Book Review: Freakanomics
Freakanomics is a book by a self-described "rogue economist" who applies economic analysis of data to non-economic subjects. His subjects for this book include school teachers, sumo wrestlers, crack dealers, crime, real estate agents, the KKK, and parents. This esoteric tapestry of topics is knitted together with fluid storytelling. It seems odd to describe a non-fiction book as a page-turner, but this one is.
Two of the topics appealed to me specifically. First was the topic on real-estate agents. The data that he based his findings on came from the Chicago area - where my mother is a real estate agent. His findings point out the difference in the amount of incentive that an agent has vs a homeowner. If an agent is able to get you an additional $10,000, then it is only worth an additional $150 to the agent. But what his analysis misses is that if the client is unsatisfied with the agent, they are less likely to use the agent again or to refer friends to the agent. Most of my mother's business now comes from referral business rather than walk-in clientele.
The second topic was what makes a perfect parent. Levitt examined a number of factors to determine what factors correlate with academic success. His conclusion is that the factors that correlate most strongly to academic success are what the parents are (highly educated, involved, high SES), but things that parents do are not (spanking, intact family, stay-at-home mom, monitor TV watching). In a lot of ways conclusions like these are a nice safety blanket for if/when I'd decide to slack as a parent. But it is one thing to say that in general what I do doesn't matter, but it is another to decide that you can slack. I guess I'll just remain one of his "overbearing parents."
Two of the topics appealed to me specifically. First was the topic on real-estate agents. The data that he based his findings on came from the Chicago area - where my mother is a real estate agent. His findings point out the difference in the amount of incentive that an agent has vs a homeowner. If an agent is able to get you an additional $10,000, then it is only worth an additional $150 to the agent. But what his analysis misses is that if the client is unsatisfied with the agent, they are less likely to use the agent again or to refer friends to the agent. Most of my mother's business now comes from referral business rather than walk-in clientele.
The second topic was what makes a perfect parent. Levitt examined a number of factors to determine what factors correlate with academic success. His conclusion is that the factors that correlate most strongly to academic success are what the parents are (highly educated, involved, high SES), but things that parents do are not (spanking, intact family, stay-at-home mom, monitor TV watching). In a lot of ways conclusions like these are a nice safety blanket for if/when I'd decide to slack as a parent. But it is one thing to say that in general what I do doesn't matter, but it is another to decide that you can slack. I guess I'll just remain one of his "overbearing parents."
posted by mypetrock at 7:59 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home