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488 reviews for:
Think Like a Freak: The Authors of Freakonomics Offer to Retrain Your Brain
Steven D. Levitt
3.7 AVERAGE
488 reviews for:
Think Like a Freak: The Authors of Freakonomics Offer to Retrain Your Brain
Steven D. Levitt
3.7 AVERAGE
Easily the worst of the trilogy. The last pages hinted this might be the last book and I hope they stick to it. There is little original research that I haven't come across in other books. they attempt to establish and underlying theme and fail miserably at it. As a true fan of the first two books I have to say that the time has come to stop milking this cow for all its worth. The popularization of behavioural economics and pop culture sociology has crowded out the market and there isn't enough research being completed fast enough for all the books being pumped out by Ariely, Pink, Kahnmen and the authors of this book.
This was a short read, stretched out at times unnecessarily and read like a magazine or series of blog posts. I hope they continue with the podcasts and blogging but until they complete some original research and add some much needed humility, I hope they let this brand die in peace.
This was a short read, stretched out at times unnecessarily and read like a magazine or series of blog posts. I hope they continue with the podcasts and blogging but until they complete some original research and add some much needed humility, I hope they let this brand die in peace.
I'm a huge fan of Freakonomics, and I couldn't wait to start reading this book. Just as the hosts are engaging on their podcast, I was so happy to see the same narrative style of equal mix casual, funny, and informative present in the book. I really enjoyed reading the book, and the examples they provided. Even though I heard these examples on their podcast, the authors expanded on it further in the book, and I enjoyed the revelations.
The book also makes a list of things to consider when it comes to "thinking outside of the box" (a phrase I hate so much because its overused for the most nonsensical reasons, but somehow I accept it from the authors because they do know what they're talking about). It was surprising to me to find out how basic these steps are. They're things that we grow out of, that needs remembering again.
And that's another thing the duo touch on; how to grow from your mistakes and to make the best from these experiences.
Always easy and engaging, this is a must read. I can't wait to read their other books.
You can check out more book reviews on my book blog A Reading Kabocha.
The book also makes a list of things to consider when it comes to "thinking outside of the box" (a phrase I hate so much because its overused for the most nonsensical reasons, but somehow I accept it from the authors because they do know what they're talking about). It was surprising to me to find out how basic these steps are. They're things that we grow out of, that needs remembering again.
And that's another thing the duo touch on; how to grow from your mistakes and to make the best from these experiences.
Always easy and engaging, this is a must read. I can't wait to read their other books.
You can check out more book reviews on my book blog A Reading Kabocha.
I liked their other two books and I look Jed this one as well but I think I preferred the story telling aspects of the others more.
I love the Freakology books. They really do give a new perspective on life events and are really interesting. I also like how the book is formatted through storytelling to make heavier subjects easier to absorb.
A good read that perhaps is too much of a collection of stories that you've already read in the other books to be perfect. There are certainly some good ideas here though. Worth reading and trying to apply some of their helpful suggestions.
The book "Think Like a Freak" was truly captivating—I breezed through it in less than a week. The abundance of intriguing facts and insightful explanations about human behavior through data really appealed to my love for such information. I love data. I particularly appreciated the sections that encouraged us to delve into the root causes of problems rather than just their effects.Another intriguing part was the advice to maintain the curiosity of a child and approach problems with a childlike mindset. But my absolute favorite was the concept of teaching your garden to weed itself out—to subconsciously trick someone into revealing their intentions/motive/or standings.
I will definitely read the other books
I will definitely read the other books
I read the first two Freakonomics books around 8 years ago, and Freakonomics Radio is one of my favorite podcasts, so when I saw this on a library shelf I decided to check it out. Like its predecessors, this book presents a creative style of problem-solving that often runs counter to our intuitions yet produces positive results.
The distinctive perspective the authors bring as economists, while useful, does have its blind spots. They portray morality as something that should be pushed aside for policymaking purposes, failing to recognize that the goals of the policies they recommend are derived from their own particular moral frameworks. This results in some conclusions that I find questionable, such as an endorsement of racial profiling for terrorists and a celebration of quitting that ignores the societal value of following through on commitments. The authors also have a certain kind of arrogance common among economists, where they think of their conclusions as being objectively right because they were reached scientifically and dismiss those who disagree as irrational.
Nonetheless, I enjoyed reading this and I think Levitt and Dubner provide a valuable perspective on solving problems and identifying solutions.
The distinctive perspective the authors bring as economists, while useful, does have its blind spots. They portray morality as something that should be pushed aside for policymaking purposes, failing to recognize that the goals of the policies they recommend are derived from their own particular moral frameworks. This results in some conclusions that I find questionable, such as an endorsement of racial profiling for terrorists and a celebration of quitting that ignores the societal value of following through on commitments. The authors also have a certain kind of arrogance common among economists, where they think of their conclusions as being objectively right because they were reached scientifically and dismiss those who disagree as irrational.
Nonetheless, I enjoyed reading this and I think Levitt and Dubner provide a valuable perspective on solving problems and identifying solutions.
Great stories, some cool ideas and you can find most of them for free on the Freakonomics podcast on iTunes. The best parts of the book are "The Three Hardest Words", "The Upside of Quitting", and "What do King Solomon and David Lee Roth Have in Common?"
I don't really think they achieved what they set out to do. Maybe my mistake was that I had already listened to all the "book club" sort of podcasts they had published before I read the actual book. So while reading I knew most of what they were about to say. Combine with that my regular listening of every word they say and reading every word they write I was pretty much guessing what they were about to say next. It was like taking the same course the next time. You may do well in it, but its just not fun.