Question
So . . . are we to assume that mankind is innately and universally corrupt? And if so, how corrupt?
The answer may lie in . . . bagels. Consider the true story of a man named Paul Feldman.
Once upon a time, Feldman dreamed big dreams. Trained as an agricultural economist, he wanted to tackle world hunger. Instead, he took a job in Washington, analyzing weapons expenditures for the U.S. Navy. This was in 1962. For the next twenty-odd years, he did more of the same. He held senior-level jobs and earned good money, but he wasn’t fully engaged in his work. At the office Christmas party, colleagues would introduce him to their wives not as “the head of the public research group” (which he was) but as “the guy who brings in the bagels.”
—Freakonomics, Levitt and Dubner
For what purpose do the authors use the bagel example within their argument?
to extend the argument beyond sumo to a broader group of people.
to focus on one person, Paul Feldman, instead of a group of people, sumo wrestlers
to entertain the reader with anecdotes about “the guy who brings in the bagels”
to argue how people’s careers take unexpected turns
The answer may lie in . . . bagels. Consider the true story of a man named Paul Feldman.
Once upon a time, Feldman dreamed big dreams. Trained as an agricultural economist, he wanted to tackle world hunger. Instead, he took a job in Washington, analyzing weapons expenditures for the U.S. Navy. This was in 1962. For the next twenty-odd years, he did more of the same. He held senior-level jobs and earned good money, but he wasn’t fully engaged in his work. At the office Christmas party, colleagues would introduce him to their wives not as “the head of the public research group” (which he was) but as “the guy who brings in the bagels.”
—Freakonomics, Levitt and Dubner
For what purpose do the authors use the bagel example within their argument?
to extend the argument beyond sumo to a broader group of people.
to focus on one person, Paul Feldman, instead of a group of people, sumo wrestlers
to entertain the reader with anecdotes about “the guy who brings in the bagels”
to argue how people’s careers take unexpected turns
Answers
GPT-4o mini
The authors use the bagel example within their argument primarily **to focus on one person, Paul Feldman, instead of a group of people, sumo wrestlers**. The story of Feldman serves to illustrate broader themes about human behavior, motivation, and the complexities of integrity and corruption. By highlighting a single individual's experience, the authors can draw parallels and provide insights that apply to a wide range of scenarios, including the previous discussions about sumo wrestlers and their corrupt practices.
wrong