Book Description
Why do people dodge responsibility when things fall apart? Why the parade of public figures unable to own up when they screw up? Why the endless marital quarrels over who is right? Why can we see hypocrisy in others but not in ourselves? Are we all liars? Or do we really believe the stories we tell?
Renowned social psychologists Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson take a compelling look into how the brain is wired for self-justification. When we make mistakes, we must calm the cognitive dissonance that jars our feelings of self-worth. And so we create fictions that absolve us of responsibility, restoring our belief that we are smart, moral, and right—a belief that often keeps us on a course that is dumb, immoral, and wrong.
Backed by years of research and delivered in lively, energetic prose, Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me) offers a fascinating explanation of self-deception—how it works, the harm it can cause, and how we can overcome it.
Customer Reviews:
Has some good points but..........2007-10-02
Makes some valid points, but the primary purpose of this book in my opinion is to bash conservatives and their views. Examples of poor liberal decisions are few. I would assume liberals make mistakes too... If you are looking for something that gives good analysis without the severe leftward slant look elsewhere.
Why people rationalize and justify obviously bad actions.......2007-09-23
After hearing a NPR interview with Carol Travis, I sought out this book and was delighted with it. With ample basis in scholarly research, it was solid and had practical applications in my own life.
I have often been fascinated with why seemingly good people commit poor actions, and then go to great lengths to rationalize and justify their actions, at the expense of and to the detriment of others. Politicians and bureaucrats are those from whom I expect this.
But when it enters your own life, your interest in understanding the basis for it becomes necessary and vital in your own well-being.
The concept of cognitive dissonance and how it drives people to distort their perception of reality, so that the difference between their ideals and their behavior goes away, enters our daily lives. Of course, the problem with this is it reinforces the behavior that caused the dissonance in the first place, and it starts you down a road of deceipt and lies built upon more lies. Having lived the nightmare of being subjected to a "cognitive dissonant" of the nth degree, Travis assisted me in opening my eyes.
The political discussions by Travis will, no doubt, displease conservative readers, and was brave on her part to tackle. This book is strong and I highly recommend it.
The authors make a dry subject come alive!.......2007-09-14
Renowned social psychologists Carol Travis and Elliot
Aronson have written a truly fascinating book, MISTAKES
WERE MADE (BUT NOT BY ME). . . its subtitle made me want
to read it even more: WHY WE JUSTIFY FOOLISH BELIEFS,
BAD DECISIONS AND HURTFUL ACTS because I have long observed
this tendency--even in my own life.
The authors make what could be a dry subject come alive
by the use of many examples . . . in addition, I liked how
they incorporated much research--cited in nearly 40 pages
of endnotes--but made it come alive via a lively writing style.
When they explained how our memories tell more about
what we believe now than what really happened then, I had
to laugh . . . and recall the story of how I once took Risa,
my daughter, to my first home . . . from there, I proceeded
to take her to my elementary school, which I could have
sworn was nearly a mile away . . . in reality, it turned out
to be less than two short blocks away!
MISTAKES WERE MADE further shows how couples can
break out of the "he said,she said" spiral of blame and
defensiveness, and perhaps most importantly, how all of
us can learn to own up and let go of the need to be right.
There were many memorable passages in the book; among
those that most caught my attention were the following:
* The same DNA that exonerates an innocent person can be used
to identify the guilty one, but this rarely happens. Of all the convictions
the Innocence Project has succeeded in overturning so far, there
is not a single instance in which the police later tried to find the
actual perpetrator of the crime. The police and prosecutors just
close the books on the case completely, as if to obliterate its
silent accusation of the mistake they made.
* De Klerk, who had been elected president in 1989, knew that a
violent revolution was all but inevitable. The fight against
apartheid was escalating; sanctions imposed by other countries
were having a significant impact on the nation's economy;
supporters of the banned African National Congress were
becoming increasingly violent, killing and torturing people whom
they believed were collaborating with the white regime. De Klerk
could have tightened the noose by instituting even more repressive
policies in the desperate hope of preserving white power. Instead,
he revoked the ban on the ANC and freed Mandela from the prison
in which he had spent twenty-seven years. For this part, Mandela
could have found entirely legitimate. Instead, he relinquished
anger for the sake of the goal to which he had devoted his life.
