Amazon.com
Americans are afraid of many things that shouldn't frighten them, writes Barry Glassner in this book devoted to exploding conventional wisdom. Thanks to opportunistic politicians, single-minded advocacy groups, and unscrupulous TV "newsmagazines," people must unlearn their many misperceptions about the world around them. The youth homicide rate, for instance, has dropped by as much as 30 percent in recent years, says Glassner--and up to three times as many people are struck dead by lightening than die by violence in schools. "False and overdrawn fears only cause hardship," he writes. In fact, one study shows that daughters of women with breast cancer are actually less likely to conduct self-examinations--probably because the campaign to increase awareness of the ailment also inadvertently heightens fears.
Although some sections are stronger than others, The Culture of Fear's examination of many nonproblems--such as "road rage," "Internet addiction," and airline safety--is very good. Glassner also has a sharp eye for what causes unnecessary goose bumps: "The use of poignant anecdotes in place of scientific evidence, the christening of isolated incidents as trends, depictions of entire categories of people as innately dangerous," and unknown scholars who masquerade as "experts." Although Glassner rejects the notion that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself, he certainly shows we have much less to fear than we think. And isn't that sort of scary? --John J. Miller
Book Description
In late 2002, Barry Glassner appeared in Michael Moore's Academy Award-winning movie, Bowling for Columbine, to discuss The Culture of Fear. The reaction to Glassner's appearance, and the message of his book, were overwhelming.
As Glassner describes, the American public remains fascinated by the specter of fear in their lives. Be it the proverbial dark-faced bogeyman, or a more recent epidemic of child snatchings, Americans allow their lives to be affected by a perceived and recurrent onslaught of tragedy, death, and fear.
A national bestseller, The Culture of Fear explains why Americans are afraid, exposing the people and organizations that manipulate our perceptions and profit off our anxieties: politicians who attempt to win elections by heightening concerns about drug use and crime; advocacy groups that raise money by exaggerating the prevalence of particular diseases; and finally and perhaps most perniciously, the media that peddle new scares each week in desperate attempts to garner ratings.
Written in a vivid, entertaining style, The Culture of Fear does more than debunk prevalent myths of impending doom, it also asks us to reconsider our participation in the national charade of fear and suspicion which, according to Glassner, is eroding the trust necessary to truly ensure safety in the public square.
Customer Reviews:
Lacks Credibility and Debth.......2007-08-20
I initially had high hopes for this book but instead was completely disgusted. The author meticulously points out every flaw with the right wing or media studies. However, he disproves them using other studies that fit his theories but never offers any reason why his example studies are valid. Why, if the other studies were incorrect and poorly executed, should we believe that the studies he cites are any different? What makes them credible? It seems as if they are offered as correct and credible simply because they fit his liberal agenda. As someone who equally criticizes both liberals and conservatives, I need more explanation in order to believe his words. By not taking the extra time to explain, he loses all sense of credibility.
Furthermore, Mr. Glassner dissects every issue in his book, offering underlying explanations and motives to the fears. However, a gross lack of depth is shown when he says something such as "[i]t's the guns, stupid." What a shallow argument. He never offers any reasonable statement as to *why* it's the guns. He doesn't explore the reasons behind why people shoot others. He doesn't examine the motives, the societal influences or any other of the number of causes of gun violence. Instead, he blames it all on the guns, as if they simply shoot on their own. His focus on this issue has absolutely no depth of research or explanation and shows his greatest weakness: putting an agenda ahead of real study and examination. Instead of looking at the *reasons* why people commit violence and murder, such as mental instability, extreme religious beliefs, gangs, or whatever else, the author chalks it all up to the shallow argument that a tool, just a single tool, is responsible for all the ills of society. Obviously, as tragedies such as the Oklahoma City bombing and 9/11 have shown, guns are not the sole reason for evil, though by reading Glassner's work, you would never know that.
I expected much more from a respected sociologist. This book was possibly the worst I've read in years. It seems as if Mr. Glasner never learned the art of persuasive argument writing. You can only persuade one if your own information is credible and valid. His isn't.
Don't bother reading this book. I deeply regret buying it.
Listless re-telling of what we already know... it's like a lecture in modern society with an edge towards fear.......2007-07-18
Being called "The Culture of Fear", it's only inevitable that subjects discussed could be disturbing, controversial, shocking, and sometimes depressing or terrifying.
