
Why Superman Doesn't Take Over the World
What Superheroes Can Tell Us About Economics
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed

Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Buy for $17.19
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Mike Chamberlain
-
By:
-
J. Brian O'Roark
About this listen
Why do heroes fight each other? Why do villains keep trying even though they almost never win? Why don't heroes simply take over the world?
Economics and comic books seem to be a world apart. But in the hands of economics professor and comic hero aficionado J. Brian O'Roark, the two form a powerful alliance. With brilliant deadpan enthusiasm, he shows how the travails of superheroes can explain the building blocks of economics and how the laws of economics explain the mysteries of superhero behavior.
Superman has a day job because of elastic demand; Spiderman's existential doubts are all about opportunity cost; game theory sheds light on the battle between Captain America and Iron Man; the Peltzmann effect makes sense of why heroes can go to the bad; sunk cost fallacy explains the Flash's tragic dilemmas; the utility curve helps us decide who is the greatest superhero of all.
Why Superman Doesn't Take Over the World: What Superheroes Can Tell Us About Economics probes the motivations of our favorite heroes and considers what it would look like if their stories played out in reality.
©2019 J. Brian O'Roark (P)2019 TantorListeners also enjoyed...
-
Freakonomics
- Revised Edition
- By: Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner
- Narrated by: Stephen J. Dubner
- Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Levitt and co-author Stephen J. Dubner show that economics is, at root, the study of incentives: how people get what they want, or need, especially when other people want or need the same thing. In Freakonomics, they explore the hidden side of...well, everything. The inner working of a crack gang...the truth about real-estate agents...the secrets of the Klu Klux Klan. What unites all these stories is a belief that the modern world is even more intriguing than we think. All it takes is a new way of looking, and Freakonomics will redefine the way we view the modern world.
-
-
Good, but be careful
- By Shackleton on 07-03-08
By: Steven D. Levitt, and others
-
Think Like a Freak
- The Authors of Freakonomics Offer to Retrain Your Brain
- By: Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner
- Narrated by: Stephen J. Dubner
- Length: 7 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The New York Times best-selling Freakonomics changed the way we see the world, exposing the hidden side of just about everything. Now, with Think Like a Freak, Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner have written their most revolutionary book yet. With their trademark blend of captivating storytelling and unconventional analysis, they take us inside their thought process and offer a blueprint for an entirely new way to solve problems. The topics range from business to philanthropy to sports to politics, all with the goal of retraining your brain.
-
-
Very little new material - deceptively short
- By Joshua on 05-15-14
By: Steven D. Levitt, and others
-
How to Be Perfect
- The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question
- By: Michael Schur
- Narrated by: Michael Schur, Kristen Bell, D'Arcy Carden, and others
- Length: 9 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Most people think of themselves as “good", but it’s not always easy to determine what’s “good” or “bad” - especially in a world filled with complicated choices and pitfalls and booby traps and bad advice. Fortunately, many smart philosophers have been pondering this conundrum for millennia, and they have guidance for us. With bright wit and deep insight, How to Be Perfect explains concepts like deontology, utilitarianism, existentialism, ubuntu, and more, so we can sound cool at parties and become better people.
-
-
Some philosophy, lots of politics
- By NJDad on 02-02-22
By: Michael Schur
-
Thou Shall Prosper
- Ten Commandments for Making Money, 2nd Edition
- By: Rabbi Daniel Lapin
- Narrated by: A.C. Fellner
- Length: 17 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The ups and downs of the economy prove Rabbi Daniel Lapin's famous principle that the more things change, the more we need to depend upon the things that never change. There's no better source for both practical and spiritual financial wisdom than the time-tested knowledge found in the ancient Jewish faith and its culture. In the second edition of Thou Shall Prosper, Lapin offers a practical approach to creating wealth based on the established principles of ancient Jewish wisdom.
-
-
Religous references are great, personal views not
- By Jimi Hove on 03-12-22
-
Bullshit Jobs
- A Theory
- By: David Graeber
- Narrated by: Christopher Ragland
- Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Does your job make a meaningful contribution to the world? In the spring of 2013, David Graeber asked this question in a playful, provocative essay titled “On the Phenomenon of Bullshit Jobs”. It went viral. After a million online views in 17 different languages, people all over the world are still debating the answer.
