Let’s try something

Dear economics enthusiast,

I have been writing economics popularization content since 2015, almost exclusively in French. In 2021, I launched L’Économiste Sceptique, i.e. The Skeptical Economist. L’Économiste Sceptique is now the largest French-speaking economics popularization newsletter.

Offering an English version of L’Économiste Sceptique has always been on my mind. But being an independent writer, it was too time-consuming of an endeavor to do it.

Enters generative AI. Thanks to ChatGPT and the likes, translating a long text is now easier than ever.

For the upcoming weeks and months, I will experiment with a proper English version of L’Économiste Sceptique, aptly named The Skeptical Economist. I will especially pay attention to how much time I need to translate what I write in French in English, and the overall reception of the newsletter.

On The Skeptical Economist, I write popularization articles (long form) and notes (short form) of economics, scientific skepticism, and environmental economics. “Skeptical” is not in reference to heterodoxy, it is a reference to the rationalist movement of scientific skepticism. There are many ways to use scientific skepticism. Mine is to use it as a method to rationally challenge my own assumptions and beliefs.

Bear in mind that The Skeptical Economist is not, and will never be, an opinion or analysis newsletter. It is just me trying to explain economics papers in a simple, but not simplistic, way. I do not see myself as a commentator, and I have no desire to become one. I see myself as a science popularizer who wants to share his discoveries and enthusiasm for economics with the rest of the world.

To not miss my upcoming posts, feel free to subscribe to the newsletter below.

I am very curious to see how this experiment will develop! I am particularly enthusiastic to finally be able to offer in English what I have been doing in French for years.

See you soon on The Skeptical Economist — and elsewhere,
Olivier