Unfortunately, Barry Glassner, brilliant as he may be, just doesn't seem into the subject he has obviously put a lot of research into. It proudly delves into the depths of why Americans are afraid of the wrong things, and then goes about like a college professor lecturing to an apathetic class in the last years of his career with a big pension on the horizon.
He explains subjects methodically, then casually slips to the alter side of it, in such a way it sounds as if he were saying in a falsely lively tone, "Murders have gone down n%, HOWEVER murder coverage has gone up nnn%! Isn't that something?" or "Racism is a problem, as this 'n' report states, although the reverse is also true that n% of hate crimes has been about race as opposed to..."
It becomes lifeless, and loses its feel of a nonfiction work of research and more like hundreds of pages of statistics and numbers taped together and strung together with words so as to make it coherent. In all, it becomes a dull expose' which really, all in all, doesn't tell us anything we didn't already know.
Falls victim himself.......2007-06-29
Glasser starts off with an interesting enough premise in the vein of Freakonomics. He makes the valid enough (in my opinion) point that there are those who would like us to fear (pick your issue) for various reasons. These can be to distract people from other issues, to curry power and favor, etc.
Unfortunately he then goes on to engage in the very tactics he decries in others.
For example: he starts by (accurately) stating how overblown the issue of child on child vioence has become, and quotes a criminologist (Vincent Schiraldi)'s statement that a child killing another at school is an "anomolous" event.
A few pages later he uses the same event to rail against gun ownership in the U.S.
I find it difficult to see how the same event can be used in one case to show how something is not worth worrying about and then in the same breath that it is an example of rampant gun problems and we should take immediate action.
He continues like this (engages in disparaging people for creating the "PC" label to diminish views they don't like -- but then disparages "conservative" views (which he thinks he has a handle on).
He is clearly a victim of his own preconceived ideas about what is a problem and what is not.
Too bad -- it could have been a good book.
a primer of poor social science.......2007-05-15
All right, kids, it's time to learn specious reasoning and poor quantitative methods! You can find them both in Barry Glassner's SCARY expose:
Technique #1: Prove by speculation. As Glassner "shows" us how the Missing Children campaigns prey on our fears, he speculates on our feelings about the ads: "The photo of the missing child immediately elicits feelings of guilt, fear, and fascination." Really?
Technique #2: Prove by sketchy example. As we learn how fears about teenage pregnancies are overblown, Glassner gives the single example of two Kentucky teen mothers who had great GPAs but were denied membership in the National Honor Society. One counter-example, alas, does not a trend destroy. [My bad, Glassner also gives an example from the Ricki Lake Show. VERY convincing.]
Technique #3: Repeatedly use phrases like "studies show" and "researchers document" because if studies show it, it MUST be true! This is where Glassner departs sharply from such skilled writers as Malcolm Gladwell (The Tipping Point, Blink) or Steve Levitt and Stephen Dubner (Freakonomics). Whether or not you agree with their theses, they provide detailed descriptions of research in layperson's terms so that you can evaluate it yourself. Glassner expects you to merely believe it's true since some study showed it.
Technique #4: Accuse other studies of abusing statistics, then wait a few pages so readers forget and do the same thing yourself. On p70, Glassner writes, "If instead of percentages reporters concentrated either on the actual numbers of such crimes...they wouldn't have much of a story." Good point! Agreed! And on p73, we read, "studies find that young people incarcerated with adults are five times more likely to be sexually assaulted...than youth in juvenile facilities." Yes, but what are the numbers? We don't know!
When Glassner ISN'T trying to prove things with his super-special techniques, he actually makes a few good points. The media DO seem to blow many of these issues out of proportion (although early on he claims it isn't all the media's fault, the book makes it seem like MOSTLY the media's fault), and that has sometimes led to wildly inefficient policies or the rejection of scientific findings (without any convincing alternative findings). Glassner offers some interesting cultural hypotheses (for example, we focus on crack rather than powder cocaine because it lets us blame poor people for being poor). The book has some great anecdotes. Just don't expect to be convinced of anything you don't already believe.
Fantastic.......2007-04-17
This book is a must-read for anyone who reads the newspaper, watches the news, or listens to the radio. It's also helpful if you are prone to modern-day anxiety attacks. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Book Description
Working with the Shadow is not working with evil, per se. It is working toward the possibility of greater wholeness. We will never experience healing until we can come to love our unlovable places, for they, too, ask love of us.
