Economics in reverse is the best way of describing the unconventional method preferred by economist, Steven D. Levitt. While most economists measure social situations and present the data as numbers and graphs Levitt takes anomalies within the data to reveal truths obscured. It’s Levitt’s sociological take on economics that has set him apart from his peers with his heavy focus on incentives, choices, and the consequences they have. Freakonomics mirrors Levitt’s method since it’s a collection of stories
In the popular Japanese sport, sumo wrestlers go head to head in order to obtain a coveted spot at the top of the sumo wrestling bracket. “The sixty-six highest-ranked wrestlers in Japan, comprising the makuuchi and jury divisions, make up the sumo elite. A wrestler near the top of this elite pyramid may earn millions and is treated like royalty.” (Dubner, Levitt 38). Due to these intriguing
The Way and the Religion of the Samurai The rise of the samurai started in japan around 900 B.C. to 250 A.D. They had developed weapons, armor and a code and this evolved into a model for the medieval samurai. Their weapons included bows, arrows and swords. Their armor was made up of a designed helmet, a breastplate, arm, chest and shoulder plates and a belly plate. They used these to either protect or fight against others. they also had multiple religion beliefs and they honored each one. Although
are the fundamentals of life, experts on a subject use their knowledge as an advantage to serve their own wellbeing, and orthodox wisdom is wrong most of the time. This book goes into detail to explain the mindsets of humans, from school teachers to sumo wrestlers, through statistics. Levitt and Dubner claim that when the data is closely examined it can relate to more concepts than originally hypothesized. The style of this informative piece is very precise yet, at the same time, very concise and to
how they are connected, which they do often in the book. Right off the bat in the first chapter of Freakonomics Levitt and Dubner explain to their audience the hidden side of people. By comparing two very different types of people, a teacher and a sumo wrestler and show what they have in common. And to summarize it would be that both parties will cheat given the right situation in order to benefit themselves. Basically what they mean is that no matter who the person is, they will commit a corrupted
In “What do schoolteachers and sumo wrestlers have in common?” authors Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner compare teachers and sumo wrestlers because of the temptation to cheat that they both face. This story introduces the concept of incentives, or rather things that urge people to do the right thing more than they do the wrong thing. They use stories of a day care and a bagel selling man to explain different kinds of incentives and the effects they have on people. A day care in Israel had
Consumers are motivated to spend more when there are incentives present in the form of discounts and special promotions. Their satisfaction in spending less to buy a desired item indicates how incentives work by influencing an individual’s decision making ability. The fact that the item was on a discount enabled the individual to buy it as the reduction in the price of the item was a strong economic incentive. The concept of incentive is present in an everyday life situation as it basically impacts
Extra Credit Assignment: Freakonomics “So if sumo wrestlers, schoolteachers, and day-care parents all cheat, are we to assume that mankind is innately and universally corrupt? And if so, how corrupt?” (Levitt and Dubner 43). In my opinion this rhetorical question summarizes Chapter 1’s findings and poses two different sides of an argument. The author finds that cheating is more common when an individual is placed into a win or lose situation. The incentive to cheat is the concept that an individual
Freakonomics explores multiple circumstances and the difference between correlation and causation. A standout question that the authors delve into asks, “What Do Schoolteachers and Sumo Wrestlers Have in Common?” (15). The authors begin with the Chicago Public School system and standardized testing. The CPS (Chicago Public School system) placed elementary and secondary schools with low test scores on probation, who then “face[ed] the threat of being shut down” (22). As one can realize, some teachers
School teachers, sumo wrestlers, and life are tied together by one aspect, incentives. Incentives are the driving reason behind doing things, much like motivation. Incentives drive people to get what they want/need, even more so when others want/need the same, which sometimes involving finding loopholes. The author starts with the daycare example. For just a $3 fine, parents could not have the guilt of picking up their child late. The (negative) incentive was not high enough, considering more parents
energy. Basically giving the idea that Pepsi is for real winners. The Sumo wrestlers had one thing in mind and that is to drink this powerful drink. So they went ahead and played for the drink. Apparently, the Sumo wrestlers ended up winning which symbolizes that the thirst for Pepsi brings the best out of people. Although, the commercial
“If you’re not cheating, you’re not trying.” This is a quote from Eddie Guerrero, a former WWE wrestler who passed on at the peak of his wrestling career due to heart failure. This quote is very true as it is easy to do the right thing, but in order to do the wrong thing, people have to try and get away with cheating. People of our economy try to cheat, steal, and try to get away with things that in the name of the law aren’t permitted. Sometimes what some people may not consider as cheating may
When you think of fierce animals fighting for the top spot of the Safari or beautiful cherry blossoms flowing over a river, does Africa and Japan come to mind? If so you are correct, these two places share similarities and differences but still thrive because from their ancient history. All humans descend from ancient Africa, to keep track of history, griots pass it down to each generation. Africa was best known for their landforms such as the Sahara Desert, Nile River, Congo Rainforest, and the
you as disgraceful that Chicago schoolteachers… will cheat- a teacher, ater all, is meant to instill values along with the facts- then the thought of cheating among sumo wrestlers may also be deeply disturbing.” A sumo wrestler maintains a ranking that affects the amount of income they receive, and how large an entourage they carry. Sumo wrestlers who have a higher ranking and who will still keep their ranking if they let their opponents win, will cheat to let them
Media, 25 Oct. 2010. Web. 02 Apr. 2014. "Drinking Protein Shakes: How They Can Help You Build Muscle." / Fitness / Strength Training. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2014. Vitamin Shoppe®. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014. "What Sumo Eat: The Sumo Wrestler Bulk-up Diet." What Sumo Eat: The Sumo Wrestler Bulk-up Diet. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014. "WWE Pro Wrestler John Cena Workout Routine." Muscle & Strength. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014.
historical background of types of Japanese martial arts such as karate-do, jujutsu, aikido, and kenjutsu, the progression of the arts and a break from their origins, and eventually their place in Japanese sports and society today (karate, judo, kendo, and sumo), we will see how Japanese martial arts shifted back and forth between military and physical philosophy, and pacifist and Zen-like philosophy. To begin, it is generally difficult to pinpoint a consensus date for the commencement of a martial arts
activities. Authors has tried to relate economics with day to day activity. It also guides individual about how to understand and interpret things correctly and behave accordingly. There are six chapters in book first is about how school teachers & sumo wrestlers cheat? Second chapter is about how real estate agents behave and manipulate their customers for their own benefits. Third chapter is about why crack dealers still live with their moms? This part explains entire working system of crack dealing
Dunbar. Levitt describes the book as a effort to “strip away a layer or two from the surface of modern life and see what is happening underneath.” He does this by taking two seemingly unrelated events and associates them. From comparing teachers and sumo wrestlers, to inquiring why crack dealers still live with their mothers Levitt and Dunbar manage to successfully put a spin on conventional wisdom by looking at it through very different perspectives. Unlike most books this book has no central idea
Japanese Living Lifestyle and Cultures Japan is an archipelago, an island nation in the Pacific Ocean. Japan is separated from the east coast of Asia by the Sea of Japan. Japan consists of over 6,800 islands and suffers 1,500 earthquakes every year. Most of Japan’s islands are also mountains, and most mountains are volcanoes. Japan has about 200 volcanoes, 60 of which are still active (Somervill, 2012). Japan covers a total area of 145,882 square miles, making it about the size of the state
For this reason, low sumo squats aid in augmenting the size of your muscles and even their force. In order to perform this properly, make sure that your feet maintain a broad pose while the toes are appear at an angle. Next, lower yourself and hold the heavier weight by bowing