The Tale of Joe of Metrika

This is semi-related to this post from earlier today. The tale of Joe of Metrika:

... Metrika began as a small village - little more than a coach-stop and a mandatory tavern at a junction in the highway running from the ancient data mines in the South, to the great city of Enlightenment, far to the North. In Metrika, the transporters of data of all types would pause overnight on their long journey; seek refreshment at the tavern; and swap tales of their experiences on the road.

To be fair, the data transporters were more than just humble freight carriers. The raw material that they took from the data mines was largely unprocessed. The vast mountains of raw numbers usually contained valuable gems and nuggets of truth, but typically these were buried from sight. The data transporters used the insights that they gained from their raucous, beer-fired discussions and arguments (known locally as "seminars") with the Metrika yokels locals at the tavern to help them to sift through the data and extract the valuable jewels. With their loads considerably lightened, these "data-miners" then continued on their journey to the City of Enlightenment in a much improved frame of mind, hangovers nothwithstanding!

Over time, the town of Metrika prospered and grew as the talents of its citizens were increasingly recognized and valued by those in the surrounding districts, and by the data miners transporters.

Young Joe grew up happily, supported by his family of econometricians, and he soon developed the skills that were expected of his societal class. He honed his computing skills; developed a good nose for "dodgy" data; and studiously broadened and deepened his understanding of the various tools wielded by the artisans in the neighbouring town of Statsbourg.

In short, he was a model child!

But - he was torn! By the time that he reached the tender age of thirteen, he felt the need to make an important, life-determining, decision.

Should he align his talents with the burly crew who frequented the gym near his home - the macroeconometricians - or should he throw in his lot with the physically challenged bunch of empirical economists known locally as the microeconometricians? ...

Full story here.