Would it be better to major in Economics or Business?

What are jobs in the area of business and economics that are both creative and contribute to a better world?

• It is hard to express in a single question, that's why the title may sound a bit awkward. I'm trying to decide which career I should pursue. Here are some key factors of my decision: I am 23, about to finish my masters in international business and economics. I have always had a passion for creative arts such as writing and painting. However, I decided to go for business and economics since it appeared more practical and flexible to me. I figured I could still do anything I wanted with that degree, and decide later on. So my idea had been to combine my creativity and artistic skills with my formal education by going into marketing or advertising. I spent the last year doing internships as a designer for various companies and products, including package design and web design. However, I felt a bit dishonest in this trade. Many times it seemed like tricking folks into believing things about products I knew were untrue or irrelevant. So I was left insecure about my once dream job at a creative marketing agency. I definitely want to have a job that is honest and helps the progress of society. Maybe I'm a hopeless romantic, but I value that more than good pay or prestige. So far, what has come to my mind is a career in Urban Design. Helping communities improve their infrastructure or making cities more sustainable, something along the lines of that. But I feel like there have to be some other career paths out there which I am missing. Maybe I am simply not aware of some of the jobs that exist. After all, it took me 22 years to discover the Urban Design thing. tl;dr I am looking for a career that 1. is creative 2. has to do with business/economics and 3. contributes to a better world. So far I have come up with Urban Design. Am I missing any career opportunities out there?

• Answer:

  Get into social design or community management. If you master the art of crowd-sourcing and idea, you can use your design and business skills to make it a commercial reality, while trusting that the end product was a clear need of many (and not the trickery of a few). And take my advice (8 years after having taken the 'practical' route), if there is no irrational passion in what you do, then there is only rational self-delusion left to carry on. Good luck.