Freakofinal

Freakonomics is a book like no other. It looks at aspects of our society that no one would have thought to look at before, from the names of children to the information attack against the KKK. The authors argue that data is all one needs to explore some of the greatest mysteries of our society. It is easy to hypothesize about the catalyst required to bring down crime, but only the data can show the true reason for this drop. Although I would contend that no matter how much  data we possess, it cannot explain all the mysteries in our world, but it can bring us closer to understand our basic patterns.

 A fascinating section of this book, was the discussion on children's names. All parents like to believe that a children's name has a profound affect on the child's life. If a child has the wrong name, it could hinder them adulthood, or if given the right name, it could give them the extra push to make it big. Freakonomics examined this claim, and came away with the realization that names have very little effect on a child's success. I have a a very standard name which has neither helped nor hindered me, but I was almost named Jasper. Upon hearing this, I was practically relieved at surviving almost being named a name I consider stupid. Something as subjective as a name choice had actually caused me distress. Jasper isn't even that bad a name! Jasper Terreden or Jake Terreden will almost certainly be irrelevant in my life, and yet to this day, after reading the book, I still express gratitude for not being named Jasper. I suppose no matter how much data we are exposed to, we stick to our beliefs, there is something uniquely human about that.

When we think about where we want to end up in life, drug dealer does not usually top our list. Yet drug related gang membership has risen over the past decades, and the authors took a look at a particular gang in Chicago. A student at the University of Chicago, spent months studying the gang, and learning about their inner workings. At one point, he got his hands on a ledger that outlined the entire gang's economic operations. What he discovered was that these gangs had very similar economic systems to our modern capitalist system. A few people at the top of the pyramid have very lucrative jobs while the majority struggle to make three dollars an hour. People working for Amway or the Black Disciples have almost identical lives. They are told if they work hard enough, then they will be among the elite, but many are inevitably disappointed. It was fascinating to see that no matter what part of society we come from, much of what we experience is similar to that of people around the globe.

One experience that a huge portion of our population has in common is the raising of a child. All people wonder how much of an effect they have on a child. Freakonomics examined this issue and came upon  a very interesting finding. What really affected a child's life was not what a parent does, but who a parent. A child with a rich parent, is more likely to be successful in life than one whose parents read to them every night. This can be somewhat disheartening to parents. No matter what they do, it is their life that will affect their child's. Although some parents may be disappointed that their actions will not have a large effect on a child, I like to believe that what really makes a good parent, is a good person,  which is actually a very encouraging sign.

Taken as a whole, I can understand why this book was so revolutionary. It attacked issues no one dared to touch and broke them down so anyone can understand them; that is the beauty of this book. The intended audience is anyone with an open mind and an interest in their society. This wasn't written for intellectuals, it was written for a person who is trying to see the world differently, and I think we all are trying to do that. I would recommend this book to anyone who is curious about how the world works. It is an easy read, and does not talk down to the reader, but rather invites them to see the world as they do; showing them patterns that no one had noticed. It definitely deserved the accolades granted to it.