Apache is an Argentinian series following soccer star Carlos Tevez during his teenage years. The series pictures how the young teenager, raised in poor and violent conditions, became a professional football player amid a challenging childhood.
Clip #1
- Clip URL: https://criticalcommons.org/view?m=tt8jPepJT
- Concepts: Inflation, short-term inflation, sticky wages.
- Background: Adriana and Segundo discuss the rising cost of renting their apartment and Segundo’s salary.
- Question: Economists tend to consider money as neutral in the long run, and therefore that inflation will not affect real variables. However, the clip shows that Carlos’ family is struggling with rising prices. Using course concepts, explain why both money neutrality and Carlos’ family suffering from inflation are compatible.
Clip #2
- Clip URL: https://criticalcommons.org/view?m=Qq8HFpP7m
- Concepts: Option value, decision under uncertainty.
- Background: Carlos is offered a spot in a good soccer development academy (Argentinos). However, better academies exist, and Carlos dreams of joining Boca’s Academy, the most prestigious in Argentina. Therefore he has to decide whether to join Argentinos or give up on this opportunity and see whether a better academy will select him.
- Question: Discuss the decision process Carlos has to go through to make this decision to join (or not) Argentinos’ academy. What risk is he taking by rejecting Argentinos’ offer?
Clip #3
- Clip URL: https://criticalcommons.org/view?m=JOzsDB2me
- Concepts: Investment in human capital, net present value.
- Background: Carlos and Danilo are young teenagers and it is time for them to make study choices. They could continue with school or try to become professional soccer players by joining a development academy. First, Carlos and Danilo, and then Adrianna and Segundo discuss that choice considering potential future outcomes and how both options are mutually exclusive.
- Question: Explain how economists think about making education decisions. Apply this decision-making to Carlos and Danilo’s situation and explain why they both prefer investing in soccer development instead of continuing school.
Clip #4
- Clip URL: https://criticalcommons.org/view?m=Uj8VomDh5
- Concepts: Monopsony power.
- Background: Many young teenagers dream of becoming soccer stars. However, very few have the chance to even try. To become professional soccer players, young teenagers must join a development academy. Still, very few spots are available, and only the most talented are selected, which creates extreme competition between the teenagers and adds additional pressure on them.
- Question: Describe the competitive process among teenagers willing to join development academies.
Clip #5
- Clip URL: https://criticalcommons.org/view?m=I3nkrassX
- Concepts: Intertemporal budget constraint.
- Background: Adrianna and Segundo discuss how urgent it is to sell their truck for a reasonable price.
- Question: Do Adrianna and Segundo have other options than selling the truck to make up for the lost income? Explain why when we consider a budget constraint on more than one period, we need to consider an interest rate.