How is it that good people do bad things? Why is our personal story and our societal history so bloody, so repetitive, so injurious to self and others?
How do we make sense of the discrepancies between who we think we are—or who we show to the outside world—versus our everyday behaviors? Why are otherwise ordinary people driven to addictions and compulsions, whether alcohol, drugs, food, shopping, infidelity, or the Internet? Why are interpersonal relationships so often filled with strife?
Exploring Jung's concept of the Shadow—the unconscious parts of our self that contradict the image of the self we hope to project--Why Good People Do Bad Things guides you through all the ways in which many of our seemingly unexplainable behaviors are manifestations of the Shadow. In addition to its presence in our personal lives, Hollis looks at the larger picture of the Shadow at work in our culture—from organized religion to the suffering and injustice that abounds in our modern world. Accepting and examining the Shadow as part of one's self, Hollis suggests, is the first step toward wholeness. Revealing a new way of understanding our darker selves, Hollis offers wisdom to help you to acquire a more conscious conduct of your life and bring a new level of awareness to your daily actions and choices.
Customer Reviews:
Hollis hits a home-run...AGAIN!.......2007-09-14
Well Hollis does it again...intrepidly going where no human dares to go and shedding light on much material that most of us would rather not examine.
(Don't mind the previous reviewer's dissatisfaction with the God's Shadow chapter. After all, what does the author of a book about increasing impulse buying in supermarkets know about his own shadow, other than the fact that it's already running his life!!)
Good Read for the summer.......2007-05-28
An Interesting read how we are so uncontrolled within ourselves. A really nice reading for the summer. Author goes little far in GOD's Shadow chapter, but overall it is a good book to have
No easy answers.......2007-03-15
Hollis always tackles the hard stuff. He offers you the opportunity of awareness without easy standard "self-help" answers. All of his books are worth reading. This one is outstanding.
In-depth, thought-provoking, illuminating.......2007-02-25
The title might lead a casual reader to dismiss this as just one more lightweight self-help book -- but that's not the case, not in the least! As with Hollis' earlier books, it's a psychologically & philosophically rich examination of the human soul, offering no easy answers, no magic solutions, no simplistic aphorisms in place of real insight. If you truly want to understand your life & its choices, then you have to be willing to do some difficult & often painful emotional work. And that's something few of us are eager to do.
Which leads us to the question: do you want to grow, to become more fully conscious, to strive towards wholeness? If so, you'll have to discard protective illusions, stop expecting someone else to solve everything for you, and apply an almost ruthless honesty to yourself. You won't like a lot of what you see in that dark mirror, and you'll try to fend it off, explain it away ... but that's our mistake. If we can acknowledge the part we unconsciously play in our own suffering, we may well learn how to alleviate some of it & live with what remains.
Mind you, Hollis never promises an end to suffering, a wondrous makeover that does away with every ugly scar & thought! He has too much respect for the tragic view of human life to hold up an illusion of perfect happiness, no matter how golden & comforting. He's very clear on this: what we need isn't happiness, but meaning. And to find it, we have to be willing to grapple with the Shadow, all that we fear & despise about ourselves, all that we reject & often project onto others.
I feel that this is one of Hollis' finest books, in that it possesses an extra depth & richness of insight. It made me look at my own life more deeply than I have in the past, and encouraged me to confront many of its uncomfortable & frightening aspects. At the very least, it will make you think long & hard about yourself. At the most, it may set you forth upon a fascinating & revealing journey. Most highly recommended!
