Praiseworthy
I love the fact that this book interloops humor with serious situations. Had the authors not taken this route of writting, I probably wouldn't have been able to make it through this book.
I also love that they make the strangest connections to things that may seem completely irrelevant to the other. Sumo Wrestlers and teachers, real estate agents and KKK, ha!
Shortcomings
I understand the point of them and appreciate them, but i think the authors make too many side trips to explain their ideas. Each of these chapters had to be 80+ pages long when they could have easily been 35+ pages. Though i guess that counters the point of making a novel (it's supposed to be long).
Friday, April 6, 2012
'Freakenomics' - Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner
Theme
the only theme i can think of is 'American Issues' and where these issues are based from.
the only theme i can think of is 'American Issues' and where these issues are based from.
'Freakenomics' - Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner
Compare
My last book was titles 'Hiroshima'. This book was based on the events that followed several individuals after the bombing of Hiroshima.
What the book about is, alone, already far different from 'Freakonomics'. Frankly the only tie I see between the two is the Sumo Wresling and Japan. That and the fact that they're both non-fiction are the only similarities.
'Freakonomics' is based on american issues and, again, other then the sumo wreling and an iraqy nursery are the only foreign affairs mentioned.
In 'Hiroshima' the only thing that tied it to america was the Red Cross.
There's really not much to compare these two to.
My last book was titles 'Hiroshima'. This book was based on the events that followed several individuals after the bombing of Hiroshima.
What the book about is, alone, already far different from 'Freakonomics'. Frankly the only tie I see between the two is the Sumo Wresling and Japan. That and the fact that they're both non-fiction are the only similarities.
'Freakonomics' is based on american issues and, again, other then the sumo wreling and an iraqy nursery are the only foreign affairs mentioned.
In 'Hiroshima' the only thing that tied it to america was the Red Cross.
There's really not much to compare these two to.
'Freakenomics' - Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner
This book is packed to the binding with relavent and important incidents. So much, in fact, that my brain is turning to mush, just thinking about all the turn-arounds and side trips that were taken to explain them. I will try my best to do the same (minus the side trips and turn-arounds).
Once incident that this book mentions is cheating; that is school wise and sport wise. Levitt and Dubner are constantly bring up the term 'incentives' or reasons behind people actions. I guess in a better definition it would be the encouragment to do something. Anywho... the authors use this to explain why people cheat.
The teachers incentive can either be selfish or un-selfish. Selfishly speaking, the teacher could want better test scores to boost their rep, or better scores to give the school more money, which in turn means more money for them. Then, there are the un-selfich reasons. those would be that the teacher doesn't want their student(s) to fail so they cheat for them. There is also the possibility that the teacher gave hints and tips to the students that allowed them to do better.
Either way, according to the school and the test scorers, this is wrong.
The same goes for sportsmen. Maybe they also have a reputation to protect. maybe winning this match will make the 'hit the big time' and will thus earn them some more money. Again, either way to the fans and the referees, this is wrong (although sometimes the referee can also be bribed to cheat).
Then there is information and the use of said information.
In the KKK and Real Estate Agents chapter, Dubner and Levitt take many explanations to emphasize that information makes a huge difference.
Throughout this chapter the authors compare the KKK's information to Kennedy's information. Obviously, in the end, Kennedy had more information. This was evident becuase he was able to broadcast, live on the radio, information on the KKK. Inside info, meeting and other assortments of information involving the KKK. Thanks to that information, the police (or the ones who werent already involved in the KKK) were able to prevent any violence or violation of rights. Also, thanks to that information, the KKK became much less of a threat because you herd about them every night.
It's like when you get the flu shot every year. It's meant to build up immune systems. Because Kennedy exposed the public to the KKK every night over the radio, they became less of a threat. This lack of a threat greatly weakened the KKK and they, eventually, began to dwindle.
If that isn't enough to prove that information is key, I don't know what is.
Finally, there is "proper parenting".
