What do schoolteachers and sumo wrestlers have in common?

Such questions of human curiosity (and a muffled personal guffaw given the career choice of one of my close family members) are addressed in the book Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner.

Frankly, this is one book I wish everyone would read. In a quick and easy flowing way, Freakonomics pokes a sharp stick at everything from abortion and the Ku Klux Klan to chewing gum and Listerine. Although I had heard positive reports on the book previously, it was the personal recommendation of an old friend Dan on his blog that convinced me to pick it up. I believe that if everyone read this book there would be a sharp decline in rash, sheep-like assumptions you often see when looking at a large group. Then again, the authors would likely set me straight over this assertion stating that I was not able to show causality and the two were merely effects of another cause, such as greater access to education giving children a higher level of literacy skills, instilling curiosity and enough independent thought to ask the question “why?”

The depiction of ‘expert’ doctors up-selling their services to more costly, if ever slightly unnecessary ones reminded me of my Grandmother’s anecdotes of how doctors set out to make you sick with the intention of charging to make you better afterwards. Thank you Freakonomics, my Nan has now been vindicated.

I began reading Freakonomics early this morning and had completed the book by the late afternoon, while still finding time to complete both the day’s necessities and niceties (Boost’s new Two & Five juice is divine). It’s an enjoyable, easy read that strives to make you question conventional wisdom and I highly recommend it.