Steven Levitt, author of Freakonomics, delivered a fascinating talk at TED Global 2005 that really got me thinking. The question I find myself asking this morning is: “How many things do we hold to be true that have no basis in truth?”
Take a few minutes to watch this fascinating presentation sent to me by a friend a couple of days ago:
Our efficiency and effectiveness as a nation and more generally as a race would likely skyrocket were we to relieve ourselves of these types of elements in government, in business and in general thought. More often than not these inefficiencies are born when emotional reactions overshadow logical, rational consideration.
Forget about “too big to fail.” I’m more worried about “too big to use logic.” Stories like the one Mr. Levitt shared in this presentation need to be shared to awaken those who care from an overly trusting slumber.
Gregory Hake 
It can be frustrating to see something that can be improved, but come up against a wall of prejudice or just plain refusal to consider something. It takes some guts and real caring to be willing to “rock the boat” to bring truth to a situation.
So often, we may see something, but then figure, “oh, what could I do.” This story is a great example of the fact that we each can each raise the bar for ourselves and others – there’s no reason to accept mediocre thinking!
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Great prompting! It is definitely worth considering how many truths I hold which may be based in an irrational premise. I expect some things will simply need an update based on a logical look at new data. If there is something I just don’t want to look at for fear of a different conclusion, I’ll take that as a red flag and start to work at it.
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Very interesting. We could all benefit from looking a little deeper at the the reason conclusions are formed!
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Great post! “…overly trusting slumber” is a good description. Good to be aware that we may be putting too much faith, albeit well-meaning, in outdated practices. I was reminded a term you used in a previous post – “honest skeptic”. A great post to revisit for anyone who is interested: https://gregghake.wordpress.com/2010/06/01/the-honest-skeptic-and-the-alternate-plan/
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Valid points worth considering – thanks for sharing the video. It can be accessed through the main TED site for anyone who is having trouble with this link.
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Even if his data may be skewed a little, point well taken. Great consideration!
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That is food for thought! The video quit before it’s conclusion, I will try to find it to see the outcome of his private crash tests. Thanks!
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A much needed wake up call
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