Amazon.com
Few can talk with more personal authority about the range of human beliefs than Michael Shermer. At various times in the past, Shermer has believed in fundamentalist Christianity, alien abductions, Ayn Rand, megavitamin therapy, and deep-tissue massage. Now he believes in skepticism, and his motto is "Cognite tute--think for yourself." This updated edition of Why People Believe Weird Things covers Holocaust denial and creationism in considerable detail, and has chapters on abductions, Satanism, Afrocentrism, near-death experiences, Randian positivism, and psychics. Shermer has five basic answers to the implied question in his title: for consolation, for immediate gratification, for simplicity, for moral meaning, and because hope springs eternal. He shows the kinds of errors in thinking that lead people to believe weird (that is, unsubstantiated) things, especially the built-in human need to see patterns, even where there is no pattern to be seen. Throughout, Shermer emphasizes that skepticism (in his sense) does not need to be cynicism: "Rationality tied to moral decency is the most powerful joint instrument for good that our planet has ever known." --Mary Ellen Curtin
Book Description
In this age of supposed scientific enlightenment, many people still believe in mind reading, past-life regression theory, New Age hokum, and alien abduction. A no-holds-barred assault on popular superstitions and prejudices, with more than 80,000 copies in print, Why People Believe Weird Things debunks these nonsensical claims and explores the very human reasons people find otherworldly phenomena, conspiracy theories, and cults so appealing. In an entirely new chapter, Why Smart People Believe in Weird Things, Michael Shermer takes on science luminaries like physicist Frank Tippler and others, who hide their spiritual beliefs behind the trappings of science.Shermer, science historian and true crusader, also reveals the more dangerous side of such illogical thinking, including Holocaust denial, the recovered-memory movement, the satanic ritual abuse scare, and other modern crazes. Why People Believe Strange Things is an eye-opening resource for the most gullible among us and those who want to protect them.
Customer Reviews:
Good idea just no facts........2007-09-25
"Dr" Shermer seems to be on the same level as a Fundamentalist Christian. He want so badly for others to believe what he believes on in his case what he doesn't believe. He gives you what but not why. Sorry sir but that isn't enough. He falls in the same category as I must preach because I to have doubts about that it is I am preaching about.
Pretty good even if the title is misleading.......2007-09-21
For a while now I've been wondering why smart people around me believe in weird things. Great heavens, I've even met physics professors who believe that the Coriolis's force rotates the waters in a sink! When I saw this book I thought it can answer this question. It certainly tries, even though the author admits that it's a very difficult question. Unfortunately, only about 60 pages out of more than 300 are dedicated to this question, and the writing is complicated, with a lot of philosophical terms. Most of the book, however, is about weird things themselves and debunking them. I thought about taking off one star for that, but the information in those sections, even if unrelated to the book's title, is still very interesting and informative, not to mention well written and sometimes funny, so I reluctantly give the book full marks. The bottom line is I'm not sorry I bought it.
Disappointing.......2007-09-10
The title of the book seemed promising. But the book its self was very disappointing. It is not well organized and the scope of the book and the material presented seem far from each other. What I did not understand was if this was a book which through scientific reasoning showed that people believe in illogical things why include 2-3 chapters about Holocaust??? What's that have to do with it? Is this like a jewish propaganda or something ???
Point of departure..........2007-08-02
We are all guilty. Each of us holds some aspect of the irrational dear to our hearts. A belief that if we just root the right way for our home team, they will triumph. The thought that stepping on a crack will break our mother's back. It is human nature. Michael Shermer addresses some of the larger issues of irrationality and their impact on society at large and humanity in specific. He digs deeply into some very tricky topics and presents a comprehensive and readable treatise on thoguht and behavior.
I found his objective analysis of Holocaust deniers and their beliefs to be sound and free from the emotional rantings of those who simply devolve into ad hominem attacks. What was most interesting was Shermer's posing of a model for odd beliefs. Using the witch trials of the middle ages and a more recent event in rural America (the mad gasser of Mattoon, Illinois to be precise!), Shermer demonstrates how odd beliefs rise and fall in society. Given the speed and nature of the world wide web, one might expect odd beliefs to rise and fall with even more frequency and speed.
Pick up this book in order to refresh your critical thinking skills. As he points out in his Skeptic's Manifesto chapter, the role of the skeptic is not to perpetually doubt, but to maintain an open mind - just not so open one's brains fall out.
Reccommended for anyone interested in reason and skepticism........2007-07-25
If you believe that reason, rationality, and skepticism are the best ways to arrive at a conclusion for any subject, then read this book. If you're conspricacy theory prone, a believer in the paranormal, or believe things first and figure out why later, then you REALLY need to read this book.
Average customer rating:
- WAY BEST!
- A different way to look at your stuff (clutter)
- Great Information
- Wow, there are other people out there like me!
