office, brainstorm with colleagues, publish a bunch-o-forecasts, leave the office, cash paycheque. Go home, read the evening newspaper, cringe. Repeat.
Actually Economists are good for the economy. With a median salary of $75,000 (top 10%, $130,000+) (Wikipedia), that's some serious spending power! Of course it can take years to pay off the student loans...wait!!...unlike Engineers, Lawyers, or Doctors, there is no educational requirement or license to be an Economist. Oh but look, there's a Nobel Prize for Economics. Insta-cred! Big props! What? Two Economists won the Nobel for totally opposite views? (true) OMG!, nobody got the memo!
Chronically wrong forecasts have their fun side too. In the summer (2008), we were warned that cheap gas was long gone, suck it up people, we're sure about this one....