![]() ![]() Dogs do not give a fair exchange of bones to another dog. Other than humans, no exchange between strangers of two different species has ever been observed. This is the biggest difference between human beings and other species and the root cause of human economic development. So, what makes humans stand out? Ridley claims it is their further evolution from trading between sexes to trading with strangers. Exchanges between sexes or within groups also occur in other species. Of course, exchange between the sexes alone is certainly not enough to explain why humans are the world’s leading species. Unfortunately, there is no concrete evidence to support either hypothesis. It argues that women tend to gather carbohydrates from reliable sources, while men prefer hunting for valuable proteins. Another theory looks at the division of labor between sexes from a nutritional perspective. Why is that? Anthropologists have put forward several hypotheses, such as the need for women to care for children because human childhood is incredibly long. As soon as people started looking for food, men and women divided the work like this. It was an inexorable law that everyone obeyed. In primitive hunter-gatherer societies, men hunted for animals, and women and children gathered and cooked the food. These exchanges initially occurred between the sexes. As it took a large amount of time to hunt and cook, some humans became specialized in hunting, while others specialized in collecting, preparing, and cooking food. The advent of cooking allowed humans to develop larger brains fed by high-energy diets and promoted the division of labor and exchange. Ridley directly quotes the anthropologist Richard Wrangham, who argues that humans exchanged things because of cooking. Let’s start with the first part: the starting point of human economic development.Īs we mentioned at the beginning, exchange is the foundation of human economic development. Part Three: Different views of a world on its way to prosperity. Part Two: Turning points that led the world to prosperity Part One: The starting point of human economic development We’ll present Ridley’s history of human economic progress from three aspects: He lives in Luxembourg and serves as the chairman of the International Centre for Life. His works include Genome, The Agile Gene, and The Red Queen. His books have been shortlisted for six literary awards including the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the Best Science Book Award from the US National Academy of Sciences. He is a former column editor of The Economist and is known for his work in science, environmental science, and economics. Matt Ridley is a popular science writer with a Ph.D. Moreover, the historical stories in the book are excellent fodder for conversation, since they are often funny.īefore we get started, let’s get to know the author of this book. The book helps us understand how the world works and provides us with a richer perspective on our life. In this book, you’ll learn why Ridley says exchange is the root cause of prosperity and gain a clear understanding of economics and the evolutionary history of mankind. From the Stone Age to the Information Age, from hundreds of thousands of years ago to the 21st century. To back up his argument, Ridley collected and analyzed a vast collection of historical materials covering the entire history of mankind. The book we’re unlocking today is filled with Ridley’s evidence of the points mentioned earlier. Is exchange really so magical? It’s often said that any conclusion should be supported by factual evidence. ![]() In the end, exchange, specialization, and the innovation that emerged from them allowed the human species to create a prosperous world in just a few hundred thousand years. The emergence of specialization, in turn, promoted technological innovation, made specialization more efficient and convenient, and resulted in further exchange. Through exchange, humans discovered the advantages they gained through the division of labor. So how did the world become so prosperous? The answer is through exchange, says the author of today’s book, the popular science writer Matt Ridley. We live in a period of prosperity, comfort, and convenience that is unprecedented in human history. Virtually every human need and desire has been satisfied in this age. If we open WhatsApp or Facebook, we can see posts and interact with people from around the world. There are various restaurants on the streets whenever we want to eat. Supermarkets are full of goods from all over the world. Wherever we go, there are convenient means of transport to choose from. Speaking of prosperity, we all more or less experience prosperity, since we live in the Information Age. This book answers the question: “How did the world become so prosperous?” Today we’ll unlock The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves. ![]()
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