Freakanomics chapter 1

This chapter was definitely the most interesting reading of the
entire semester. It was interesting how the author compared teachers
to sumo wrestlers in the terms of lying and cheating. The first real
topic the author dives into is incentives and how there are both good
and bad incentives everyone must choose.

When we apply incentives to teachers, students are now at a loss because
the teachers are not teaching them everything they need to know; instead
they are teaching students to the incentive they need to reach. This is
exactly what state tests that decide whether or not a high school student
can graduate accomplishes. Most teachers are only teaching what students
need to know for the test and nothing more, which is why many teachers
and students oppose standardized state tests. However I don’t believe
state tests are necessarily bad if it did not have such a major impact
on the outcome of a student. If state tests did not decide whether or
not a student can graduate and only served as a measuring stick to where
the student has come in their education, teachers can then freely pursue
their style of teaching, which would enhance their student’s education at
the same time. Also if a student was to score bad in a particular section,
for example math, the school then provides this student with extra help.

Another point that was interesting is how sumo-wrestlers take care of each
other and would even go as far as to murder two people that were going to
bust their underground business just to protect the secrecy of the
business. Basically what I took from this chapter was economics can
effect ones morals beliefs. Also the final point that was made which
was 87% of people are honest is outright ridiculous, if teachers which
are the people parents as well as society trust for educating the future
of our country and sumo-wrestlers who are not viewed as harmful people
are some of the most dishonest people we know, then why would other
ordinary people be more honest.