I'm delighted to announce that today HuffPost Business is presenting a video collaboration (freakoration?) with Stephen Dubner, author of Freakonomics and Super Freakonomics, both co-written with the economist Steven D. Levitt. Dubner embodies many of the qualities we value most at HuffPost, including humor, a willingness to challenge conventional wisdom, and a passion for starting conversations.
Our culture has a way of collectively falling into the groove of conventional wisdom, whether that means seeing everything through the outdated prism of left vs. right, or willfully blinding ourselves to unpleasant or inconvenient facts.
So, this series takes a counterintuitive approach to three very different topics. In his first video, Dubner questions the assumptions behind "locavore logic," the belief that buying food from local farms is better for the environment. Here's how he lays out the conventional argument: "If you buy most of your food from a nearby farm, or grow it yourself, you build a stronger food network, you reduce carbon emissions, and you get some fantastic tomatoes." But do you? Check out the video to see his surprising conclusions. As a locavore proponent, I'm not sure I agree with all of them, but that's the point -- discussion, dialogue, and debate (and fresh produce!).
In the next installment, Dubner asks a question sure to ruffle the feathers of a certain Washington, D.C. resident, of those who would like his job, and of the media establishment endlessly obsessing over his every move (to the exclusion of a lot of very worthy stories): how much does the President of the United States really matter? Here are some of Dubner's answers: On the economy? "The president's actual abilities are extremely limited." Education? "The president's more like a cheerleader than an agenda setter." Settling international conflicts? "Most presidents talk loudly and carry a small stick."
In the third video of the series, citing a study that finds people are more likely to die in the first week of the month than during any other time, Dubner says, "No matter who you are, where you live, or what you do, the first week of the month is the riskiest." Examining this unsettling trend, Dubner finds that its causes go beyond mere coincidence.
The videos, and Dubner's work in general, reinforce an important lesson. It's a lesson I first learned while studying economics at Cambridge and continue to relearn nearly every day: the forces influencing our economic life manifest themselves in many unexpected and surprising ways that challenge a lot of our economic theories. This leads to the second lesson: that conventional wisdom is often dead wrong. The problem is, of course, that assuming it's correct limits the range of our debate and what's considered possible. So, please enjoy the videos and join the conversation. And, as always, use the comments section to let us know what you think.
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Sooo I still think eating locally's better, especially if you're working with an organic, sustainable farm, and of course growing your own is even better than that.The dude also didn't go into detail about what dimensions of crop farming economies of scale apply to. Not enough evidence for me, and not enough numbers cited, not that he said anything incorrect. You just can't address this stuff in a 2-minute video, and de-bunking one facet of the locavore movement without contextualizing it is gonna do more harm than good for the organic movement.
Finally, I do think that there's inherent worth in being connected to the land you're living on by eating food grown on it. And I think it's worthwhile to strengthen local economies and social networks, not government subsidized industrial farms.
A way to reduce CO2 is a way to reduce CO2. There are pros and cons to any change in what we do regarding CO2. Those factors/concerns should be considered. Maybe attacking CO2 on multiple fronts is the best way.
Placing more importance on Carbon dioxide, or a mere handful of issues, is negligent and dangerous. However, I believe the point Never-The-Less is trying to make is that we need to place greater emphasis on the human costs.
I find this to be dangerous and misleading and the very essence of the "tyranny of small decisions."
That would challenge some Republican National Conventional wisdom. And the stupidity of their admiring ignorant masses.
As someone who was in food distribution for twenty years, I am aware of whole extra 'levels' of transportation and storage of produce as it makes its way through the 'national' food system. Not to mention, that you can not directly compare the agricultural practices of large farm production to small farms to say that the large farm is more efficient in producing less carbon emissions, due to economy of scale. Different variables with different results for different purposes come into play. This alone shows not a break from conventional wisdom, rather a falling in line with "common sense" ways of thinking.
This may move me to research and write an article on the matter, a seriously important one. I'm concerned that people will take the logic of the Dubner's argument for granted based not on a full view of the matter. I'll be open-minded on the other videos -- but, not off to a good start with this one.
showing a truck and saying 50 lbs of grapes is irresponsible. you can carry 50 lbs of grapes on a bicycle and no farmer in their right mind would travel 100 miles with just 50 lbs of grapes, especially with 4. a gallon gas, you would go home with less money than what you left with.
Or, everything you wanted to watch on RTV and Al Jazeera, but the democracy were loath to permit?
"the qualities we value most at HuffPost"
hopefully include access to all forms of media.
"As a locavore"
would we be forced to swallow whatever is produced locally? As opposed to the generavore. Who samples the produce from as many sources as possible. The better to gauge quality and worth through comparison.
"discussion, dialogue, and debate"
disable, delude, end democracy.
"a question sure to ruffle the feathers"
Do you think the turkeys will raise an uproar, when they find out these channels have been blocked? Or will the newspapers that previously published Julian’s findings, but are now inexplicably rubbishing him, win them over to our cube-world view?
"The president's actual abilities are extremely limited."
Then no wonder the people’s democratic rights are being ridden over roughshod.
"The president's more like"
the primate, than the handle-driven wheeled piano’s actual operative.
"join the conversation"
by re-establishing downed communication channels through a medium.
why is it so difficult to find coverage of Iraq and Afghanistan at your otherwise incredibly great website?