Christen Majors, Chaoter 9, Question 6

Although the chapter was primarily on GDP increase and decrease and its effect on a nation, the passage I found most interesting was on material progress and the things we take for granted. Wheelan asks us to consider cellphones and how not to long ago it was "impressive" to be seen with one. "Back then a cell phone cost about 456 hours of work for an average american" while today everyone basically has a cell phone in their hand. "Now (it) costs about nine hours of work." This is seen as a rapidly increasing standard of living and most of us take that for granted when we shouldn't because a rapid increase is not normal for the majority of things in today's society or even throughout history.