- Childish, Simplistic, Boring
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Making Peace with the Things in Your Life: Why Your Papers, Books, Clothes, and Other Possessions Keep Overwhelming You and What to Do About It
Cindy Glovinsky
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Griffin
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ASIN: 0312284888 |
Book Description
Do you spend much of your time struggling against the growing ranks of papers, books, clothes, housewares, mementos, and other possessions that seem to multiply when you're not looking? Do these inanimate objects, the hallmarks of busy modern life, conspire to fill up every inch of your space, no matter how hard you try to get rid of some of them and organize the rest? Do you feel frustrated, thwarted, and powerless in the face of this ever-renewing mountain of stuff? Help is on the way. Cindy Glovinsky, practicing psychotherapist and personal organizer, is uniquely qualified to explain this nagging, even debilitating problem -- and to provide solutions that really work. Writing in a supportive, nonjudmental tone, Glovinsky uses humorous examples, questionnaires, and exercises to shed light on the real reasons why we feel so overwhelmed by papers and possessions and offers individualized suggestions tailored to specific organizing problems. Whether you're drowning in clutter or just looking for a new way to deal with the perennial challenge of organizing and managing material things, this fresh and reassuring approach is sure to help. AUTHORBIO: CINDY GLOVINSKY, M.S.W., A.C.S.W., is a licensed psychotherapist and personal organizer. The program director of the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization, she has presented at the National Association of Professional Organizers conference. She lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Customer Reviews:
WAY BEST!.......2007-09-22
This is by far the most useful book on decluttering I've read. It gets right down into your heart and helps you sort out what you find there. It doesn't tell you what products to buy, but helps you understand what blips in your brain chemistry or psychology may be contributing to the clutter problem, and suggests specific strategies for dealing with the various reasons.
A different way to look at your stuff (clutter).......2007-02-05
As others have written,I too have read many, many, MANY clutter, organizing, packrat books. I still have so many, they have contributed to the clutter. This was one of the good ones. My problem is not organizing my stuff-- I want to get rid of it. Most books give you detailed file organizing and specific instructions. I wanted to know WHY I couldn't let go of so many things. This may not be everyone's problem, but it was mine. Once I understood why, it actually helped to get rid of them - not organize them.
Great Information.......2006-11-10
I really enjoyed reading this one. I actually have a better understanding of myself and my stuff after reading this book.
Wow, there are other people out there like me!.......2006-11-07
...And they wrote a very helpful book about it!! Thanks!
Childish, Simplistic, Boring.......2006-10-15
I bought this book hoping to discover psychologically why we keep too many things and how to change the behavior. Also some tips on keeping spaces "things" free. Instead what I found was over-simplified cliches about Gary Keepitall or Lisa Hummingbirdbrain (I swear these are actual names she gives people in the book). There is a LOT of repitition, and really, who needs to know that to keep track of your schedule you could get - guess what, bet you never heard of it! - a day planner! Really? I could?
I think most of us know what we could do to keep track of our things, what a good book about making peace with your things might be about is how to do it, how to motivate yourself to do it and how you can overcome the behaviors that keep you from doing it. The one or two studies Glovinsky quotes in the book appear to be all the education on the topic she has, other than that she simply reiterates common sense - like buy a container for your things! - that anyone smart enough to order a book from Amazon is probably smart enough to already know. Please skip this book - unless you truly don't know about day planners or plastic bins.
Book Description
Did you ever wonder why cheap wine tastes better in fancy glasses? Why sales of Macintosh computers soared when Apple introduced the colorful iMac? New research on emotion and cognition has shown that attractive things really do work better, as Donald Norman amply demonstrates in this fascinating book, which has garnered acclaim everywhere from Scientific American to The New Yorker. Emotional Design articulates the profound influence of the feelings that objects evoke, from our willingness to spend thousands of dollars on Gucci bags and Rolex watches, to the impact of emotion on the everyday objects of tomorrow.
Norman draws on a wealth of examples and the latest scientific insights to present a bold exploration of the objects in our everyday world. Emotional Design will appeal not only to designers and manufacturers but also to managers, psychologists, and general readers who love to think about their stuff.
Customer Reviews:
An interesting view about how products can change our lives.......2007-09-30
Don Norman with this books exposes a review based on how products can make us feel better, and how they can influence our daily life in different contexts of use. If you're lookin' for a tutorial about "how make an emotional product", this is not the choice. Nevertheless, you'll never find it eather. Norman only puts a name to a phenomenon that already exists, but in a entertaining way that offer to the reader a new form to understand the design of products. It is worth it to read this, absolutely recommended.
