The dismal science

That's the economy, you stupid !

Greg Mankiv, a Harvard professor of economy demonstrating the deft common touch for which Harvard economists are famous (are they ?) :

"No issue divides economists and mere Muggles more than the debate over globalization and international trade. Where the high priests of the dismal science see opportunity through the magic of the market’s invisible hand, Joe Sixpack sees a threat to his livelihood."

See : http://crookedtimber.org/2008/03/20/thank-you-mr-mankiw/. The comments are worth wile.

And if you don't know what a muggle is, you're seriously outpaced. So was I : I had to look it up in Wikipedia.