Kkk And Stetson Kennedy's Freakonomics

In chapter 2 of Freakonomics the main argument is that the hoarding of information can be manipulated for personal use. While the chapter includes many examples of this tactic, the majority of it focuses on the history of the KKK and Stetson Kennedy’s efforts to stop it through the reveal of their secrets via radio. The authors explain how the Klan was far less violent than generally thought and relied almost entirely on the reputation of the older more violent Klansmen. Kennedy realized the only way to alter their appearance to the ignorant and fearful public was to make their secrets known. Kennedy understood the power of information and how exposing the Klan’s information would empower the public. In doing so, he severely handicapped the Klan almost to the point of it’s extinction.

For example, agents try to persuade their consumers that lower offers are better offers while knowing the house can sell for far more. In an effort to get you to do as they say, agents manipulate their position and your lack of information to instill fear. They will tell you things such as the market is tanking or a house far better than this was difficult to sell. They will also use words with positive connotations when describing a house with higher or lower selling price in an attempt to make the house more desirable. Although real-estate agents are in no way as terrible as the KKK, they do display a similar strategy when it comes to information. The final part of the chapter discusses more situations involving hoarded information, ranging from how we describe ourselves during interviews to how people vote on The Weakest Link to how we present ourselves on dating