Rafaela Creamer, Chapter 1, Question #5

Charles Wheelan poses a question that I believe to be thought provoking, "Is it fair for those of us who live comfortably to impose our preferences on individuals in the developing world?" The author calls this question a "nettlesome policy question." The way this question relates to economics is the process of how we make our comfortable lives comfortable. Using the natural resources that are available in the rainforest to meet our enjoyable lifestyles is part of the rational self interest that inhibits humans, along with the cost and benefit principle in economics. Even though we don't experience the harm, that cutting down thousands of trees to facilitate our lives does to the environment, it does affect the environment, wildlife, and inhabitants living in that rainforest. Despite being aware of this 'nettlesome' problem in the developed world, we choose to neglect it because it is for our benefit, for our own self interest.