Robocop in the Classroom? EconPop YouTube Series Examines Economic Themes in Movies

Robocop in the Classroom? EconPop YouTube Series Examines Economic Themes in Movies

AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 4, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- There are many popular movie review web series on the Internet, but only EconPop uses humor to explore how popular films portray economic ideas. This month's episode explores the economics of Robocop. In the 1980s sci-fi thriller film, when a gang of ruthless criminals kills a Detroit-area officer, a ruthless corporation brings him back to life - with a few changes. This time he's a robot programmed to fight crime.

EconPop host and Moving Picture Institute (MPI) comedian Andrew Heaton uses the film to discuss the economic concept of "public goods" - non-excludable goods, which a large group of people jointly consume. In this film the public good is security. Andrew asks who provides these goods better: government or private groups such as for-profit businesses and charities?

Heaton's takeaway: "There's no black and white answer on who provides public goods better, but at least with the private sector you can cancel a bad company's contract or quit donating to the Shriners if they start murdering people."

"Real Detroit is a mess, so I'd rather take my chances with the capitalist robots," he added.

EconPop is an EconStories series, made in association with MPI and Emergent Order (EO). The show has reached nearly 500,000 views and airs every month on the EconStories YouTube channel. Previous episodes have covered It's A Wonderful Life, Elysium, Back to School, The LEGO Movie, WALL-E, Ghostbusters, Dallas Buyers Club, and House of Cards. Each episode is accompanied by audio podcasts featuring EconPop's host and scholars such as literature professor Paul Cantor and economist Steve Horwitz.

ABOUT ECONSTORIES: EconStories connects great economics with new audiences through storytelling and entertainment. Founded by John Papola (CEO of Emergent Order, the creative agency that produces EconStories) and Russ Roberts (Research Fellow at the Hoover Institution), EconStories' first two rap videos, Fear the Boom & Bust and Fight of the Century, have been seen by millions. John Papola is an award-winning writer, producer, and director with more than a decade of experience in broadcast television with MTV, Nickelodeon and Spike TV.

ABOUT THE MOVING PICTURE INSTITUTE: The Moving Picture Institute (MPI) is a charitable and educational tax-exempt foundation that promotes freedom through film, comedy, and online media. It does so by developing its own media content in-house, and supporting filmmakers at every phase of their careers. MPI films win awards, appear in theaters and on television, and have drawn praise from the Los Angeles Times, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and more.



SOURCE Moving Picture Institute

Moving Picture Institute

CONTACT: Audrey Mullen, Moving Picture Institute, (202) 270-2772, Audrey@advocacyink.com

Web Site: http://www.thempi.org


-------
Profile: intent