Chapter
Political Spending vs Chewing Gum
09:54 - 15:41 (05:47)
American political campaigns spend $1 billion, which is the same amount the country spends yearly on chewing gum. This is an excerpt from a discussion on fact-checking by Freakonomics Radio.
Clips
The Freakonomics approach sets up a binary between intuitive thinking and data-driven thinking, positioning economics as uniquely capable of seeing the world without the "human nonsense" that comes with asking people.
09:54 - 12:20 (02:25)
Summary
The Freakonomics approach sets up a binary between intuitive thinking and data-driven thinking, positioning economics as uniquely capable of seeing the world without the "human nonsense" that comes with asking people. However, the book is filled with cute anecdotes and try-hard transitions, making it a rush job rather than a well-researched exploration of economics.
ChapterPolitical Spending vs Chewing Gum
EpisodeFreakonomics
PodcastIf Books Could Kill
This podcast episode debates whether comparing the amount of money spent on campaign finance to that spent on chewing gum is a fair argument, given the moral objections to money in politics.
12:20 - 13:26 (01:06)
Summary
This podcast episode debates whether comparing the amount of money spent on campaign finance to that spent on chewing gum is a fair argument, given the moral objections to money in politics.
ChapterPolitical Spending vs Chewing Gum
EpisodeFreakonomics
PodcastIf Books Could Kill
In 1987 the IRS started requiring parents to list their children's Social Security numbers in order to claim child tax deductions.
13:26 - 15:41 (02:15)
Summary
In 1987 the IRS started requiring parents to list their children's Social Security numbers in order to claim child tax deductions. Many parents were caught off guard and had to apply for their children's Social Security numbers, thus resulting in 7 million children 'disappearing' from the tax rolls, which was misconstrued as intentional cheating.