I am an Economic Naturalist

Question

Why do different sizes of paper (½ and ¼ intermediate papers) is being sold at the school supply shops but students just cut their 1 whole size intermediate paper to make it into their desired paper size?

Observation

In four years of studying in high school begging for some paper on exams seldom have I noticed someone having a ½ or ¼ pad papers, they always have 1 whole pad and lucky for me if ½ is needed I always have a spare of ½ to give to a friend or to keep to myself often it takes like forever to cut it and sometimes when cutting the paper goes wrong it’ll end up not using it at all. This makes me curios, why don’t they buy ½ or ¼ papers just to avoid the burden of cutting the paper it will be easier that way.

Explanations

Behavioral Theory

As you may know that almost all Filipinos is very much resourceful in terms of consumption of resources it may be in the form of FOOD, WATER, DAILY NEEDS and ETC. This traits also may be applied to Filipino students in which they have to minimize their consumption of paper that buying only 1 whole pad instead of buying the whole set which would cost a lot of money. Considering that most Filipino families have below average income. As time passed by Filipino students started to realize the importance of money and the handwork that the parents had done to them. In short students are getting more smarter as time goes by.

Economic Theory

Speaking of numbers I asked the school supply shops about the prices of the papers.

½ Intermediate Pad Paper/Crosswise/Lengthwise

11 Pesos ~ CW+LW = 22 ~ 11+11 = 22

¼ Intermediate Pad Paper

11 Pesos

1 Whole Intermediate Pad Paper

19 Pesos

Now Imagine all that papers would cost you around 52 Pesos, now that’s a lot of money considering your just buying a paper. What if you add notebook, coloring materials, scissors, pens, pencils, now that’s really not practical at all and very irrational if you buy all the papers not to mention the burden of carrying all that in school; plus the other stuff like books notebook, and etc; now that’s absurd and completely pathetic.

But what if you only buy the 1 whole pad paper? See the difference?It would have been easier and better, aside from the weight and the price it is more manageable because your only carrying the one whole pad. Its like all the sizes of pad paper in a price of one though you still need to cut them but as I say Filipinos are resourceful that’s a price to pay just to save money and energy.

Conclusion

So I conclude that buying 1 whole paper is way more better that buying the whole set, its more practical and at the end you will utilize all the paper and that’s good because you do not waste your resources. Unlike buying the whole set which is a waste because lets face it, its not like everyday you have exams, We also have discussions and activities and that’s the time the other stuff is useful like notebook, scissors and coloring materials for example.

For me the right distribution of resources and the practicality on how we decide on things really matters and that’s where the Rational Behavior comes in. It may also be describe as Opportunity cost because instead spending 52 pesos on the whole set of papers, why not buy the 1 whole pad that cost 19 pesos and use the remaining money to other stuff.

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