The book I was reading for my book review was ‘Small is Beautiful’ which describes itself as a ‘Study of Economics as if People Mattered.’ In the first few chapters of the book, I was able to note some similarities in what was being talked about in the book and what we had previously discussed in class. Schumacher explained this all in great detail, this segment of the book was very much like An Inconvenient Truth and the 11th Hour. He further shows a similar display of facts, which are intended to influence the reader to feel as if something must be done immediately.
The most interesting thing about this book, I feel, is that it was written some time in the 1970’s. Yet all the same predictions are still there. Today we talk about how far off the predictions were people made about how high gas prices would be today. Schumacher shows an example of this, to make it more of a trend. In Britain, in the 1950’s people had guessed that the price of oil would rise by 1970 they had already fixed a number which they had estimated it would not exceed. Yet before even their target year, their number had far been exceeded. This just goes to illustrate the argument that Schumacher is leading, in showing that the consumption of resources is exponential.
Schumacher also went on to describe the inequalities in the world. I believe, after reading the entire book, this was probably his main argument. He spent the former part of the book examining the problem and the history of the problem, and the latter trying to point the reader in the direction in what he would consider the solution. Much of his solution is based on the Third World, which he really puts in perspective. Schumacher points out that the aid that is actually sent to the Third World, if divided between the people accounts for about $2 a year, per person. He quickly adds that doubling this would be useless, as that would only mean $4 a year.
The Essay on Fahrenheit 451 Books Fears People
Fahrenheit 451: Bradbury's Fears Fahrenheit 451: Bradbury's Fears Essay, Research Paper Fahrenheit 451: Bradbury's Fears In the book Fahrenheit 451 the author Ray Bradbury is concerned about many things and I think his fears are exaggerated. In the book he writes about a time in the future where firemen were paid to set books on fire. There are many fears that he has that are related to this. One ...
This leads me to Schumacher’s solution, changing the current mindset. Aid to the Third World is just one example of how material wealth is expected to solve a problem. Instead of sending aid, why not educate the people as so they can overcome their poverty, he relates this to a fishing analogy. If you were to give a man a fish, he would eat for a day, but if you were to teach a man to fish, he eats for the rest of his life. In closing, Schumacher rests his faith in what he calls the ‘traditional wisdom of mankind.’
I don’t think I’d recommend this book to anyone. It’s extremely dense reading, and if you have difficulty concentrating as it is, I don’t think it would be worth your time to try and read this book. For the title ‘Small is Beautiful’ it is ironic just how big this book is. I am quite certain that Schumacher could have easily compacted his message into a much shorter volume and gotten his point across with ease. It was insightful in some sections, but much of it was really repetitive and I think if you were to read this book, you should just read a certain section where the title might interest you, reading the whole book in a few days is overwhelming if you really expect to digest the information.
Technological changes affecting man’s environment are being introduced at such a rapid rate and with so little control that it is a wonder man has thus far escaped the type of cancer epidemic occurring this year among the trout. p. 118
This is a quote, which appears in the section of the book that was devoted to nuclear energy. Schumacher is quoting a man who works for the fish hatchery. It is a comment on technological change and the effect they have on the greater world. I don’t really think it matters who the quote comes from, because it has an ulterior meaning than just a trout population. It also goes along with the BGH that was being used on cows, and pesticides which both made their way back to humans. The quote goes a long with much of what the class has been talking about lately and I thought it was applicable. I personally liked the quote, because it proves that you don’t need to be a world-class scientist or a high profile individual to come to such a conclusion, and this was in the 1970’s too, so it impresses me that a worked at a fishery would come to a conclusion that was not even being accepted by science of the time.
The Essay on Animal Farm Animals Book Pigs
There has been numerous events or objects that have influenced me in one way or another. Although some of these may not have had a noticeable influence on me, , many have directly influenced my attitude, personality, or personal opinions. One of these noticeable influences is a book entitled "Animal Farm.' Prior to reading this book, I had little or no opinion on certain government. The book ...
A man driven by greed or envy loses the power of seeing things as they really are, of seeing things in their roundness and wholeness, and his very successes become failures. If whole societies become infected by these vices, they may indeed achieve astonishing things but they become increasingly incapable of solving the most elementary problems of everyday existence. p. 25
I believe this quote to be a criticism of western civilization over the past few centuries. The quote is applicable at many levels, whether it would be the problems with society of the present day, or perhaps the crimes of colonialism. I think this is the very case, you need not know history, you need not be up-to-date with world affairs or anything of the sort. It seems to be a regular occurrence to observe someone acting in such a fashion. I have heard people, continuing in praise of how much the ‘white man’ has achieved, and I believe this quote illustrates just how much it really amounts to in the end.
It is evident that if a man practises a compassionate affection for animals, he is all the more disposed to feel compassion for his fellowmen. p. 89
This quote was in reference to the Burmese way of treating animals. Men perceived themselves to be superior to animals. However, this superiority did not mean they could exploit animals, it instead meant that they were to watch and look out for the animals, to take care of them. They were noted to have shown animals the greatest care. I believe this also ties into what we were discussing in the classroom in terms of nomadic ways of thinking opposed to agriculturalist ways of thinking. I think the real truth in this quote goes further then just animals, it would be useful for everyone to try and practice this and it could help not only every person, but every creature also.
The Essay on Animal Farm Animals Major Man
Animal Farm Essay In the story Animal Farm, we learn about what happened in history through a comical fable. It is through this story that we also learn the differences between the proletariat, represented by the animals in the farm, and the bourgeoisie, represented by the humans running the animals in the farm. The first chapter in Animal Farm gives us a picture of animal life on the farm, and ...
