There was a myriad of things discussed in this first chapter of Naked Economics: supply and demand, Soviet Union, rational self-interest, the Celtics, etc. but I'm only going to speak about one aspect that I found particularly fascinating, the aspect of behavioral economics.
Charles Wheelan writes about the illustrious cashew bowl at the dinner party of one economist Richard Thaler. Thaler offered cashews to his guests and they proceeded to gobble them down like they were going out of style until he took away the bowl, least his guests lose their appetites for dinner. His guests, already knowing that this rapid consumption of cashews would spoil their dinner, thanked him. This highlighted the behavioral economic theory that finds that, in the name of rational self-interest, people are not in the position to deny what is offered to them. It all centers around the fruit of the spirit mentioned in the Bible: self-control.
If people lack self-control, they can easily fall into incessant cashew eating (to keep with the metaphor) and they can be coerced into obsession. In reference to supply and demand, this notion would be when the supply is up and the price is low and consumers flock to abundant flow of supply. But of course, it doesn't stay this way forever. As the demand goes up, the supply goes down and the price skyrockets...as Wheelan said it's "the public policy equivalent of taking the cashew bowl away."
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