Some Thoughts As I Start Reading "Poor Economics"

“Poor Economics.” I was confused. I had been scavenging through our family

bookshelf, looking for a book to pass the time reading, when I saw this title. Was there also such a thing as “poor physics” or “poor chemistry”? I really asked myself that. I opened the book and began reading the blurb. “A radical rethinking of the economics of poverty…why the poor need to borrow in order to save……the challenges faced by those living on less than 99 cents per day…” Before I knew it, I found myself diving into the contents of the book. That’s when I began to understand the title. I was astounded. Why would a man in Morocco who doesn’t have enough to eat buy a television? Why would the poor miss out on free life-saving immunizations, but pay for unnecessary drugs? Can poor people actually save money? How do poor people actually cope with devastating poverty? My mind filled with questions as I started reading. Poverty, I learned, cannot be easily solved or eradicated through financial assistance from the rich — it can only improve poor people’s lives temporarily. What hooked me in this book was the thorough analysis of how the poor actually make economic decisions and their mindset, which also comes down to economics. I also noticed that one of the authors – Esther Duflo – was a woman. When I asked my dad about this (it was his book), he explained to me that she was one of the only two women who have won the Nobel Prize in Economics. From that moment, Esther Duflo became my role model. Back in my hometown in China, I have always felt that girls have been treated differently in society. I had learned about China's “One Child Policy”, but it was not until I found 95% of the children in orphanages are girls that the issue of gender inequality became clear to me. Young girls were much more likely to be abandoned by their parents and receive minimal care, comfort, and the resources they needed to thrive and succeed. In reading the book I also felt so lucky as to where I live, all the privileges I have, and all the resources I need to pursue my passions and to live a good life. Poor Economics has helped me to think more critically so I can better make a difference in the world.