How (Some) Academic Economist Bloggers Are Made

Bryan Caplan on GMU faculty:

None of us discovered economics in a mainstream econ class, found it fascinating, then decided to try to ascend the academic hierarchy.  Instead, our inspiration came from libertarian books, libertarian friends, and libertarian intellectuals, plus our broader reading in philosophy, history, and the history of economic thought.  Once we fell in love with ideas, we asked, “How can I make a career out of this?”  We would have preferred to be instantly anointed as public intellectuals.  But the best realistic path, we learned, was “Become a professor of economics.”

Throw in a couple of diversions via politics and financial markets and you have my career in a nutshell.