"If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with
your enemy," said Mandela. "Then he becomes your partner." In
1993, both men shared the Nobel Peace Prize, and the following
year Mandela was elected president of South Africa.
* Making mistakes is central to the education of budding scientists
and artists of all kinds, who must have the freedom to experiment,
try this idea, flop, try another idea, take a risk, be willing to get the
wrong answer. One classic example, once taught to American
schoolchildren and still on many inspirational Web sites in various
versions, is Thomas Edison's reply to his assistant (or to a reporter),
who was lamenting Edison's ten thousand experimental failures in
his effort to create the first incandescent light bulb. "I have not failed,"
he told the assistant (or reporter). "I successfully discovered 10,000
elements that don't work." Most American children, however, denied
the freedom to noodle around, experiment, and be wrong in ten ways,
let alone ten thousand. The focus on constant testing, which grew
out of reasonable desire to measure and standardize children's
accomplishments, has intensified their fear of failure. It is
certainly important for children to learn to succeed; but it is just
as important for them to learn not to fear failure. When children or
adults fear failure, they fear risk. They can't afford to be wrong.
That said, you won't go wrong by reading MISTAKES WERE
MADE . . . I was so impressed by it that I now plan to get
copies of the book for many of my colleagues at my college,
in that they will be able to relate to much of it . . . so will you.
Understanding and motivation.......2007-09-09
This is an extremely readable, perceptive and important book. It explains clearly and undoubtedly accurately how many people think and act.
I bought book after reading a friend's copy, just so I could reread it and make notes all over it.
Scary and hopeful - everyone should read this.......2007-09-03
I was impressed by the wide varieties of topics in how this self-justifying thinking can occur. Examples ranging from worldwide US politics and war, to prosecutors and detectives, to the average husband and wife, to the elderly taken by scams, to education, in order to show how we self-justify and coerce others into believing "our side" is right.
I would consider this essential reading, especially to US citizens. Our culture has been one of being duped time and time again by the media, politicians, that become so engrossed in this behavior of deceptive emotional rationalization, we accept it as normal and do it ourselves. We live in a "hot potato" culture that quickly throws the hot potato (the blame) in someone else's lap and then justifies it. This must stop.
I felt the writing was easy to read and interesting. I didn't have to "strain my brain" to get the point. There are plenty of footnotes to support what is being said. Others have talked about liberal slant. I didn't see that. When speaking of Christian/Islamic relations, negatives were shown on both sides. How is that liberal? Seems rather unbiased to me to point out the flaws of both sides in order to support how the escalation of violence and war has occurred over the past millennium. As well, US political leaders were picked from both Democratic and Republican parties to use as examples. Where is the slant in that?
I give it 4 stars as I noted some grammatical errors, and some of the flow could have used some better editing. But hey, "mistakes were made" let's move on. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone in a position to dramatically influence other's lives, such as lawyers, doctors, politicians, journalists, judges, teachers, etc. But change starts at home, and so everyone should give this book consideration in order to create a society that is more harmonious and less dissonant.
Amazon.com
In this hilarious political satire, Al Franken reveals how, by focusing relentlessly on the issue of ATM fees, he managed to wrest the Democratic presidential nomination away from Vice President Al Gore in the 2000 elections and become the 44th president of the United States. He then wound up running the second-shortest administration in American history, announcing in his resignation speech: "It is my fondest wish that, in the fullness of time, the American people will look back on the Franken presidency as something of a mixed bag and not as a complete disaster."
Why Not Me? is divided into three main sections. The first, "Daring to Lead," is Franken's "authorized campaign autobiography," in which he lays out his life story and his reasons for seeking the nation's highest office. Then, in his campaign diaries, we follow Franken and his team of advisers--including former Clinton pollster Dick Morris and Dan Haggerty, TV's Grizzly Adams--across New Hampshire and Iowa. Finally, there's "The Void," the behind-the-scenes account by Bob Woodward of Franken's first 100 days in the Oval Office. As a writer, Franken takes aim at a lot of targets, with nary a miss; there are enough great jokes in Why Not Me? to make almost anybody break down with a fit of the giggles at some point (especially at pages 132 to 133, but don't peek! It'll spoil the buildup). --Ron Hogan
Book Description
Updated with more on the real race in 2000!
