Profile of Robert Barro

The Profile. Still reading it, but this sentence struck me:

It would have been difficult to predict this outcome [of his success in economics] from the title of Barro's first publication in 1970: "The Crystal Structure of a Dimeric Cobalt Compound Containing a Chloro Bridge."

為何Barro沒有繼續研究物理呢?

"Feynman was a great inspiration, but what he taught was often way above my head. It made me realize I wouldn't be close to the top in those fields."

我國中時也非常迷物理，也是被Feynman的書吸引住了。當時我看了他的自傳 Surely You're Joking Mr. Feynman, 至近對我的影響仍然很大，因為是那ㄧ本書讓我對學者的印像改觀。後來在師大附中唸高中時，才發現物理=霧裡。我雖然成績在班上不錯，但是我知道若我繼續追隨當物理學家的夢，我對人類知識的貢獻是非常有限的。我的目標一直是想要有一點貢獻。