Jeffrey Sachs "Common Wealth" Ch. 1-2

To be perfectly honest, I didn't really get the chance to read these chapters closely because I haven't yet received my textbook, but from what I could understand, Jeffrey Sachs has a very optimistic view of what he expects from the world. I mean, it's all well and good to want everybody to work together and fix our crowded, dirty old planet. But let's be serious here, working together isn't exactly humanity's strong point. Our entire history from the fall of man has been one giant fight after the other. It would be nice if all of our countries could work together for the greater good of all, but unfortunately the most important thing to the most powerful nations seems to be making sure that they become superpowers, and once they reach that point, staying there.

Maybe I sound like a pessimist when I say this, but to be honest I don't mind. I feel that idealism, while being a very nice thought, is actually kind of naive. For anybody to believe that somehow all of us can band together and make everything perfect, when there is clear evidence of the opposite effect all around us is for lack of a better word, stupid. Not to be offensive, but there are times where we need to wake up, look around, see the problems, and do something about them. Just because everything can't be ideal, doesn't mean we can't work toward something that is at least satisfactory. I think that this is probably what Sachs was aiming for because I have a hard time believing that he can really expect a Utopian society out of humanity. My views might seem a little harsh, but that's one of the best things about having an opinion, it's mine and you are free to disagree with me.