209. Why Do We Settle?

Why does the U.S. use Fahrenheit when Celsius is better? Would you quit your job if a coin flip told you to? And how do you get an entire country to drive on the other side of the road?

SOURCES:Christian Crandall • , professor of psychology at the University of Kansas. Stephen Dubner • , host of Freakonomics Radio • and co-author of the Freakonomics • books. Scott Eidelman • , professor of psychology at the University of Arkansas. David Hume • , 18th century Scottish philosopher. Ellen Langer • , professor of psychology at Harvard University. Steve Levitt • , professor emeritus of economics at the University of Chicago, host of People I (Mostly) Admire, • and co-author of the Freakonomics • books. John McWhorter • , professor of linguistics, English, and comparative literature at Columbia University. Mark Twain • , 19-20th century American writer.

RESOURCES • : • " What Countries Use the Imperial System? • " by William Harris and Sascha Bos ( HowStuffWorks, • 2023). • " UK Quietly Drops Brexit Law to Return to Imperial Measurements • ," by George Parker ( Financial Times, • 2023). • " Heads or Tails: The Impact of a Coin Toss on Major Life Decisions and Subsequent Happiness • ," by Steven D. Levitt ( The Review of Economic Studies, • 2021). • " A ‘Thrilling’ Mission to Get the Swedish to Change Overnight • ," by Maddy Savage ( BBC, • 2018). • " Why We Can’t Quit the QWERTY Keyboard • ," by Rachel Metz ( MIT Technology Review, • 2018). • " Why Americans Still Use Fahrenheit Long After Everyone Else Switched to Celsius • ," by Zack Beauchamp ( Vox, • 2015). • " The Intuitive Traditionalist: How Biases for Existence and Longevity Promote the Status Quo • ," by Scott Eidelman and Christian Crandall ( Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, • 2014). • " What Scientific Concept Would Improve Everybody's Cognitive Toolkit? • " ( Edge, • 2011). • " Mars Probe Lost Due to Simple Math Error • ," by Robert Lee Hotz ( Los Angeles Times, • 1999).

EXTRAS: • " Would You Let a Coin Toss Decide Your Future? • " by Freakonomics Radio • (2013). • " The Upside of Quitting • ," by Freakonomics Radio • (2011).