The Cost of the Decisions We Make
James Krost
College Comp. II
Professor Keith Morton
September 15, 2013
The Cost of the Decisions We Make For every course of action that one takes in life, there is a cost associated. This cost may be large or small but one can weigh this cost with the alternative before he or she makes any decision. In the essay, “The Price of Crossing Borders” written by Eduardo Porter, the concept of understanding that there is a price for everything is conveyed. There is no decision that is made or path that is taken that comes without some sort of cost to us personally. An alternate title of Porter’s article, “The Cost of The Decisions We Make”, responds to his views on this idea. He tries to persuade his audience that “by evaluating opportunity costs, we organize our lives” (p. 325). In the essay, Porter used an illegal immigrant from Stockton, California as an example to help understand opportunity costs. The immigrant must make a choice on how he is going to get his children across the Mexico border into the United States. Porter stated, “The conversation laid in stark relief the type of bare-knuckle cost-benefit analyses that steer people’s lives” (p. 326). By this statement, Porter referred to the decision of how the immigrant will transport his children and the costs that it will entail. While the more expensive choice is safer, saving the money will take some time. The cheaper alternative, however, puts his children in danger and the possible risk of not making it safe or alive to the United States. Porter said, “The cost of taking any action or embracing any path consists of the alternatives that were available to us at the time” (p. 325). The illegal immigrant must weigh his opportunity cost of each path before making the important decision regarding his children’s lives.
The debate on illegal immigration in the United States is well known and people have very strong views on it. While one extreme thinks the borders should be closed off all together
College Comp. II
Professor Keith Morton
September 15, 2013
The Cost of the Decisions We Make For every course of action that one takes in life, there is a cost associated. This cost may be large or small but one can weigh this cost with the alternative before he or she makes any decision. In the essay, “The Price of Crossing Borders” written by Eduardo Porter, the concept of understanding that there is a price for everything is conveyed. There is no decision that is made or path that is taken that comes without some sort of cost to us personally. An alternate title of Porter’s article, “The Cost of The Decisions We Make”, responds to his views on this idea. He tries to persuade his audience that “by evaluating opportunity costs, we organize our lives” (p. 325). In the essay, Porter used an illegal immigrant from Stockton, California as an example to help understand opportunity costs. The immigrant must make a choice on how he is going to get his children across the Mexico border into the United States. Porter stated, “The conversation laid in stark relief the type of bare-knuckle cost-benefit analyses that steer people’s lives” (p. 326). By this statement, Porter referred to the decision of how the immigrant will transport his children and the costs that it will entail. While the more expensive choice is safer, saving the money will take some time. The cheaper alternative, however, puts his children in danger and the possible risk of not making it safe or alive to the United States. Porter said, “The cost of taking any action or embracing any path consists of the alternatives that were available to us at the time” (p. 325). The illegal immigrant must weigh his opportunity cost of each path before making the important decision regarding his children’s lives.
The debate on illegal immigration in the United States is well known and people have very strong views on it. While one extreme thinks the borders should be closed off all together