-
-
Incredibly disappointing...
- By Jordan Burton on 12-21-18
By: David Graeber
-
Quit
- The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away
- By: Annie Duke
- Narrated by: Annie Duke
- Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Quit, Duke teaches you how to get good at quitting. Drawing on stories from elite athletes like Mount Everest climbers, founders of leading companies like Stewart Butterfield, the CEO of Slack, and top entertainers like Dave Chappelle, Duke explains why quitting is integral to success, as well as strategies for determining when to hold 'em, and when to fold 'em, that will save you time, energy, and money.
-
-
LOTS of FILLER and the message sometimes gets lost
- By JLSeattle on 12-04-22
By: Annie Duke
-
Freakonomics
- Revised Edition
- By: Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner
- Narrated by: Stephen J. Dubner
- Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Levitt and co-author Stephen J. Dubner show that economics is, at root, the study of incentives: how people get what they want, or need, especially when other people want or need the same thing. In Freakonomics, they explore the hidden side of...well, everything. The inner working of a crack gang...the truth about real-estate agents...the secrets of the Klu Klux Klan. What unites all these stories is a belief that the modern world is even more intriguing than we think. All it takes is a new way of looking, and Freakonomics will redefine the way we view the modern world.
-
-
Good, but be careful
- By Shackleton on 07-03-08
By: Steven D. Levitt, and others
-
Think Like a Freak
- The Authors of Freakonomics Offer to Retrain Your Brain
- By: Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner
- Narrated by: Stephen J. Dubner
- Length: 7 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The New York Times best-selling Freakonomics changed the way we see the world, exposing the hidden side of just about everything. Now, with Think Like a Freak, Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner have written their most revolutionary book yet. With their trademark blend of captivating storytelling and unconventional analysis, they take us inside their thought process and offer a blueprint for an entirely new way to solve problems. The topics range from business to philanthropy to sports to politics, all with the goal of retraining your brain.
-
-
Very little new material - deceptively short
- By Joshua on 05-15-14
By: Steven D. Levitt, and others
-
How to Be Perfect
- The Correct Answer to Every Moral Question
- By: Michael Schur
- Narrated by: Michael Schur, Kristen Bell, D'Arcy Carden, and others
- Length: 9 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Most people think of themselves as “good", but it’s not always easy to determine what’s “good” or “bad” - especially in a world filled with complicated choices and pitfalls and booby traps and bad advice. Fortunately, many smart philosophers have been pondering this conundrum for millennia, and they have guidance for us. With bright wit and deep insight, How to Be Perfect explains concepts like deontology, utilitarianism, existentialism, ubuntu, and more, so we can sound cool at parties and become better people.
-
-
Some philosophy, lots of politics
- By NJDad on 02-02-22
By: Michael Schur
-
Thou Shall Prosper
- Ten Commandments for Making Money, 2nd Edition
- By: Rabbi Daniel Lapin
- Narrated by: A.C. Fellner
- Length: 17 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The ups and downs of the economy prove Rabbi Daniel Lapin's famous principle that the more things change, the more we need to depend upon the things that never change. There's no better source for both practical and spiritual financial wisdom than the time-tested knowledge found in the ancient Jewish faith and its culture. In the second edition of Thou Shall Prosper, Lapin offers a practical approach to creating wealth based on the established principles of ancient Jewish wisdom.
-
-
Religous references are great, personal views not
- By Jimi Hove on 03-12-22
-
Bullshit Jobs
- A Theory
- By: David Graeber
- Narrated by: Christopher Ragland
- Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Does your job make a meaningful contribution to the world? In the spring of 2013, David Graeber asked this question in a playful, provocative essay titled “On the Phenomenon of Bullshit Jobs”. It went viral. After a million online views in 17 different languages, people all over the world are still debating the answer.
-
-
Incredibly disappointing...
- By Jordan Burton on 12-21-18
By: David Graeber
-
Quit
- The Power of Knowing When to Walk Away
- By: Annie Duke
- Narrated by: Annie Duke
- Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Quit, Duke teaches you how to get good at quitting. Drawing on stories from elite athletes like Mount Everest climbers, founders of leading companies like Stewart Butterfield, the CEO of Slack, and top entertainers like Dave Chappelle, Duke explains why quitting is integral to success, as well as strategies for determining when to hold 'em, and when to fold 'em, that will save you time, energy, and money.
