I would like to start by saying that I intensely disliked this piece. I acknowledge that this chapter was part of a 270+ page book, needless to say it was lengthy. But what I disliked about it was not the length, rather the buildup to a condensed conclusion. I personally did not like history class growing up nor do I like this type of ‘academic’ writing. I’d rather read about greenies than how numbers evolved. Reading this piece felt like a 35 page drumroll with a 7 page ‘badumtiss’. Though the theme of universality is important, I wonder whether it was important to tease the reader with the idea of this person or that one ‘almost’ making ‘the jump’.
Perhaps I am being too judgmental due to personal factors like frustration or lack of patience. But I feel as though I could have read the last two pages and the summary at the end and had a discussion that was more fruitful than the other 40 pages.