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CHAPTER ONE- How is a street prostitute like a department-store Santa? Exploring costs

of being a woman

CHAPTER THREE Unbelievable stories about apathy and altruism

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CHAPTER ONE- How is a street prostitute like a department-store Santa? Exploring costs

of being a woman

Summary

In this chapter, the focus is on the problems that the women have to encounter in life while trying

to make ends meet. In most parts of the world, historically, women were regarded as second-

class citizens. They were basically discriminated in various aspects of life, and completely

demeaning them by not even giving them an opportunity to work. In workplaces, women are

discriminated upon, whereby irrespective of the education level, or whether they have similar

education qualifications with their male counterparts, women are generally paid low. From this

chapter, therefore, it indicates that women from humble backgrounds are the main victims of

torture and discrimination. It was hard for them to get a decent job that was paying well. In the

story of a lady called Lasheena, she was forced to do indecent underpaying jobs to get ends meet.

However, when she was asked whether she can engage in prostitution where she can be paid

better she did not hesitate. Most of the other decent professions were taken up by men and thus

women could not compete with them. Therefore most of them, especially from poor

backgrounds, ended up practicing prostitution as this was the only profession where they could

not compete with men. Most of the women who decided to practice prostitution had other

indecent paying jobs and they resulted in part time jobs that could at least pay for their needs. In

this case, most of them were forced to forego other essential things in life such as having families
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or even pursuing their dream professional course. I case they decide after quitting prostitution, it

was too late for them.

Analysis of the chapter

The chapter discusses the plight of women in the bid to make their ends meets while

trying to compete for better lives and equality against men. In relating these instances from the

main economic concepts of chapter 1 of the Mckenzie and Tullock course textbook, abstraction

is evident. In this case, women had to do anything they could in order to deduce their value in

this world and to show that they are capable of caring for themselves and their families as their

male counterparts. Due to this fact, women had to fight for themselves despite the society not

giving them a chance to prove themselves that they can do whatever men could do. Thus, they

had to find meaning in life and separate themselves from the norms of the society in order to

follow their dreams and to prove their worth. That is why some of the women who were less

privileged in the society resulted in prostitution that paid better. This may seem as lack of moral

values in the society, but regarding the factors that push them to do such things they were

justified to do whatever they could to make ends meet (McKenzie & Tullock, 1978).

Economics focus mush on people on their behaviors and then group them accordingly.

However, it is important to focus on an individual as to why they do what they do instead of

generalizing them with some attributes. Thus we cannot say that all prostitutes are immoral and

judge them unfairly. In this case, therefore, it is important to approach them and try to

understand their cases, as to why they resulted in doing so. This is because there must be a

rationale for them to choose to follow their cause. For instance, it is obvious that people tend to

do things that are valuable I terms of cost and they can get value from. For instance, it is true that

people have different needs and wants, and if the jobs they do cannot satisfy them, they opt to do
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the ones that can bring goods returns in the long run. In case of women, they earned peanuts as

compared to men and therefore, most of them were forced to retreat to prostitution as I most

case, they could make more money in a week on a part-time basis than they could make a month

from their employment, working full time. Therefore, it was not a wonder that some women

would forego their less paying jobs and result in prostitution which was paying better. Although

prostitution was prohibited especially in the US, on which this case is based, this was the only

way for most women that they could compete with men in terms of earning and owning things.

Some women such as Allie was involved in professional prostitution and was able to make a

significant fortune from the profession. This is not right to judge people based on their actions

before understanding their reasons to do so.

CHAPTER THREE Unbelievable stories about apathy and altruism

Summary

The main issues focused in this chapter include the human behaviors, i.e. apathy and

altruism. Apathy describes the situations where people do not seem to care or express emotions

when other people are suffering. This is demonstrated whereby a lady called Kitty Genovesse

was attacked by an assailant while on the way home, where she was stabbed with a knife,

sexually molested and later died. To make the matter worse, there were some 38 people who saw

the incident unfolding and yet they never came to her rescue. This led to a review of criminal

justice in the US. Further research showed that most of the people who show apathy start from a

youthful age whereby most of the children affected include those who are used to some TV
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programs that make them have fewer emotions. Several other cases are demonstrated that show

the ego of people who do not care about each other in the society due to apathy.

In the case of altruism, the chapter demonstrates that there are people who are selfless in that

they can do extreme practices to help other people who are in need. Some of them do it with

sincere regard for each other while other do it personal gains. For instance, there are some who

may do extreme measures such as even selling their body organs, whereby they pretend to be

helping each other but in the real sense they are after financial gains. Altruism is also expressed

by sharing, whereby some people if they are given some money, they are willing to share with

one another (Levitt, & Dubner, 2009). However, not all of them would agree to share equally.

The chapter clearly indicates both sides of the coin as far as the altruism and apathy are

concerned. In this case, various economic issues can be derived in both instances.

Analysis

In an economic perspective, people hold different values, whereby in most cases they

tend to focus more on themselves than others. In this case, it means that as long as whatever they

are doing has fewer risks, they do not care much about what other people are facing

economically. Therefore, they are self-centered in most cases. In the instance where a lady was

tortured by her assailant, there were 38 witnesses to the incident and yet no one came out for the

help, despite the lady having screamed for help. In relating these issues to the Mckenzie and

Tullock Coursebook, it is true that people hold different values in their undertakings especially in

economic wise. It is difficult to explain why they behave the way they behave, and therefore, in

order to understand them better, one cannot question the group of people, but rather approach an

individual so that they can explain their case. In this way, a satisfying answered and a better

understanding of the situations (McKenzie & Tullock, 1978).

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In discussing rationality, humans are known to also to associate themselves mostly in

matters that affect them directly. This is true especially in the economic and business concepts

whereby they will involve themselves in issues that affect their economic welfare. In the same

scenario also, there are people who would not stand to see others in problems and would usually

rush to their rescue (Levitt, & Dubner, 2009). In this case, they do not care whatever this would

cost them as long as their colleagues are out the danger. This is well expressed in the case of

philanthropic measures taken by business people. In this case, they do not care about the costs or

even using some of their profits, so long as the individuals they are helping are out of danger. In

chapter three of Mckenzie and Tullock Course book, it is evident that some people care for

others to an extent they are ready to use anything they can to see other people are out of danger,

even if they are strangers to each other (McKenzie & Tullock, 1978).

However, some people tend to help each other with some strings attached, while others

are not willing to give full support. In some instance, other people may offer a helping hand to

others when they want to get something in return. I the economic perspective, a business may

help another from an economic crisis only to get some share of the company in return. In other

cases, some people are ready to help when they are promised of something in return especially if

they are to benefit financially. This is presented from the Mckenzie and Tullock Coursebook in

chapter three whereby some of them are willing to even donate some body part to be well

financially
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References

Levitt, S. D., & Dubner, S. J. (2009). Superfreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes

and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Insurance. New York Times, New York.

McKenzie, R., & Tullock, G. (1978). The New World of Economics: Exploration into the

Human Experience.