Jakob Nielsen's Other Half.......2007-09-22
This book breaks down 3 categories of things we look at when we're deciding whether or not we like things, and then proceeds to show how one can analyze everyday things in those terms. I wouldn't say it's enlightening, but it does give you categories and terms for expressing things you already knew on some level. Don Norman's writing style is warm, and personal, and the book is easy to read. I've seen his name next to Jakob Nielsen's plenty of times but had no idea who he was or what he was about, so it gives a little insight into who Don Norman is as well, and why he and Jakob make good partners.
Author Ego.......2007-09-04
This book is uninspiring and boring. The author has a huge ego and does not translate his ideas effectively. The book is a long boring read and not anything new to those in design.
Subtract robots to get a great book on how emotions affect purchases.......2007-02-15
Norman opens the book with a discussion of three teapots he owns. He doesn't use them, but he loves how each tells a story. One is impossible to use, one is a classy glassy Michael Graves design and one is unusual. Norman says when we like the look of an object; we're more willing to overlook its design flaws as opposed to using something with no flaws and an ugly design.
I believe [...] is a good example of this from a web site perspective. It isn't so much about flickr's look-and-feel, but many of the non-designers, everyday Internet users understandably find the site difficult to use. [...] gained a reputation in the world of web design and IT -- the kind of people who find their way around the more difficult to use sites -- and many flocked to it because of word of mouth.
A friend of Norman's enthusiastically showed off his recent purchase of old, heavy and shiny drawing instruments including compasses, dividers and extension arms. For the author, the instruments evoked negative memories of using the difficult and messy tools. Enough time had passed for his friend to overlook the negative experience he had with the tools. Thus, when he found them, he saw them as a collectible reminding him of the "good old days" rather than something he hated using. Had those negative experiences been more recent or memorable, would he have bought the set?
The focal point of Emotional Design is that "attractive things work better." Norman explores how emotions affect purchase decisions based on three aspects of design: the visceral (appearance), behavioral (performance) and reflective (memories and experiences).
Understanding the three parts of design helps a business make the most of their product designs and marketing efforts. After all, an ad has images and those images can stir emotions. Service-based business can turn the intangible into the tangible and apply the concepts from the book.
Norman offers intriguing examples in the book to show how objects evoke emotions. The book loses its way in the last part when the author delves in the world of robots. While it talks about the possibility of robots having emotions, it tells nothing about "products" and human behavior. Except for this part, the book was a quick and fascinating read. Those who want to understand how design influences purchases will enjoy the book. Many of its concepts apply to business situations related to selling and designing products.
Cognitive science explains our love of good design.......2007-01-06
Understanding the emotions consumers feel about the objects you sell can help your business make the most of its product designs. Expert Donald Norman explains how being attractive, fun and enjoyable makes a product better. He explains that the emotions which affect purchase decisions are based on three aspects of design: "visceral" (appearance), "behavioral" (performance) and "reflective" (memories and experiences). He provides interesting case studies to show how objects evoke emotions. Norman's central theme is that "attractive things work better." And, the book works best when he hews to that theme; the last section, where he veers into a discussion of robots, doesn't seem as pertinent or as strong. We recommend this book to anyone who wants to understand how design affects emotions, and how emotions affect purchasing decisions.
Book Description
For anyone who has ever wondered why suspension bridges don't collapse under eight lanes of traffic, how dams hold back-or give way under-thousands of gallons of water, or what principles guide the design of a skyscraper or a kangaroo, this book will ease your anxiety and answer your questions. J. E. Gordon strips engineering of its confusing technical terms, communicating its founding principles in accessible, witty prose.
Customer Reviews:
Maybe its just me, but I learned more from this book than in the U.......2006-06-15
I must confess I had a terrible time in the U making my degree in mechanical engineering.. stregth of materials almost made me mad.
But as Twain said it, I have not let my schooling interfere with my education... and this are the books that educate.. for education can only be self-education... this is what I was after in the U and I never received it!!!
I go futher with this assertion, the progress of the US (and some other advanced nations) above all the rest lies in the fact that popularizations of science and technology are readibly accesible to everyone (for all of those who want to use it, of course).. if anyone ever doubts the positive effects of globalization and the internet, I can testify that ever since I can use Amazon I can tap into the resources of knowledge previously denied by geographical barriers and help the system that produces this books.