Any parent would love to recieve a full-length guide on how to parent. However, if such a guide existed, it still faces the possibility of failing with a variaty of children. This is becasue every child is different and need different techniques of parenting to be brought up on.
The there are forms of parenting that are frowned upon now, compared to the past. Lets take the all known punishment, spanking. In the past, spanking was an accepted form of punishment among the parents. Now-a-days, it can be seen as a form of child abuse.
A great example, nit mentioned in the book is a more recent event about a case of child abuse. Maybe 2-3 years ago, a news broadcast mentioned a mom giving her child an ice bath as a form of punishment for, I believe, bad grades or something surrounding school.
To officials, this was seen as child abuse, point-blank. To the mother, howevere, it was seen as a form of punishment.
Even in my case, if my youngest sister brakes something, the length of punishment i could do was a) yell at her, b) smack or hand or c) take away one of her toys. That is it. Had she broken something, say 10 years previously, she would have been spancked.
This brings the whole 'proper punishment' issue into light. What is a proper way to punish one's child? This issue was also mentioned, but neve answered (probably because there really is no good answer).
Parenting will always be an issue, whether it be good or bad parenting.
Once incident that this book mentions is cheating; that is school wise and sport wise. Levitt and Dubner are constantly bring up the term 'incentives' or reasons behind people actions. I guess in a better definition it would be the encouragment to do something. Anywho... the authors use this to explain why people cheat.
The teachers incentive can either be selfish or un-selfish. Selfishly speaking, the teacher could want better test scores to boost their rep, or better scores to give the school more money, which in turn means more money for them. Then, there are the un-selfich reasons. those would be that the teacher doesn't want their student(s) to fail so they cheat for them. There is also the possibility that the teacher gave hints and tips to the students that allowed them to do better.
Either way, according to the school and the test scorers, this is wrong.
The same goes for sportsmen. Maybe they also have a reputation to protect. maybe winning this match will make the 'hit the big time' and will thus earn them some more money. Again, either way to the fans and the referees, this is wrong (although sometimes the referee can also be bribed to cheat).
Then there is information and the use of said information.
In the KKK and Real Estate Agents chapter, Dubner and Levitt take many explanations to emphasize that information makes a huge difference.
Throughout this chapter the authors compare the KKK's information to Kennedy's information. Obviously, in the end, Kennedy had more information. This was evident becuase he was able to broadcast, live on the radio, information on the KKK. Inside info, meeting and other assortments of information involving the KKK. Thanks to that information, the police (or the ones who werent already involved in the KKK) were able to prevent any violence or violation of rights. Also, thanks to that information, the KKK became much less of a threat because you herd about them every night.
It's like when you get the flu shot every year. It's meant to build up immune systems. Because Kennedy exposed the public to the KKK every night over the radio, they became less of a threat. This lack of a threat greatly weakened the KKK and they, eventually, began to dwindle.
If that isn't enough to prove that information is key, I don't know what is.
Finally, there is "proper parenting".
Any parent would love to recieve a full-length guide on how to parent. However, if such a guide existed, it still faces the possibility of failing with a variaty of children. This is becasue every child is different and need different techniques of parenting to be brought up on.
The there are forms of parenting that are frowned upon now, compared to the past. Lets take the all known punishment, spanking. In the past, spanking was an accepted form of punishment among the parents. Now-a-days, it can be seen as a form of child abuse.
A great example, nit mentioned in the book is a more recent event about a case of child abuse. Maybe 2-3 years ago, a news broadcast mentioned a mom giving her child an ice bath as a form of punishment for, I believe, bad grades or something surrounding school.
To officials, this was seen as child abuse, point-blank. To the mother, howevere, it was seen as a form of punishment.
Even in my case, if my youngest sister brakes something, the length of punishment i could do was a) yell at her, b) smack or hand or c) take away one of her toys. That is it. Had she broken something, say 10 years previously, she would have been spancked.
This brings the whole 'proper punishment' issue into light. What is a proper way to punish one's child? This issue was also mentioned, but neve answered (probably because there really is no good answer).