First came Theodore White's
The Making of the President, 1960. Then
All the President's Men. Now the searing chronicle that will forever change the way we view the man and the office...
Why Not Me?
...chronicles the dramatic rise and dizzying fall of Al Franken, who would become the first Jewish president of the United States. Meet the president as a young man. Witness the Franken campaign in its infancy, as the candidate pledges "to walk the state of New Hampshire, diagonally and then from side to side." Go behind the scenes and meet Team Franken, the candidate's brain trust: including brother and deputy campaign manager Otto, a recovering sex addict and alcoholic, and campaign manager Norm Ornstein, the think-tank policy wonk who masterminds the single-issue (ATM fees) campaign. Cheer as Franken stuns the pundits by defeating Al Gore for the Democratic nomination, then is swept into office carrying all fifty states and the District of Columbia.
Then, through excerpts from Bob Woodward's detailed account of the first hundred days,
The Void, go inside the Franken White House, which is gripped by crisis from day one. After the highly medicated chief executive exhibits a roller coaster of bipolar behavior, Franken is forced to cooperate with the Joint Congressional Committee on the President's Mood Swings. And when the committee releases Franken's personal diaries to the public, his presidency faces its ultimate crisis.
It began on a cold day in January, when Alan Stuart Franken took the oath of office and became the 44th President of the United States. It ended 144 tumultuous days later with the words: "Boy, am I sorry." Here for the first time in paperback is the searing chronicle of Al Franken's journey to the White House--the visionary campaign, the landslide victory, the hookers, the payoffs--told through confessions of key aides, Franken's own diaries, and excerpts from Bob Woodward's book on the first 100 days of the Franken Presidency, entitled The Void.
Witness the campaign in its infancy, as Franken decides to run on a single-issue platform: lower ATM Fees. Follow along as Team Franken canvasses the nation, attacking Al Gore, attacking U.S. banks, attending a couple of prayer breakfasts. Then go inside the Franken White House where for 144 days a President virtually reinvents the office, boldly appointing the first all-Jewish cabinet, then battling a severe case of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. As scandal rocks the Administration, Why Not Me? becomes a tragic American morality tale: of a man who dared to believe that anyone could be president--and paid the price for proving he was right. -->
Customer Reviews:
Funny. For Democrats, Republicans, everyone.......2007-03-02
I listened to this on cassette, somewhat abridged, read by the author,
with some other voices and some sound effects. The Gore imitation is pretty good.
Good satire. Franken's other political books struck me as more hate than humor.
This one can even be enjoyed by Republicans. Political junkies will probably
like it more than most others, but anyone that has been bothered by the behavior
of politicians can get some laughs.
The best of the best.......2006-01-15
This is the greatest book of political satire I have ever read. If you can think, read and laugh at the same time buy this book. It will have you rolling.
Ignore the bad reviews and get a copy! This CD is FUNNY!.......2005-08-10
This books is FUNNY.
If you HATE Al Franken you'll love this book. No other character in the book is as despicable as Al. He runs a prostitution ring, cheats on his wife, is insanely stupid, condones violence against political opponents, takes insane amounts of drugs, turns psychotic and is probably the least moral character in modern fiction.
And it's FUNNY.
If you love AL you will hopefully get that it's all a joke. If not, you may not actually AL, you might just think you do.
The book on tape (or CD) will make you laugh often and heartilty.
-Tom
Franken has a hilarious go at the political process.......2005-01-17
In this book, we see Franken not as his usual politically-outspoken self but rather as another persona - a ridiculous candidate running for president, and winning in what turns out to be one of the most disasterous 100 first (and only) days of any presidency. Those who disagree with Franken's politics will appreciate the book for making fun of all ends of the spectrum in a way that generally sends up the ridiculous nature of a presidential election. Those who agree with Franken may be disappointed that he mocked everyone. However, reading the book with an open mind will probably cause a great deal of mirth and enjoyment.
The book contains a bunch of sources of Franken's fictional presidency (including fictional press clippings and doctored photos). Even though the second half of the book is not nearly as funny as the first, overall, still a great read.
hysterical!!!.......2004-11-25
I honestly cannot remember how many times i laughed out loud while reading this book. A must-read!
Average customer rating:
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Why Not Me?
