Contrived Economy: Capitalism and Slavery

Capitalism and Slavery
Author: Eric Williams

It's interesting to look back in history and pinpoint policies, contrived or real, that influenced behavior that remains today. As someone who has lived in the West Indies for two years, I can tell you the importance of salted cod (or salt fish) in West Indian cuisine, especially Jamaican cuisine. It seems a bit odd that a fish from hundreds of miles away would be popular in an island country located in the marine rich Caribbean  And turns out, it doesn't make logical sense, but it makes (or made) economic sense.

The peculiar economy developed in the West Indies concentrated on export crops while food was imported. Most important of all the food supplies was fish, an article dear to the heart of every mercantilist, because it provided employment for ships and training for seamen. Laws were passed in England to encourage the consumption of fish. Friday and Saturday were set apart as fish days. Fish was an important item of the diet of the slaves on the plantations, and the English herring trade found its chief market in the sugar plantations. The Newfoundland fishery depended to a considerable extent on the annual export of dried fish to the West Indies, the refuse or "poor John" fish, "fit for no other consumption." A West Indian tradition was thereby fostered. Imported salted cod is still today a normal and favorite dish in all but the well-to-do West Indian families; whether it is still "fit for no other consumption" is not known.

Development Complexity: Mountains Beyond Mountains

Mountains Beyond Mountains
Author: Tracy Kidder

In one of my favorite books, Mountains Beyond Mountains, Dr. Paul Farmer poses a fiery response to the question of development in rural areas of Haiti. In the world of international development, everyone wants to make sure their investment for boreholes, livelihood projects and other aid are good investments. However, this is easy for educated western people to think, when in truth, we must also take the reality of local people into consideration.

There’s also a sociopolitical lesson to draw, of course: “Look at Alcante’s family. It’s intact, the kids are bright and clever, and the father can’t walk. And they just can’t make it. It’s fucking unfair. The woman who said to me years ago, Are you incapable of complexity? That was an epiphany for me. Are you going to punish people for thinking TB comes from sorcery? It’s like the guy on our own team, a nice guy, who said he would help with a water project in a town here, but only if the people really showed they wanted it. What if that standard had been applied to me when I was a kid, before I knew that water could carry organisms that made people sick?”

Virtues: The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Author: Benjamin Franklin

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is a stunning read, though it can be a bit difficult at times with the archaic English. Though the language may be outdated, the musings of a genius remain timeless. One of my favorite segments of the book comes when Franklin speaks about personal improvement and what he views as crucial virtues. Franklin writes 13 characteristics of personal character and subsequently spends time to "fix" each of areas. As Franklin says, important virtues have long been named and classified, though I find his groupings particularly lucid and relevant.

1. TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
2. SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
3. ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
4. RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
5. FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
6. INDUSTRY. Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. SINCERITY. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. JUSTICE. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9. MODERATION. Avoid extreams; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10. CLEANLINESS. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.
11. TRANQUILLITY. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12. CHASTITY. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dulness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
13. HUMILITY. Imitate Jesus and Socrates

Atoms and Smaller: Cosmos

Cosmos
Author: Carl Sagan 

Another interesting clip from the classic book from Carl Sagan: 

Democritus invented the word atom, Greek for “unable to be cut.” Atoms were the ultimate particles, forever frustrating our attempts to break them into smaller pieces. Everything, he said, is a collection of atoms, intricately assembled. Even we. “Nothing exists,” he said, “but atoms and the void.”

Marinate on that for a second.

Religious Tolerance: The Economist

The Economist
November 24th, 2012

These quotes come from a great article in the Economist about Islam and religious tolerance. I think they did a great job highlighting the fact that followers of Islam are not homogeneous, rather there are various sects all over the world existing within a diverse set of cultures. It also gives me some perspective on the controversial approach of mixing church and state.


Indonesia, for example, demands that people declare themselves as one of six religions; atheism and agnosticism do not count. Egypt’s draft constitution makes room for only three faiths: Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

It's always nice to know a quote from a religious text if you are conversing(or debating) with people about religion. I thought this quote is particularly pertinent:

The Koran’s notably tolerant Sura 109 includes words such as “For you is your religion, and for me is my religion.”

Legal tricks: The World According to Monsanto

The World According to Monsanto

by Marie Monique-Robin

A great read, The World According to Monsanto provides a startling look at the corporate titan. While discussing the legal problems of Monsanto in regards to their improper PCB disposal in Alabama. It brought up an interesting point about corporations, individual responsibility and the loopholes in our legal system. 

The status of corporations as “persons” in United States law generally shelters company officials from individual liability. “In the American legal system,” said Cook, “it is very rare for executives or managers of companies to be found criminally liable. On the other hand, companies can be sued in civil court, and they are made to pay. But in fact, the damages they pay decades later are only a fraction of their profits. So it pays to keep secrets. I wonder what secrets Monsanto is keeping now. You can never trust a big company like Monsanto to tell us the truth about a product or a pollution problem. Never.”

New word- hyponym: Dictionary

Occasionally I'll post an interesting word that I've learned while reading. I don't claim to have the largest vocabulary so I apologize if these are too low brow for you.

hy·po·nym  n. a word of more specific meaning than a general or superordinate term applicable to it. For example, spoon is a hyponym of cutlery. Contrasted with HYPERNYM.