-
-
LOTS of FILLER and the message sometimes gets lost
- By JLSeattle on 12-04-22
By: Annie Duke
-
Mastering Yourself
- How to Align Your Life with Your True Calling & Reach Your Full Potential
- By: Corey Wayne
- Narrated by: Corey Wayne
- Length: 17 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This audiobook teaches you the hidden secrets of self-reliance to reach your full potential and accomplish your grandest goals and dreams. It will help you to discover your true purpose and calling in life. How to get any job or career you want. How you can get the upper hand in any personal or professional negotiation. The ultimate time-management strategy that will help you maximize the use of your time, enable you to focus on your core competencies, and reach your goals in the quickest, most efficient way possible.
-
-
Misleading title
- By Joshua K. on 03-07-18
By: Corey Wayne
-
The Wisdom of Crowds
- Why the Many Are Smarter Than the Few and How Collective Wisdom Shapes Business, Economies, Societies and Nations
- By: James Surowiecki
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this endlessly fascinating book, New Yorker columnist James Surowiecki explores a deceptively simple idea that has profound implications: large groups of people are smarter than an elite few, no matter how brilliant. Groups are better at solving problems, fostering innovation, coming to wise decisions, even predicting the future.
-
-
An Excellent Read !!!
- By Roman on 06-05-04
By: James Surowiecki
-
When to Rob a Bank
- ...And 131 More Warped Suggestions and Well-Intended Rants
- By: Steven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner
- Narrated by: Stephen J. Dubner, Steven D. Levitt, Erik Bergmann
- Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
When Freakonomics was initially published, the authors started a blog - and they've kept it up. The writing is more casual, more personal, even more outlandish than in their books.
-
-
this book is free on the blog and podcast.
- By S on 05-12-15
By: Steven D. Levitt, and others
-
The Art of Strategy
- A Game Theorist's Guide to Success in Business and Life
- By: Barry J. Nalebuff, Avinash K. Dixit
- Narrated by: Matthew Dudley
- Length: 17 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Game theory means rigorous strategic thinking. It’s the art of anticipating your opponent’s next moves, knowing full well that your rival is trying to do the same thing to you. Though parts of game theory involve simple common sense, much is counterintuitive, and it can only be mastered by developing a new way of seeing the world. Using a diverse array of rich case studies - from pop culture, TV, movies, sports, politics, and history - the authors show how nearly every business and personal interaction has a game-theory component to it.
-
-
Completely misleading title
- By Motorjaw on 01-28-15
By: Barry J. Nalebuff, and others
-
The Honest Truth About Dishonesty
- How We Lie to Everyone - Especially Ourselves
- By: Dan Ariely
- Narrated by: Simon Jones
- Length: 8 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Does the chance of getting caught affect how likely we are to cheat? How do companies pave the way for dishonesty? Does collaboration make us more honest or less so? Does religion improve our honesty? Most of us think of ourselves as honest, but, in fact, we all cheat. From Washington to Wall Street, the classroom to the workplace, unethical behavior is everywhere. None of us is immune whether it's the white lie to head off trouble or padding our expense reports.
-
-
Disappointed
- By Emily on 12-29-12
By: Dan Ariely
-
Addicted to Outrage
- By: Glenn Beck
- Narrated by: Glenn Beck
- Length: 15 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Addicted to Outrage, New York Times best-selling author Glenn Beck addresses how America has become more and more divided - both politically and socially. Americans are now less accepting, less forgiving, and have lost faith in many of the country's signature ideals. They are quick to point a judgmental finger at the opposing party, are unwilling to doubt their own ideologies, and refuse to have any self-awareness whatsoever. Beck states that this current downward spiral will ultimately lead to the destruction of everything America has fought so hard to preserve.
-
-
Best Audible book ever!