Parenting will always be an issue, whether it be good or bad parenting.
'Freakenomics' - Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner
Elements
In this book, I would have to say that the most important element would be the events. the authors are canstantly using historical or recent events to support their information and statistics. Lets take the KKK and real estate agent chapter. the authors use historical events such as KKK gathering and Kennedy radio broadcasts to support their theory of information being key. Even in the following chapters, the authors use stories about other researchers and other events to support their information. One would have to be oblivious to not know that events are the key element in this novel.
In this book, I would have to say that the most important element would be the events. the authors are canstantly using historical or recent events to support their information and statistics. Lets take the KKK and real estate agent chapter. the authors use historical events such as KKK gathering and Kennedy radio broadcasts to support their theory of information being key. Even in the following chapters, the authors use stories about other researchers and other events to support their information. One would have to be oblivious to not know that events are the key element in this novel.
'Freakenomics' - Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner
MOOD
over all, i would say the mood I felt in this book would have to be, humor.
Even though there were many dark issues brought up, i always found myself chuckling in humor.
In Chapter three i enjoyed the quote "stand a grter chance dying while dealing crack in Chicago housing project than you do while sitting on death row in Texas." as i explained previouslt, this quote astonishes me and emphasizes the danger of drug dealing.
Another quote i enjoyed would be in the second chapter, when the authors list the phrases that the KKK would use to converse. this involved words such as Kludd, Kligrapp and Klabee. I even commented in the margins "what gibberish is this?"
Then there was the other quote in chapter 3: "the typical prostitute earns more than the typical architect."
Though I have mentioned this quote before, it is the only other quote that I enjoyed that wasn't a form of dark homur.
over all, i would say the mood I felt in this book would have to be, humor.
Even though there were many dark issues brought up, i always found myself chuckling in humor.
In Chapter three i enjoyed the quote "stand a grter chance dying while dealing crack in Chicago housing project than you do while sitting on death row in Texas." as i explained previouslt, this quote astonishes me and emphasizes the danger of drug dealing.
Another quote i enjoyed would be in the second chapter, when the authors list the phrases that the KKK would use to converse. this involved words such as Kludd, Kligrapp and Klabee. I even commented in the margins "what gibberish is this?"
Then there was the other quote in chapter 3: "the typical prostitute earns more than the typical architect."
Though I have mentioned this quote before, it is the only other quote that I enjoyed that wasn't a form of dark homur.
Thursday, April 5, 2012
'Freakenomics' - Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner
What Kind of Person are the Authors?
Based on facts from my previous posts and from further examples in 'Freakonomcs' I can surmise that both authors are normally good humored men, but are also professional enough to see the issues in society and face them head on.
The entire 'Freakonomics' book itself is a good example. This book brings up many issues ranging from cheating to "proper parenting". The issues they discuss can be very dark; however the authors find a way to use humor to 'lighten up' the darkness.
Let's take the second chapter where he authors compare the KKK to Real-Estate Agents. In this chapter, the authors do explain what the KKK is and what their actions and beliefs were. While explaining their actions, lynching and radio broadcasts were mentioned. Even bluntly obvious conversation codes were mentioned. However to make the situation seem less dark, they also discuss the actions done my President Kennedy to solve this issue.
Based on facts from my previous posts and from further examples in 'Freakonomcs' I can surmise that both authors are normally good humored men, but are also professional enough to see the issues in society and face them head on.
The entire 'Freakonomics' book itself is a good example. This book brings up many issues ranging from cheating to "proper parenting". The issues they discuss can be very dark; however the authors find a way to use humor to 'lighten up' the darkness.
Let's take the second chapter where he authors compare the KKK to Real-Estate Agents. In this chapter, the authors do explain what the KKK is and what their actions and beliefs were. While explaining their actions, lynching and radio broadcasts were mentioned. Even bluntly obvious conversation codes were mentioned. However to make the situation seem less dark, they also discuss the actions done my President Kennedy to solve this issue.
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