94. Is The World Really As Bad As People Think?

Ever heard about the time the government caused an infestation of black-market cobras? (Bonus: it’s a lesson opportunity to teach free-market economics!) It all started back when India was under British rule. Largely comprised of uninhabited jungle, the country happened to contain a large population of cobras. I don’t know if you’ve ever encountered one, but cobras are pretty scary. They’re huge, they have menacing black hoods that spread when threatened, and their venom is notoriously deadly. (According to the internet, anyway. Fortunately, I’ve never had to encounter one myself…) In the wild, they weren’t too much of a problem, so long as people kept their distance. But as trade and opportunity increased, Indian cities expanded into formerly wild spaces — as with the city of Delhi — and the cobras posed an increasing problem in residents’ daily lives. So, the British decided to declare war on the snakes. The