209. Why Do We Settle?
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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).