Getting back to the book, no matter what your schooling is, if you are into design and need to know about structures you cannot go wrong with this wonderful book.
TEDIOUS READING.......2005-06-04
I'M PROBABLY THE ODD MAN OUT ON THIS ONE BUT I HAD TROUBLE WADING THROUGH THIS BOOK..IN FACT I THOUGHT THE WRITING STYLE WAS GROPING AND STUMBLING AT BEST. WRITING ABOUT STRUCTURES IN SIMLPE TERMS IS A TOUGH TASK INDEED AND I'M NOT SURE GORDON HAS SUCEEDED HERE. I FOUND THE BOOK TO BE A REAL "YAWNER".
FOR MY MONEY I WOULD BUY SALVADORI'S BOOKS OVER THIS. SALVADORI HAS A KNACK FOR MAKING THE SUBJECT TRULY GRIPPING READING. HIS BOOKS HAVE A MUCH MORE PRACTICAL BENT, AND IMHO THEY ARE WRITTEN MUCH BETTER, NOT TO MENTION THE ILLUSTRATIONS ARE TOP GRADE. TRY STRUCTURE IN ARCHITECTURE OR WHY BUILDINGS STAND UP.
THE 2 STARS ARE FOR GORDON'S DISCUSSION OF STRESS AND STRAIN, THE BEST PART OF THE BOOK FOR ME.
nice to read but lacks rigour ..........2003-10-22
The book is indeed good for the layman (I would even say very good), but it lacks rigour and this makes it less usable for professional purposes...
The author wants to avoid as much math as possible but as a consequence, some explanations contain gaps.
This book can be seen as an extra to more professional books, everybody will definitely learn something from it and it reads very well...But if you want to have a rigorous understanding of structures, you should buy another book ...
Eccentric.......2002-05-25
At times I was annoyed by Mr Gordon's style - this is the work of a real old-world engineer. The little anecdotes he scatters through the work where so-and-so told him something, or it was rumoured that professor somebody said this, or 'I have heard it claimed that.....' annoyed me with their hearsay quality and lack of verifiability.
But then there are some very interesting discussions that do make the book an interesting introduction to engineering and the structure of things. I just would have preferred if it read less like an engineer had written it!
Very interesting book.......2002-02-10
I bought this book translated into Spanish. (Ediciones Celeste)ISBN 84-8211-190-6.
I'm Civil (Structural) and Industrial engineer. I found this book with a different vision of our profession. Gordon wants to answer why the things are stable.
Book Description
Consumers shop to satisfy emotional needs and desires-if a company is selling to emotion, then it's in the business of luxury.
What motivates consumers to buy? Is it pleasure? Education? Entertainment? Status? Or just an impulse? Knowing why consumers buy what they do is the secret to predicting how they will behave in the ever-changing marketplace. In most cases, much of what people buy are items they really don't need.
Focusing on the ""whys"" of spending, Danziger has meticulously profiled customers in more than 30 categories of discretionary spending through research based on surveys, interviews, and focus groups from a variety of people who make discretionary purchases. She provides readers with a vision of the future, giving them the foresight to anticipate the needs and desires of their customers.
This groundbreaking guide will help marketers of all products understand the underlying motivators consumers use to both make their purchases and become satisfied, loyal customers. In Why People Buy Things They Don't Need, Danziger examines:
* The 14 justifiers that give consumers ""permission"" to buy.
* Trends impacting why people purchase what they do.
* How to sell even more to these customers.
* The future of discretionary spending.
Customer Reviews:
Not the kind of book I was looking for.......2006-10-10
I thought this was a book to help consumers realize why they buy things they don't need, and thereby stop doing it. But it's the opposite -- it's aimed at helping businesses tap into our buying impulses and sell us MORE stuff! If you're a business looking to raise your sales, you might like this, but it was not at all what I wanted.
Kind of goes on and on.......2006-09-07
The comments by others about how the book at time rehashes statistics are true. At times I found myself glossing over pages just because it was number after number. I lost interest.
I also got to the point with the author's repeated fixation on 9/11 that I had to put the book down. Enough is enough. That fixation only revealed to me the fact that the author's insight and point of view is very limited to the current and is United States centric. The author doesn't address a broader global view of wants and have a historical perspective of why people want to help other spot future trends.
