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If you have ever watched the famous TV show Suits, there is a conversation in the first minutes of the pilot episode that references Freakonomics. You might not even remember that. Also, if you search on Google or YouTube for top books to start about economics, Freakonomics will be recommended in both cases. So, what is that weird name about that such a successful TV show decided to start its first episode from Freakonomics? Did they just test how intelligent their audience was, or was it advertising to boost the sales of the book? Let’s figure it out.

The term ‘Freakonomics’ was coined by none other than Steven D. Levitt, a distinguished Professor of Economics at the University of Chicago, and Stephen J. Dubner, an acclaimed author and journalist who has made his mark at The New York Times. Their book, which was first published in 2005, predates the pilot episode of Suits by six years. This timeline alone should dispel any notion that the show was merely advertising the book. The breadth and depth of the topics the authors delve into in their book testify to its natural popularity.

Back to the term, it proposes a way of thinking about circumstances by reading data using economic analytical tools. Determining what qualitative data is, how you measure it, and what you consider a unit of measure in that data – could provide you with an objective answer to some freakish question (that’s where the name Freakonomics comes from). Below you can see those freakish questions that the book covers. In case it will increase your interest in the book:

• _{What Do Schoolteachers and Sumo Wrestlers Have in Common?}
• _{How Is the Ku Klux Klan Like A Group of Real-Estate Agents?}
• _{Why Do Drug Dealers Still Live with Their Moms?}
• _{Where Have all the Criminals Gone?}
• _{What Makes A Perfect Parent?}
• _{Perfect Parenting, Part II; or: Would a Roshanda By Any Other Name Smell As Sweet?}

The authors doubt conventional wisdom on every topic that the question covers. They explore in depth how so-called ‘experts’ are trying to manipulate us by relying on human emotions. By seeding fear in society, they want to transform their theory into conventional wisdom to get professional recognition and followers on their blogs with subscriptions.

‘If you can question something that people really care about and find an answer that may surprise them—that is, if you can overturn the conventional wisdom-then you may have some luck’

_Freakonomics

Overall

Ultimately, ‘Freakonomics’ doesn’t teach traditional economics; instead, it shows how economic principles influence our daily decisions and societal norms. This approach makes it a recommended starting point for beginners interested in economics – not because it teaches economics per se, but because it reveals the subject’s relevance and impact. Whether or not it deepens your interest in economic theory, it will certainly enhance your understanding of how economic factors shape our world. At least you will avoid ‘experts’ opinions.