- By Cheryl on 09-21-18
By: Glenn Beck
-
Stealing America
- What My Experience with Criminal Gangs Taught Me about Obama, Hillary, and the Democratic Party
- By: Dinesh D'Souza
- Narrated by: Dinesh D'Souza, Andrew Klavan
- Length: 11 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In the fall of 2014, outspoken pundit, author, and filmmaker Dinesh D'Souza found himself hauled into federal court for improperly donating money to a friend who was running for the Senate. D'Souza pleaded guilty, apologized for his offense, and was sentenced to eight months in a state-run confinement center near his home in San Diego. In the facility, he lived among hardened criminals - drug dealers, thieves, gangbangers, rapists, and murderers.
-
-
Is it already too late?
- By Jenny on 04-30-16
By: Dinesh D'Souza
-
Them
- Why We Hate Each Other - and How to Heal
- By: Ben Sasse
- Narrated by: Ben Sasse
- Length: 9 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Something is wrong. We all know it. American life expectancy is declining for a third straight year. Birth rates are dropping. Nearly half of us think the other political party isn’t just wrong; they’re evil. We’re the richest country in history, but we’ve never been more pessimistic. What’s causing the despair? In Them, bestselling author and U.S. senator Ben Sasse argues that, contrary to conventional wisdom, our crisis isn’t really about politics. It’s that we’re so lonely we can’t see straight—and it bubbles out as anger. Local communities are collapsing.
-
-
Had much higher hopes
- By Brandon on 11-10-18
By: Ben Sasse
-
Don't Burn This Country
- Surviving and Thriving in Our Woke Dystopia
- By: Dave Rubin
- Narrated by: Dave Rubin
- Length: 6 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The dystopian future we've been warned of is here. Dave Rubin has been on the front lines of the culture wars for years. Now, he offers tactics you can use to protect yourself from today’s authoritarian rule—from resisting the grip of Big Tech to staying sane in a post-truth world. What’s more, he offers a vision for the next generation of patriots who will need to face the future head-on, holding fast to their values and creating a meaningful life no matter how frenzied and fabricated the news of the day is.
-
-
wow!!!
- By Michelle Holbrook on 04-12-22
By: Dave Rubin
-
Becoming Who We Need to Be
- By: Colin Wright
- Narrated by: Colin Wright
- Length: 8 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Becoming Who We Need to Be is a book about the challenges we face as societies and how the decisions we make as individuals matter in those larger struggles. How we seek out, filter, and parse knowledge shapes our understanding of ourselves and of the world. How we analyze, organize, and act upon this information influences how well our individual ideas and ideologies scale up to the societal level.
-
-
Great content. Very poor narration.
- By Anonymous User on 03-08-23
By: Colin Wright
-
The Propaganda Project
- By: Phil M. Williams
- Narrated by: Tristan Wright, GraceWright Productions
- Length: 8 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In a world of infinite information and propaganda screaming at us from every direction, the truth is of paramount importance to our mental health, and can be a matter of life and death for every person on this planet. In The Propaganda Project, I expose the tricks of the propagandist--the tricks needed to legitimize the illegitimate, to make us think up is down, black is white. I dig deep into the muck to extract the truth about government, and the financial interests pulling the strings.
-
-
The Author is Right.
- By Amazon Customer on 05-23-24
By: Phil M. Williams
-
The Starfish and the Spider
- The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations
- By: Ori Brafman, Rod Beckstrom
- Narrated by: Sean Pratt
- Length: 5 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
If you cut off a spider's leg, it's crippled; if you cut off its head, it dies. But if you cut off a starfish's leg it grows a new one, and the old leg can grow into an entirely new starfish. The Starfish and the Spider argues that organizations fall into two categories: "spiders", which have a rigid hierarchy, and "starfish", which rely on the power of peer relationships.
-
-
Centralized and decentralized models
- By Chan Meng on 12-07-07
By: Ori Brafman, and others
Critic reviews
"This light and breezy read will have your mind soaring as you learn to see your favorite heroes on an entirely new light." (Dirk Mateer, author of Principles of Economics)
I found it somewhat entertaining
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Daily life or daily economics.
Interesting listen...
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Honestly, Marvel or DC should do a book or comic about this. This way the world they live in feels more alive rather them just ignoring the issue and moving on.
Overall a great book about economics and superheroes! Now, I think I'm gonna go check out the authors other works.
Should have listened to this during college
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.