Refreshing Reminder

Pages 284 to 291 in the Economix really caught my attention and personally spoke to me, and the concerns I have about the world. This specific section is the concluding portion of the book where he attempts to connect all of the past problems, triumphs, and future outlooks into a couple of pages. I am pleased to say that from my standpoint he does a damn good job. Hitting on many of the still relevant concerns of today and how they intersect with the problems of the past in terms of the economy, helped remind me of the complexity of situations such as the environment, education, and employment among other things that do not begin with the letter "e". A specific favorite of mine is of an image on page 286 in which he cautions the reader about jumping behind causes that seem like cure-alls. Reminding us of the past is important, and while often not a great indicator of the future, it is still crucial in recognizing that at one point in time all ideas and technologies were new. However, I almost admire the way he presents this message. It is clear he is not saying that all of these potential technologies will fail, but rather that it is more important to be willing to try a variety of different solutions if the first one doesn't succeed. While the major of this book is quite critical when looking at the near and distant pasts, Economix clearly has a shift of attitude towards being optimistic, while viewing the potential to make a difference in the future. The writer's ability to teach about other points of view and present his own, all while constantly reminding us that it is just his own opinion by using the little narrator guy is  ingenius. This book was a refreshing read that is well balance in terms of pointing out that it could and most definitely was, a reiteration of what economics is all about through the viewpoint of one man. As a person who does not know a vast majority about economics, this book was more than just bearable, but rather enjoyable and extremely easy to follow. Take it or leave it, but without a doubt, the last few pages of this book, in the least, serve as a great reminder to the many of us science kids who strongly stand by current technological ideas to be cautious of the potential benefits, impacts, and pitfalls of the supposed "breakthroughs" of today.