"Morality represents the way we want the world to work. Economics represents how it actually does."
Freakonomics isn’t your typical economics book. Authors Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner use data to uncover surprising truths about how people behave, often in ways we don’t expect. They explore why schoolteachers and sumo wrestlers cheat, why drug dealers still live with their moms, and how baby names reflect social class.
The big takeaway? People respond to incentives, but not always in ways that make sense on the surface. The book challenges the idea that correlation means causation and shows how looking deeper into data can reveal the real story.
For leaders, decision-makers, and agile practitioners, Freakonomics is a great reminder to question assumptions, think critically, and use data to drive better decisions. It’s an entertaining, eye-opening read that’s just as relevant today as when it was first published.
