Economic Man vs Humanity: A Puppet Rap Battle

A lesson plan that playfully introduces the limitations of the model of humanity at the heart of mainstream economics

Posted by the DEAL Team July, 16, 2020 15 likes

Version 1.0 (September 2020)

Overview

This lesson is a creative way to look at the limitations of the model of humanity at the heart of mainstream economics - rational economic man, or ‘homo economicus’. The lesson centres around the video Humanity vs Rational Economic Man: A Puppet Rap Battle and the students are invited to review historical and academic sources that underpin the lyrics of the rap. The lesson can be done as one 90 minute lesson or as a pre-class homework and a single 45 minute lesson. There is also the opportunity for further creative projects for students to write and perform their own rap battles.

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Lesson Outcomes

Understand the assumptions behind rational economic man
Learn about the limitations of this depiction of humanity
Creatively express their own ideas through rap

Why do it?

The lesson is a great opportunity to appeal to a different learning style through the powerful learning medium of rap
The playfulness makes the lesson engaging and memorable
It gives students the opportunity to create their own portrait of humanity for 21st century economics