Conversations have been of a different sort lately.

Economics is the flavor of the month.

I don't think there is any social study more divisive than economics. Laissez-faire, statism and everything in between have such direct impacts on people that you can't help but be very passionate about your opinions on economics. The little kids picking up garbage for less than $1, the tree huggers streaking in front of WTO meetings and that guy in the mansion who's richer than God all can be explained through economics. The current trend in the world (a.ka. left-wing Europe) is for capitalistic pigs (such as myself) to be looked down upon by socialist snobs (such as my friends) as heartless imperialists who wring every penny they can from workers. Said capitalists would then retort by saying that socialists know nothing of economics and that capitalism is the best system we have. Personally, I subscribe to the latter.

This trend of socalism is especially prevalent in youth, who tend to see equality as an ideal that's worth fighting for. I agree that it's an ideal, but I don't think it's one worth fighting for, seeing as it's unlikely to ever happen. Or maybe I'm just jaded and have no heart. Hm.