Pamalla Stockho
Manufacturer: Trafford Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 155369113X
Release Date: 2006-07-06 |
Book Description
Until I was confronted with the devastating diagnosis of breast cancer, I strove to interweave the many demands made upon me as wife, mother, and family nurse practitioner. With a husband, three kids, and three dogs, life in our household was generally chaotic, and I often longed for respite from the constant din surrounding me. Despite my love of family and job, I occasionally cursed the years of graduate school that prepared me to take on the constant stress to which I became subjected. I wanted a change, like winning the lotto, but winning the breast cancer lotto was not the change of which I'd dreamed.
In short order, I catapulted from the comfortable role of health care provider to health care recipient. Role reversal proved difficult to accept, but as I faced my own mortality, I began caring more deeply for patients who sought my help. I finally understood their frustrations in being subjected to symptoms of disease over which they had little control. I armed them with information to help them regain some control over the course of their illnesses. I struggled to provide good patient care despite limitations imposed by managed health care companies and the frustrations of working in an office inadequate to the task of meeting the challenging needs of our burgeoning patient population.
As a health care provider, I decided that conventional therapy offered my best chance for survival, but I faced treatments with extreme trepidation. Like most facing chemotherapy, I was concerned about side effects, and I studied the pros and cons of conventional and alternative therapeutic options. Instead of morbidly focusing on my trials, however, I concentrated on appreciating life. I sought ways to compensate for my loss of good health.
I worked during my treatments. It was often difficult, especially when patients faced life-threatening illnesses as I did. I rallied between treatments as best I could, although fatigue and other side effects seriously impeded my efforts. As my health deteriorated during chemotherapy and radiation treatments, my self-confidence and emotional stability eroded. With the help of family, friends, and patients, I moved forward.
After treatments ended and side effects waned, I vowed to put cancer behind me. However, it is never completely forgotten. Those who suffer from breast cancer know there is no guarantee of cure; the possibility of return is ever present. But life can be spectacular after breast cancer, especially as self-confidence and emotions stabilize. I have learned to accept my illness and enjoy life on a daily basis.
Why Not Me? is the story of my surgeries, my therapeutic options, and my dealing with cancer - not always a pretty sight. Although the book is non-fiction, it is written more like a novel - a diary of my fight for my patients and myself. In it, I acknowledge the mood swings and bouts of depression that follow such diagnoses. Since humor is such an integral part of my life, I add a bit of that as well. Breast cancer is never funny, but incidents in my life have been, and I included many to ease the burden of reading about so serious a subject. The best part of my having cancer was discovering the strength that came from the love of many friends and my wonderful family.
Customer Reviews:
From everything I've read, this is the best!.......2000-07-13
As a caseworker/mother/soon to be teacher, I found this book to be well-written for parents and children to share. The examples are realistic to a child's experience of uncontrolled anger, including feelings associated with not taking responsibility like loss of friends, getting yelled at, etc. It is written in a non-judgemental way yet provides helpful suggestions on how to control anger. I plan to use this in practice and at home!
Insight, at last!.......2000-03-22
The title really sums it up. Eddie learns the significance of accepting responsibility.We really liked this. My son especially loved the second part, Why Should i? It's Not My Birthday, where he could be involved in solutions. This is a cool book.
Average customer rating:
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Why Me-Why Not: My Experience with Sarcoma Cancer
Phyllis K. Harris , and
Gloria Edmonson-Nelson
Manufacturer: Glo's Prose Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Special Needs
| Specific Groups
| Biographies & Memoirs
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Bone Cancer
| Cancer
| Disorders & Diseases
| Health, Mind & Body
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General
| Cancer
| Disorders & Diseases
| Health, Mind & Body
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General
| Health, Mind & Body
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Special Needs
| Specific Groups
| Biographies & Memoirs
| 4-for-3 Books Store
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Cancer
| Disorders & Diseases
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All 4-for-3 Deals
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ASIN: 0966823249 |
Book Description
Memoirs from a deceased woman who battled one of the rarest forms of cancer - sarcoma - that resulted in nine surgeries in three years that included removal of her right leg, pelvis, and bone.
She shares her intimate feelings as well as treatment by several staff members who were not very nice! Having an excellent physician (and his staff) made her battle much easier.
The book discusses her survival: driving with the left leg, falling, undergoing chemotherapy and radiation; as well as what she did to live with the overwhelming pain.
