2010年3月11日 星期四

Superfreakonomics


After finished reading this book, what I can tell you is that I am surprisingly...........

disappointed.

Maybe I have too much expectation on this book before I picked it up.

Some of the stories are lengthy, distracting and remotely correlated to the topics. For example, one of the topic is "Why should suicide bomber buy life insurance?" The writer quoted a case to illustrate how a computer system was built up in a hospital to analyse data. It is totally unnecessarily to tell the reader about the detailed history of matrix computer and kept emphasizing on its difficulties of set up stage. After all, I am only interested in why a particular behaviour (buy life insurance) would be advantageous to a terrorist. The answer is damn simple and can be concluded in a few sentences. By using the sophisticated matrix computer algorithm to profile terrorists, most of them share a common trait, not buying life insurance. It is reasonable as their families cannot be benefited if they commit suicides, Therefore, in order to lurk in the shadow and not be found by the police, terrorists should spare some money on life insurance.

You know how I feel after reading 38 pages to find such conclusion? I felt myself being cheated!

Luckily, there is bright side of this book. The writer has gathered scientific studies about global warming issue. There are already practical, easily administrated and low cost solutions available. So maybe we can get rid of the《The Day After Tomorrow》 and 《2012》nightmare?

The last story, "Monkeys are people too", talks about an experiment performed by a Chinese scientist. Although it is very interesting and lowered my disappointment on the book to some extent, I cannot help myself to doubt whether the insertion of this "Chinese element" is for political correctness (to sell more in China) or for fun or the combination of both.

4 則留言:

Justin 提到...

Yes. This book is pretty crappy. I wasted a few nights on it...

Hoito 提到...

I still look forward reading it...but as all sequels are no better and your warning, I might not take it very seriously.

Betty 提到...

Yup, just for fun, no need to take it seriously.

Unknown 提到...

really? i don't think i will read it after reading your comment@@