Professor Greg Hess has a great review of Super Freakonomics in The Los Angeles Times. I'm about half the way through -- the book, not the review -- and recommend it thoroughly. Here are the good graffs from the review:
The concepts of "good" and "bad" are also investigated, and both come up short. We learn that TV is neither good nor bad -- in India, there is evidence that it has actually led to social change that has improved women's lives, while in the U.S. there is evidence that increased TV exposure is associated with increases in higher levels of property and violent crime. They also present ample studies that suggest, "People aren't 'good' or 'bad.' People are people and they respond to incentives. They can nearly always be manipulated -- for good or ill -- if only you find the right levers." Hmm. Perhaps this explains why economists are not too popular at dinner parties.
There are a few things, however, that the Steves could have presented better. The opening chapter on the economics of gender delves pretty hard into the costs of being a woman (the economics of prostitution, for example, and the pervasiveness of the male-female wage gap) and does not give much airtime to the benefits. I presume there are some. For example, they could have considered research on the effect that the Pill had on society, and its corresponding impact on women's economic and social opportunities.
"Super Freakonomics" also tiptoes around important public policy debates such as healthcare and doesn't dare venture into any sort of policy prescriptions using the political vernacular of the day. To be fair, however, the book's mantra is applicable to all policy discussions. Namely, unless you understand the individual and market incentives created by policy, the law of unintended consequences will eventually doom all reforms. Take note, Congress as we redraw the map on healthcare and financial regulation (not, I fear, for the last time).
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