I doubt I’m speaking out to turn to say that everyone involved with When the Balloon Goes Up! is a big fan of Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner and the Freakonomics Franchise, but I’ll admit I was a bit worried when I saw the title of “How to Think About Guns” on my iPhone this morning.
If you were going to ask me who I wanted speaking about gun rights on a popular show, A University of Chicago Professor with a degrees from Harvard & MIT and a Journalist that lives in New York, written for the NY Times, taught at Columbia and converted to Judaism would be my 3rd and 4th to last picks (just in front of the president and Dianne Feinstein).
But… They actually do a really great job.
And… Since the source matters, their show could do a lot to educate and change the minds of many of their listeners.
The only point they missed was during a segment talking about the book “Fist, Stick, Knife, Gun” by Geoffrey Canada where they said that the gun is very disruptive, and therefore it doesn’t have a deterrent effect that atomic bombs do.
They claim that when people fight with their hands it is pretty obvious who is going to win, the bigger stronger person, so there is little reason to fight. A gun however adds more uncertainty so a fight is more likely.
I’ll agree IF we are talking about 2 people with ill intent.
If however, one of those people is your grand mother, she is in a position to be the victim of force to everyone bigger or stronger than herself, the gun gives her a say in the outcome. And if her attacker is unarmed ”it is pretty obvious who is going to win, the frail old lady with the gun, so there is little reason to fight.”
As the saying goes…
God made men, but Samuel Colt made them equal
It is definitely worth a listen and should be recommended to your podcast listening friends that are on the fence.
Ron is the Founder and President of When the Balloon Goes Up! He competes regularly in IDPA as an ESP/Expert, his focus is on concealed carry, home defense and analyzing equipment to find “Gear that Just Works!”
