The book Freakonomics is written by economist Steven D. Levitt and journalist Stephen J. Dubner. It discusses various topics in today’s society that are often over looked. They ask the questions that most people never dare to ask.
In chapter one, the authors explain how everyday people find themselves cheating as a way to move up the ladder and benefit financially. This happens more frequently when the incentives they are promised, outweigh their moral compasses. An incentive is defined by Webster’s dictionary as, “something that incites or has a tendency to incite to determination or action”. The authors talk about three types of incentives: economic, social, and moral. When it comes to economic incentives, this deals with anything that drives a person to behave like a functioning member of society. For example, paying your bills to avoid foreclosure, obeying the law to avoid imprisonment, or following traffic laws to avoid receiving fines. When dealing with social incentive, this is the way people …show more content…
The fact that you thought about getting the parenting book and preparing makes you a good parent. He also talks about how as parents’ people tend to overlook certain hazards as opposed to more realistic ones. For instance, Levitt give the example of a mother forbidding her child to go on play date at the one child’s house because their parent has a gun. Yet, all the while allowing that same child to go on a playdate with a child that had pool. Levitt speaks about how that child is 100% more likely to drown in that pool that to be accidently shot by that gun. Parents do all that they can to ensure that their child is safe and have a great life. Levitt conducted studies and gathered data to show whether or not a child would perform well in school. He found that for children to succeed, most of the parenting is accomplished before the child is even
In chapter one, the authors explain how everyday people find themselves cheating as a way to move up the ladder and benefit financially. This happens more frequently when the incentives they are promised, outweigh their moral compasses. An incentive is defined by Webster’s dictionary as, “something that incites or has a tendency to incite to determination or action”. The authors talk about three types of incentives: economic, social, and moral. When it comes to economic incentives, this deals with anything that drives a person to behave like a functioning member of society. For example, paying your bills to avoid foreclosure, obeying the law to avoid imprisonment, or following traffic laws to avoid receiving fines. When dealing with social incentive, this is the way people …show more content…
The fact that you thought about getting the parenting book and preparing makes you a good parent. He also talks about how as parents’ people tend to overlook certain hazards as opposed to more realistic ones. For instance, Levitt give the example of a mother forbidding her child to go on play date at the one child’s house because their parent has a gun. Yet, all the while allowing that same child to go on a playdate with a child that had pool. Levitt speaks about how that child is 100% more likely to drown in that pool that to be accidently shot by that gun. Parents do all that they can to ensure that their child is safe and have a great life. Levitt conducted studies and gathered data to show whether or not a child would perform well in school. He found that for children to succeed, most of the parenting is accomplished before the child is even