Chapter 2: The Inescapable Mathematics of Musical Chairs Summary and Analysis

One activity that impacts others is telephoning. In the aggregate, the individual receives as many calls as he makes. However, on the individual basis, that balance, of course, does not exist. Some phone calls stimulate subsequent phone calls. Christmas cards are sometimes sent out of obligation or guilt. Some send more cards than they receive. In the aggregate the number of calls received and placed by an individual are equal. The aggregate number of bikes stolen is almost identical with that of people who have had bikes stolen—when considering such discrepancies as stolen bikes not yet reported or stolen bikes re-stolen.

Of the social sciences, economics is one in which the class of generalizations plays an important role. A bike purchased for $150 takes the $150 from the buyer...