Part 5/8:
The trajectory towards influential positions in economics can further skew perspectives toward averages and aggregates. Economists engaged in quantitative finance or policy advisory roles experience considerable financial rewards and public recognition for successful predictions. However, those who stay in academia may find that their contributions to pressing issues such as inequality often go unnoticed or underappreciated.
This phenomenon creates a brain drain effect, where talented individuals who could potentially challenge the status quo and explore inequality-related topics are lured into more lucrative career paths. In essence, the system disincentivizes discourse on wealth inequality by rewarding those who focus solely on quantitative models and traditional economic metrics.