Chapter Two of Freakonomics is titled “How Is the Ku Klux Klan Like a Group of Real-Estate Agents?” It deals with the power of information, and more particularly the abuse of information. The K.K.K. part of the story concerns a man named Stetson Kennedy who, in the 1940’s, went undercover and joined the K.K.K. in order to try to dismantle it. Kennedy is now in his late 80’s; we spent some time with him in Florida while researching our book, and thought he was amazing — a forgotten American hero. The wonderful radio show “This American Life” apparently agrees. (We would have said they were wonderful even if they hadn’t agreed; honest.) As of today, the upcoming edition of “This American Life” is scheduled to feature a segment on Stetson Kennedy’s undercover work, as related by Stephen J. Dubner. Find out where and when to listen here, by clicking the “Where to Listen” tab.
Search This Blog
FREAK Shots:
About Freakonomics
Stephen J. Dubner is an author and journalist who lives in New York City.
Steven D. Levitt is a professor of economics at the University of Chicago.
Their book Freakonomics has sold 3 million copies worldwide. This blog, begun in 2005, is meant to keep the conversation going. Recurring guest bloggers include Ian Ayres, Jessica Hagy, Daniel Hamermesh, Sudhir Venkatesh, and Justin Wolfers.
Annika Mengisen is the site editor.
Comment of the Moment
Naked Self-Promotion
Freakonomics is bolstering book sales at airports because it’s sexy, reports TheBookseller.com -- with or without its Turkish cover.
Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything
Archive
Recent Posts
November 18
(0 comments)
Is France Due for Riots?
Photo: cicilief
In my last post, I offered several reasons why the urban riot has gone out of style in the U.S.
However, France will not be spared the sword. I predict that the world will watch French cities light up in youth unrest in 2009, 2010 at the latest … 2011 for sure.
I have been [...]
November 18
(20 comments)
A Beet Paradox
Photo: Darwin Bell
Beets are the new broccoli. Or at least they will be after Obama takes office on January 20, as the president-elect recently revealed his distaste for this vitamin-laden root vegetable. And Obama is not alone: Even as beet salads have become popular in trendy eateries, most American kids I know also reject the [...]
November 18
(0 comments)
Time to Check the Santa Index?
The latest surprise victims of the recession: Small-town Santas.
The latest surprise beneficiaries: Internet psychics.
Incidentally, consumer confidence has fallen to its lowest level ever recorded.
Why ask for toys from Santa when you’re asking a psychic about your chances of getting a pink slip this quarter?
We’re used to watching the TED spread as an indicator of economic [...]
November 17
(2 comments)
The Weirdest Cookbook You Will Ever Need
Shopsin’s is a New York institution, a restaurant that began as a grocery store whose owner, Kenny Shopsin, is colorful, irascible, and talented. It is famous for breakfast but also for its vast, unusual, common-sense menu. From Shopsins.com Shopsin has just written a book that is half cookbook and half memoir, entirely fascinating. I had never sat [...]
November 17
(31 comments)
The Social Upheaval/Zombie Movie Index
Annalee Newitz, editor of the science-fiction blog i09, created a chart showing the number of zombie movies produced annually in the West (mostly the U.S. and Europe) since 1910:
Chart design by Stephanie Fox.
The chart shows several spikes in zombie-movie production that, according to Newitz, “always seem to happen eerily close to historical events involving war [...]
Stuff We Weren't Paid to Endorse
1. Go to Hulu.com. 2. Choose Arrested Development. 3. Start with Season 1 and then watch every episode of all three seasons. 4. You can thank me later. (SJD)
I can scarcely tell a scarlet tanager from Scarlett O’Hara, but The Life of the Skies had me transfixed from the first page. Jonathan Rosen -- who happens to be a friend of mine -- writes with astounding insight, wit, and compassion. The story he tells here is the best kind of odyssey, an outward journey that ends up highlighting the beauty and daring that live inside of us. Here's a Times review of the book, and here's an earlier blog post about the book and the power of suggestion. (SJD)
Even if you don’t have a son fighting in Iraq, even if you don’t read poetry, even if you think you are immune to the power of a mother’s lament – pick up The Warrior and read it right away. Fran Richey has written some of the most powerful stories I’ve ever encountered. It is obvious that her life was changed by living these poems; yours may well be changed by reading them. (SJD)
From the Opinion Blogs
Necessary Steps
Inching Along the Edge of the World
In his last walk of the series, the author manages to avoid stepping out into thin air.
Abstract City
New York Cheat Sheets
All New Yorkers develop tricks that allow them to stay ahead of the pack in daily life. Here I offer some of mine in a couple of handy charts.
Feeds
3 Comments
on page 61 you give the “lynching of blacks” statistics. You should have also shown the “white” statistics as i suspect there wiould be a corelation of the two as they only show how justice has changed over the years. just a thought.
— AnonymousCB
Law firm located in Bucharest, Romania. Our law office has been offering quality services over the past 5 years. Satisfaction of our clients has always been top priority for Alexandru & Partners. Our practice areas includes: Civil, Bussiness & Commercial Law, Real Estate due dilligence reports, Company Formation, Legal Advices. http://www.rolegal.com
— rolegalThe article “The Ku Klux Klan and Real-Estate Agents” reminds me strongly of chapter three of the book which compares the structure of Black Disciples gang to that of a McDonald’s corporation; they both have a hierachy that denotes a group member’s specific jobs and profits. In comparing the Ku Klux Klan to real-estate agents and likewise gangmembers to huge business coorporations, the point is reached that ANY type of organization, whether it be a hate group, an illegal group, or a legitimate group, they all function in a comparable manner, because that is the way that works and allows them to function.
— zilby