Bookworm: Think Like a Freak

By harnessing our inner ‘freak’, we can begin to think more creatively and more productively, write Steven D Levitt and Stephen J Dubner.

What’s the main premise of this book?

From minor lifehacks to global reforms, we could all benefit from new ways to solve problems. But, say Levitt and Dubner, to achieve these potential breakthroughs, we must first stop looking to conventional beliefs and instead look to data for the answers.

Through a blend of storytelling and unconventional analysis, Think Like a Freak seeks to teach us all how to retrain our brains so we can start to see the world a little (or a lot) differently. The premise being that by harnessing our inner ‘freak’, we can begin to think more creatively and more productively.

Do the authors know their stuff?

I’d say so. Prize-winning economist Steven D Levitt and award-winning journalist Stephen J Dubner are the co-authors of New York Times bestselling books Freakonomics and SuperFreakonomics, plus a number of spin-offs including a documentary and a podcast.

What’s wrong with conventional thinking?

When we try to solve problems, most of us are guided by conventional beliefs. The problem is these beliefs are often wrong – which is why we should instead place our trust in statistical evidence. If only we can find the courage…

Levitt and Dubner cite the example of a penalty kick in football to explain why that bravery is needed.

Statistically speaking, the keeper will remain in the centre of the goal mouth only 2% of the time, meaning a kick ‘straight up the middle’ is 7% more likely to be successful than a kick to either corner. Still, only 17% of all penalties in the professional game are aimed towards the centre because ‘common sense’ tells us we should go for the corner.

Plus, a goalkeeper remaining still and catching the ball with zero effort wouldn’t excite much support from the fans, while the penalty taker in this scenario might be vilified, trolled and quite possibly cancelled for not even trying. Hence it takes courage to follow the data instead of the crowd.

How come knowing isn’t enough?

Whatever evidence we have on our side, it won’t prevent us meeting disagreement and differing world views.

Consider a study from the Cultural Cognition Project which found that climate change deniers were more likely to be scientifically literate than ignorant. Not only that, but their good general knowledge made them feel more ‘in the right’ than others and better able to find evidence to support their beliefs.

That’s why an important first step in any argument is to acknowledge that persuasion is difficult. We might then recognise the strengths of our opponent’s argument and explain how we arrived at the opposite point of view – rather than just shouting louder.

How does thinking outside the (in)box help?

 Another interesting example comes in the shape of Nigerian email scams, those that seek to dupe people into sharing their bank details on the promise of a big chunk of cash once a ‘necessary’ transfer has been made.

For most people, the mention of ‘Nigeria’ and ‘banking’ in the same email is enough to set alarm bells ringing. Yet work by the computer scientist Cormac Herley shows there is a good reason criminals still insist on specifying ‘Nigeria’, as it acts as a built-in gullibility test. In other words, the small number of people who still haven’t heard of this scam are also the least likely to pull out mid-swindle, burdening the scammers with unnecessary cost and effort.

Are there some easy life lessons to lift from this book?

Most definitely. Here are a few.

• Admitting that we don’t know something can increase our credibility.

• Be wary of experts; they have the incentive to fake knowledge.

• Redefine the problem; for example, if we’re a competitive eater, from “how do I eat more hotdogs?” to “how do I make hot dogs easier to eat?”

• Think more like a child – have more fun, be more curious, and ask the questions others don’t.

 Finally, letting go of conventional wisdoms such as ‘a winner never quits’ enables us to become much happier.

What am I most likely to say after reading this book?

 “My karma ran over my dogma.”

What am I least likely to say after reading this book?

“What’s wrong with conventional wisdom?”