In today’s society, we can observe a growth in mistrust towards economists. This happens for many different reasons, first of all, because of the role of the media: due to the sense of urgency and to the limited time imposed by modern communication methods, economists who address the public often tend to express drastic and polarised opinions. This leads to complex economic questions being reduced to simple slogans and common sayings, which thanks to social media, spread like an oil slick. Nonetheless, economists have a lot to contribute when it comes to our global issues, having studied in depth complex concepts such as the influence of migration on salaries, the redistribution of resources, social inequality and corporate tax. As social scientists, their job is to offer facts and interpretations that can help to settle the differences. Unfortunately however, there is little space in today’s society for such conversations and it seems that the average person’s way of thinking is limited to that of his peer circle, or to what they see on the web or on social media, which is also polarised. In fact, because of the way it works, social media acts as a sounding board for our opinions, offering us content which second our beliefs. The economy is not an exact science, and consequently, there are very few absolute certainties. Economists look at problems according to a combination of intuition based on science, conjecture from the benefit of experience and a healthy dose of trial and error. This is why the most precious thing they often have to offer is not their conclusion, but the journey that they have taken to reach it. Another important point is that, historically, economists have always tended to adopt a notion of wellbeing that is considered too narrow, linked only to the parameters of income and material consumption. But, in order to experience a fulfilling life, human kind needs so much more, starting with a deep desire for dignity, belonging and human contact.
