5. God's Plan of Salvation and My Freshman Econ Class

So, I've been surprised to discover that I really enjoy Economics. As crazy as it sounds I'm in the heat of the battle with Econ 110, one of BYU's most hated and failed courses, and I'm loving it. There's just something about the principle--like the price elasticity of demand or diminishing marginal return--that are just exciting to me like Edward Cullin excites my sixteen year old niece. Okay, maybe not that much, but I have learned some really interesting things in Econ 110 that hit on some important life principles.

I've found the principle of trade to be really interesting. If you think of the outcome of trade without looking at how it works, the whole idea is crazy; everyone can gain from trade no matter how poor they are in relation to those with whmo they trade. Even though it sounds counter-intuitive it is true. The reason is because of the principle of comparative advantage; the ability to produce something at less cost than another. For example: Bob can write papers for his English twice as fast as he can do a page of his calculus homework. Rick, on the other hand, can produce a page of calculus homework with half the effort (or time) as he can write a paper for his English class. Even if Rick can do both the English paper and the calculus homework faster than Bob (he's just a better student overall) both he and Rick will benefit from trade. The reason being that Rick has comparative advantage in calculus homework and Bob has comparative advantage in writing English papers. If they specialize in what they do best--producing only English papers or only calculus homework--and then trade they both have more calculus homework and english papers or more time to not do homework. Pretty cool!

This principle applies to life in other ways. Think about the benefits of having a relationship with another. You benefit from the traits that they possess in which you lack and visa verse for them. Maybe your spouse is particularly good at paying the bills while you are great at disciplining the children. As you both focus on what you are good at doing you are both left with payed bills, well-behaved children and some extra time and energy for other things. We benefit from trade more than we realize.

I know that God has a good grasp on the principle of comparative advantage because His plan of salvation includes it. Each of his children come to earth endowed certain capabilities. We each can benefit from our association with one another. And Christ's church is built as a marketplace for trade. Sue benefits from her Bishop's gifts for administration and in turn he benefits from her example of compassion in her calling. God did not build us to be self-sufficient and so every one of us can benefit spiritually through trade. Who would have thought that the principles I learned in a freshman econ class could be eternal.

4. Some Thoughts On Bob Dylan

I love Bob Dylan. Simple enough statement, right, but how what exactly do I saying here? Do I love him like friend? Do I love him like a fan? Do I love him like a brother? Or, do I love him like fat kid loves a Butterfinger?

I've come to find that a love for Bob Dylan has a very bipolar effect. On the one hand not a lot of people really like him--esp. those who have never heard his shockingly grating voice. I remember a friend of mine emphasizing how much more brilliant Tom Petty was than "this guy". I was so appalled that I didn't even know how to formulate a coherent rebuttal.

On the other hand, proclaiming yourself as a fan of Bob has it's cache. Anyone who's read a decent amount of Rolling Stone, knows anything about rock history or has had parents that smoked their fair share of weed have at least heard of him--let alone could hum the tune of "Blowin in The Wind."

But those experts of music--daily readers of pitchfork.com, owners of at least one Beatles poster, those who've synced "The Wizard of Oz" to Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of The Moon", or those who claim "Almost Famous" to be the greatest movie ever mad--feel they understand Dylan's importance to rock and know very well the arithmetic involved in the "cool-points" boost that a proclamation of love for Dylan would incite.

On the one side of the coin you've got alienation from the Tom Petty-lovers and a back-stage pass with the sonic youth-lovers on the other. Who woulda thought that diggin Bob Dylan would be so polarizing?

I don't really identify completely with either of these groups, but I feel a piece of both of them tugging inside of me. I mean, I like to occationally read pitchfork.com, but I also enjoy listening to Tom Petty. I listen to Dylan aware of his importance in rock history, but I also just like him in the same way some 12 year old girl likes Miley Cyrus. My listening to Dylan reveals to me that I'm both incredibly self-aware, but also clueless to the world. He makes me a bit of a shape-shifter, which I believe makes him something of an artist.

3. My Attempt At One-Upping Shakespear

So, apparently Shakespeare was pretty amazing. Kind of a "no duh" statement, but my appreciation for the guy grew fourfold in this last week. The reason being; I wrote a sonnet following Shakespeare's rhyme scheme and meter--and it was pretty hard.

So apparently this Englishman wrote something like 154 sonnets in his working life. All of them were written in his rhyme scheme of three four lined stanzas ending with a couplet (abab cdcd efef gg). He also wrote in iambic pentameter; a meter in which there are five beets (da DUM, da DUM, da DUM, da DUM, da DUM). Pretty prolific if you ask me. A good example of this meter are the opening lines from his sonnet Let Me Not To The Marriage Of True Minds:

Let me not to the marriage of true minds
Admit impediments. Love is not love
Which alters when it alteration finds,
Or bends with the remover to remove.

Pretty cool that he was so aware of how his words sounded as they roll off the tongue. I'd never realized this until my english 251 class.

So as for me and my sonnet, it was quite an experience writing in this style for the first time. I found my inspiration when watching the movie Taking Chance, and set to work soon after watching it. The biggest struggle was getting my words to fit comfortably into the iambic pantameter and I often felt like I was as effective as a parent trying to keep their kids quiet during sacrament meeting. Needless to say, I have a lot more respect for this Bill Shakespeare guy now. Anyone who can get his words to sound as pleasant as his and have as much meaning as they do merits my respect.

Anyways, here's my attempt at one-upping Shakespeare. It's no Shall I Compare Thee To A Summer's Day, but what is, right?

Two Soldiers
A sonnet inspired by the movie Taking Chance

T’was two soldiers on diff’ring battlefields
The one in perils of death in Iraq
The other who from a cubicle yields
A guilt that tortures him like the rack
He daily studies names of casualties
He recognizes the name of lieutenant Phelps.
Now being the escort to the deceased
Penance for not being there so as to help
A wooden cross, a black watch and dog tags
Grandmother’s medallion still shining clear
The living soldier carriers with a flag
To bear mem’ries to those who once were dear
Two soldiers brought onto one battlefield
With no witness each one would disappear