It is a bit frightening to realize how little I knew about economics in general. This realization came not only after a few days of class, but also after having read the introduction to Naked Economics. However, it was made very clear to me by the author, Charles Wheelan, that this should change and will change. After this short introduction I realized that economics is everywhere. It is the way we react in different situations and it is the way we function as a society on the daily basis. I never thought about how immediate the affect of economics was on my everyday life. This directly affects everything we do and every decision we make.
This introduction posed many different examples about how economics affects us today and in the future. What became apparent throughout these examples was how humans tend to act in their best interest in the moment and never weigh the tradeoffs or the long term effects of their actions. This is portrayed through bank loans and long, unnecessary commutes that we insist on making. The money for the loans has to come from somewhere and the commutes only add more pollution and global warming. Other, more humorous examples pointed out well-known political leaders and how little they know about economics as a whole while they try (and fail) to talk about little parts of it. Specifically pointing out Ross Perot as being able to come up with memorable phrases throughout his election, yet never quite nailing the economics behind them.
Overall, this introduction gave me the momentum to continue reading and learning. I am further intrigued to see the teachings laid out through laughable examples. Wheelan made me comfortable in knowing that this book will not be "for dummies" but rather bare, to the point, and naked.
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