Because most people only last six months (with the longest survival five years), she survived three years after diagnosis.
The book is written from notes of the deceased; but edited by the sister - also the caretaker. The author wanted to bring attention to sarcoma - so that more research is done on the subject. She was misdiagnosed for the first six months. By the time the correct diagnosis was made, the tumor weighed almost 10 lbs. It is a must-read.
Average customer rating:
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Chinese cooking and me? Why not?
Mei-Ling Lim Belsom
Manufacturer: Sri Chai Thong Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
Chinese
| Asian
| Regional & International
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
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ASIN: B00072RGU8 |
Average customer rating:
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Financial Freedom : Why Not Me?
Antone P. Keller
Manufacturer: Antone P. Keller
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Introduction
| Investing
| Business & Investing
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General
| Personal Finance
| Business & Investing
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ASIN: 097054880X |
Book Description
This book develops a formula for investing in the stock market that actually works. The investor is taught the basics up to and including advanced investment techniques in a step-by-step process for successful stock investing. The featured "Oracle Investment Process" solves the biggest problem self-empowered investors face--how to control your emotions. The spreadsheet included in the book provides the investor control over the nightmare of information overload. Ten million online investors are trying to fulfil their dreams of making millions in the stock market. These dreams are disappearing rapidly and anxiety building. This book provides precise buying strategies, and more importantly, precise selling strategies. The 230% Rule is destined to become an important investment principle. This book is the solution to the online investor's problem.
Average customer rating:
- A honest look at what Scripture means to me
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I Never Knew You: Why do you call me, "Lord, Lord", and do not do what I say?
John R. Singleton
Manufacturer: iUniverse, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
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| Christianity
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ASIN: 0595351549 |
Book Description
I Never Knew You is a collection of over one-hundred-sixty-five Scriptural references offering specific information vital to practical Christianity. Author John R. Singleton has painstakingly assembled and organized pertinent information that will cause every professing Christian to re-evaluate their relationship with Jesus Christ.
Singleton was compelled to write I Never Knew You after searching without success for a straightforward, no-nonsense reference book on this under discussed topic. Rather than creating his own doctrine, Singleton has simply extracted crucial Scriptural verses from the New International Version Bible and then offered brief commentaries of what the passages mean to him. Dietrich Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship and Thomas Kempis' The Imitation of Christ were major inspirations for the author. How does your Christian life align with God's instructions? You may never know until you read I Never Knew You.
Download Description
I Never Knew You is a collection of over one-hundred-sixty-five Scriptural references offering specific information vital to practical Christianity. Author John R. Singleton has painstakingly assembled and organized pertinent information that will cause every professing Christian to re-evaluate their relationship with Jesus Christ.
Singleton was compelled to write I Never Knew You after searching without success for a straightforward, no-nonsense reference book on this under discussed topic. Rather than creating his own doctrine, Singleton has simply extracted crucial Scriptural verses from the New International Version Bible and then offered brief commentaries of what the passages mean to him. Dietrich Bonhoeffer's The Cost of Discipleship and Thomas Kempis' The Imitation of Christ were major inspirations for the author. How does your Christian life align with God's instructions? You may never know until you read I Never Knew You.
Customer Reviews:
A honest look at what Scripture means to me.......2006-07-20
I did not want to put the book down. I felt as if our Lord was opening up His word to me. The Scriptures were laid out with the comments in a very clear manor. The Holy Spirit used the book to teach me things that I neeed to change in my Christian walk. I felt good that I was doing so well in many areas - but welcomed the correction. I truly believe that our Lord Jesus Christ used this author for much needed instruction. I have orded copies to pass on to pastors and other close friends.
Books:
- Monster Manual: Core Rulebook III (Dungeons & Dragons d20 3.0 Fantasy Roleplaying)
- Moses (Caldecott Honor Book)
- National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds: Eastern Region - Revised Edition
- Nothing's Sacred
- On Killing: The Psychological Cost of Learning to Kill in War and Society
- Pattern Classification (2nd Edition)
- Physical Computing: Sensing and Controlling the Physical World with Computers
- Physik (Septimus Heap, Book 3)
- Razzle Dazzle Writing: Achieving Success Through 50 Target Skills
- Return of the Straight Dope
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