Superfreakonomics
by Steven D. Levitt · 2009
Steven D. Levitt's take on business, the honest verdict is below.
Worth reading? Levitt and Dubner's second round of 'the hidden side of everything,' weirder and more trivia-driven than the first. Read it for fun on a plane, not for a coherent thesis. Skip it if you wanted Freakonomics's tighter argument, this one wanders.
| Author | Steven D. Levitt |
|---|---|
| Published | 2009 |
| Category | Business & Money |
The Verdict
Levitt and Dubner’s second round of ‘the hidden side of everything,’ weirder and more trivia-driven than the first. Read it for fun on a plane, not for a coherent thesis. Skip it if you wanted Freakonomics’s tighter argument, this one wanders.
anyone weighing whether Superfreakonomics belongs on their business and money shelf
you want a different angle than Steven D. Levitt's
Top 8 Lessons from Superfreakonomics
- Conventional wisdom is usually someone's story, not the data.
- Incentives explain behavior better than morals do, follow the incentive.
- Terrorism is statistically less deadly than everyday hazards we ignore.
- Information changes everything: know more and you act completely differently.
- Cheap, boring fixes (like fertilizer) beat splashy ones for saving lives.
- Names, police timing, and seatbelts have counterintuitive effects on outcomes.
- Experts often defend their field's myths; data doesn't care about their pride.
- Small behavioral nudges produce big shifts in huge systems.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Superfreakonomics worth reading?
Yes for an entertaining read full of surprising stats. No if you want a single strong argument.
What is the main idea of Superfreakonomics?
The world is weirder than the headlines say; follow incentives and data to see the real story.
Who should read Superfreakonomics?
Curious readers who like pop-economics puzzles over a serious textbook.
Should I read Freakonomics first?
Not required, but the first book is tighter. This one is looser and more trivia-heavy.
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