| Wednesday, July 8, 2009 |
| OF NOT STUDYING |
Economics is not a random collection of whims and fancies as many people seem to think. It can explain, however, a large number of random happenings.
Here's an example of using economics to not study.
To begin with, all our teachers shattered any illusions they thought we had (we didn't) about the exams. Cut offs through the roof, raise the alarm, that kind of stuff. Their moral: slog. For the marks. For the rest of the year.
My analysis: A simple principle known as the Indifference Principle applies. Frankly, if everyone got 98%, they still wouldn't make it to SRCC, because that honoured institution has only so many seats. All the marks in the world won't change that. A bit more attention to percentile that to percentage, s'il vous plait.
Here is where game theory comes in.
Since percentile is ideally supposed to measure IQ, which is already, presumably, fixed, studying hard won't help. Definitely not if everyone is doing the same. That way, you toil and murder all pleasure, and there is no change in the outcome. If everyone were to simply stop studying, the outcome would still be the same, but the journey a lot more enjoyable.
The equilibrium thus lies in a situation where nobody studies at all.
Unfortunately, the tendency to cheat is universal. Individuals will study, if only the little-est bit to creep just this much ahead, and to keep up, so will everyone else. Therefore, alas, lies our curse.
See what we've brought upon ourselves with our perfidious actions? The CBSE is just penance indeed... |
posted by Clezevra @ 2:02 AM   |
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| 3 Comments: |
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Yes, it sucks. It's unfair. It's rotten.
But you know what, things will still ultimately work out. If you're good enough.
I've seen that happen too often to be making this up from the top of my head =]
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I find it lovely to see the words 'cheat' and 'study' being used in the same paragraph and in that context. Refreshing. The irony hits hard.
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Yes, it sucks. It's unfair. It's rotten.
But you know what, things will still ultimately work out. If you're good enough.
I've seen that happen too often to be making this up from the top of my head =]