SuperFreakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything

Content Warning: SuperFreakonomics includes discussions of sensitive topics such as sex work, suicide bombings, maternal mortality, climate disaster, and public health crises.

The introduction begins by covering the lesser-known peril of “walking drunk.” Though most people are aware of the danger of driving drunk, the individual risks of drunk driving are lower compared to drunk walking. This example is used to show the sometimes unexpected factors that play into microeconomics, the chosen field of the two authors. In a vacuum, the best decision a drunk person could make would be to drive home instead of walking. However, because no one exists in a vacuum, the risks to others in driving drunk compel people to choose to walk instead.

Next, the introduction widens the focus to point out the global plight of women, specifically in India. Many factors interact to create massive gender inequity in India, including poverty, sexism, high birthrates, and domestic violence. However, this situation has been improving due to the influence of television. The authors observe that as televisions become more commonly available in rural Indian communities, women gain access to examples of more equitable societies and therefore become less willing to tolerate violence or have a large number of children.