How to Use This Site and Its Contents
Unraveling Twists is not a reading site. It’s a discussion tool. Each topic is designed to help students better understand how the world works - by looking at incentives, trade-offs, and the consequences that follow. This site is meant to be used in conversation. Below is A way (not the only way) to move ahead:
Pick a Topic: Choose a subject that fits your group or sparks curiosity. Topics are written to stand on their own - you don’t need prior context
Assign the reading (or read together): Each topic includes a short discussion document. Students (or group members) can read it ahead of time, or you can walk through it as a group
Lead the discussion: At the end of each document, you’ll find a starter set of discussion questions. These are a guide - not a script. Follow the conversation where it goes.
Most topics work well in a 45–90 minute session.
Where to Start
If you’re not sure where to begin, here’s a simple path that works well:
A Realistic Guide to Being Human: A foundation for understanding how people make decisions, including your own.
A Value Meal: Way More Happens on a Trip to Burger King Than You Think: An introduction to economic thinking through everyday choices.
Why Incentives Don’t Care About Intent: Why good intentions don’t guarantee good outcomes.
“Tax the Rich”: Who Actually Pays When You Tax Wealth: A look at how policies ripple beyond their stated target.
Why Rent Control Feel Right - And What Happens Next: How policies aimed at helping can change behavior in unexpected ways.
You don’t have to follow this order - If your group has a particular interest, go with it.
What to Expect
These are discussions, not lectures. Some will feel straightforward. Others may challenge assumptions or get uncomfortable. That’s part of the process.
You don’t need to be an expert in the topic. Your role is to keep the conversation moving, ask follow-up questions, and make sure different perspectives are heard.
If the group is engaged and thinking, the session is working.
What Students Are Practicing
The goal isn’t to memorize answers. It’s to build habits of thinking. Across topics, students are practicing how to:
Notice incentives and how they shape behavior
Understand trade-offs and what gets given up
Anticipate consequences - intended and unintended
Recognize constraints and how people respond to them
This the core of critical thinking. The goal is not to tell students what to think, but to explore how different choices lead to different outcomes.
Just Start
You don’t need a full plan. Pick a topic. Assign it. Talk about it.
Check out the suggestions here - or just choose a topic that catches your attention and try it with your next group.