summary ofThink Like a FreakBook by Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner

first KEY POINT

The only way to facilitate change is by thinking like a Freak

Many people need to work together toward one goal when solving large-scale issues. You probably think that’s impossible.

The truth is any change requires a shift in thinking. We must think rationally and creatively — like a Freak — to get insight into the world’s processes and try to fix the most pressing problems.Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner suggest a new way of thinking with an economic approach. It’s free of biases, based on data, and simple to adopt. According to them, understanding incentives is the first step to deciphering and solving an issue. We must also understand where to look for relevant data to unravel the complexities of our world.Unfortunately, a lot of facts we accept as common knowledge are wrong. Therefore, we must question what we know to prevent biases from influencing our decisions. Another barrier to rational thinking is believing that if things are related, one must cause the other.Sometimes, agreeing with your social circle is easy, especially on complex or controversial issues. Who wants to argue about the local-food movement with their in-laws? However, a herd mentality is an enemy of change, which we’ll discuss later.This summary offers advice on thinking like a Freak, whether you’re solving minor daily problems or global issues. Of course, you must be ready to face downsides when these strategies lead to disagreements. However, lingering difficulties require new solutions. So hop on and start thinking like a Freak!