How to Learn Economics by Watching the TV Show "Friends" — Economist Pavel Usanov's Lecture

At first glance, economics and "Friends" seem like things from different worlds. But if you look closer at the show, you'll find that the lives of Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Chandler, and Ross are full of economic questions.

Why do the characters talk so much about rent? How does New York's labor market work? What happens to personal finances when you don't have a job? And why do some of the characters' decisions make more sense if you know basic economic principles?

In this lecture, we'll watch several clips from the show, recall favorite moments, and analyze what lies behind them.

Pavel Usanov is an economist and candidate of economic sciences. His professional interests include macroeconomics, monetary theory, and Austrian school political economy.