Freakonomics
 

Has anybody read this book?









I'm reading it now and it's OK, a very fast read and fairly entertaining. I have a friend who's getting his PhD in Economics at MIT like Levitt did and he told me it was a decent book. That's why I'm reading it.

Anyway, I just finished a chapter about how legalized abortion is one of the greatest crime-lowering factors in American history. He says that it was the chief factor in the falling crime rates of the 90's (Roe vs Wade was in 1973, so the aborted criminals would be coming of age in the 90's). I find that interesting. What do you guys think?

(I still hate economics though. What a bunch of garbage.:D)

hurray for (legalized) abortions :P

Abortion killed my twin brother.

No, I have not read it, but it has been sitting on a coworkers desk for months. Now that you've said it was good read, I may 'steal' it.

Reading an entire book about economics doesn't sound like a barrel of fun, but I may take your word for it.

im thinking (from the title, and cover) that the main subject is the famous "law of unintended consequences"

am i right in judging this book by its cover?

Eh? Explain?

the law of unintended consequences? meaning that whenever you establish a social or economic policy there are always consequences that you didn't expect. that's a favorite argument of laissez-faire economists to basically-- do nothing.

well actually here is a better explanation than mine:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unintended_consequence

--

ps-- ha ha ha! the wikipedia article mentions the abortion/crime thing. i knew it! oh i can gloat now & temporarily forget my deep sense of inadequacy by feeling im such a fucking clever little boy. ha!! :D

Right. Cause and (a surprise!) effect.

Well, I think shall read it.

i was entertained, especially by the "perfect parent" chapter.

I don't think economics is boring, so I want someone to tell me that this is either: a) sociology, in which case I won't read it; b) deceptively advanced economic theory or c) just good, stop being a prick, you prick.

d) all of the above.

Maybe? Judging from some of the reviews I've read online anyway.

eh, c.

i'm the same, i like the topic.

Glice, there is nothing advanced about it. There's no math or jargon or anything. It's light reading - the entertaining findings of a slightly unorthodox economist, that's it. There's a chapter about baby names called "A Roshanda by Any Other Name." That should give you an idea of what it's like. And I hear they've been using it as a textbook in some Econ intro classes as an antidote to reading graphs and memorizing terminology.

On a side note, my friend has done some work on internet gambling. Maybe he'll write another book that people can read on the train. Uh.

I like popular science books. It's fun to dip into areas very diffferent and unrelated to your own. Economics is generally something into which I'm not very interested in delving. Normally I read books on biology (evolution), linguistics, philosophy, and shit like that when I'm not studying music.

But there are a lot of people that have side interests in which they are experts. John Cage was an expert on mushrooms. Nabokov was an expert on butterflies and moths. Morton Feldman was an expert on Turkish rugs. Any other examples?

I should pick something. I choose Victorian doorknobs. Time to go to the library.