Understand how marketers manipulate you!.......2006-01-24
This book is written for marketers.
If you're a consumer, don't fail to read it - especially if you shop too much and save too little!
Delves into the reasons consumers want things and can be manipulated into believing they need them.
- Eric Tyson
Author of Personal Finance for Dummies and Mind Over Money: Your Path to Wealth and Happiness
An interesting study of the modern consumer.......2005-10-04
Its an interesting study.
I found that much of the people is a rehash of statistical studies in words. You may as well just look at the mathematical figures rather then read the words.
The other issue is the book was written not long after 911 and its long terms effects were over estimated by the writer.
i wish I read this when it first came out!.......2005-08-06
Because I sell luxury home and gift items, I was drawn to the title of this book. Sometimes that is not always a good indicator of what is inside, but in this case it was dead-on. The book helped me understand what I've seen over the last few years, as well as gave me some insight into where things are heading (and why). I keep talking about the book, and the list of friends and associates who want to borrow the book keeps growing, although I may not want to give it up. Only a few more pages to go....
Amazon.com
To the Hopi Indians in America's Southwest, our existence will soon become koyaanissqatsi or "a world out of balance." Some doomsday theorists, like historian Edward Tenner, argue we are already there. But unlike many of his colleagues, Tenner doesn't believe technology is causing the world's demise--rather, it is carrying us, as individuals, to our own koyaanissqatsi more quickly. Technological "breakthroughs" such as X-rays and computers have their immediate benefits, but their long-term consequences in terms of health and environmental risks, lost time, and disintegration of traditions set us back further than where we started in the first place. While Tenner doesn't damn technology, he cautions for modest and skeptical acceptance of it.
Book Description
In this fascinating book, historian of science Edward Tenner takes a fine-toothed comb to several realms of technological intervention and discovers a resolute pattern of "revenge effects, "paradoxical, ironic consequences of the step s we take supposedly to improve our lives. Whether proliferating technology is fated to lead us to utopia, we can be certain that it has plenty of tricks up its sleeve.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting.......2005-08-10
This book not only makes you question why, but how you perceive the world, with unintended consequences and revenge effects. Good read, but very wordy.
Why did Air France Flight 358 crash ? .......2005-08-04
The ultimate root cause of the crash was the pilots choosing to land in the middle of an intense thunderstorm due to their fancy A340. This book includes a nice collection of case histories on this "Generalized Utterly Dismal Theorem" - that technical safety-margins must disappear because folks eventually push any limits.
More recently, the Google query (( coral destruction tires )) demonstrates what once seemed like a brilliant concept just did not work out that way. The book is filled with a surprising abundance of examples of these "looks fine on paper" disasters.
Good Coverage of Difficult Subjects.......2003-11-03
Edward Tenner has written an amazing book dealing with unintended consequences of technology. The book probably would have received five stars if it was available in a more up to date version and/or more individual technologies had been explored (hopefully 'Our Own Devices', his newest book will rectify both points). A revised edition would be most welcome. (For instance in the section on computers the Pentium chip had just been released.)
Tenner's gift is in his ability to take very complex subjects with a myriad of unseen interactions and to explain the outcomes in a logical, readable and comprehensive manner. This would be an excellent book to use in a systems safety course, along with James Chiles' 'Inviting Disaster,' which is also an excellent read.
The ability to explain revenge effects, reverse revenge effects and the like on a number of diverse subjects from sports medicine to forest fire prevention makes this a must read for safety professionals, as well as making it fascinating reading for anyone with an interest in the world as it interacts with technology.
Amazing look at humans and technology.......2003-08-14
Since I had been reading on the topic of technology, complexity, decision making and the like, I decided to follow up on some of the sources I had come across in my other reading. I chose Inviting Disaster, by James R. Chiles, (another Minnesotan), Why Things Bite Back by Edward Tenner, and Normal Accidents by Charles Perrow. I also decided to review them together, although I have also reviewed the latter separately.
The Chiles book Inviting Disaster is thoroughly entertaining. The author is a professional writer with a readable style who often tries out equipment, goes on site, or goes along with technicians in order to do his research. He is by no means given to just armchair research and that makes for a very exciting narration.
I did have some difficulty getting used to his method of pairing recent and 19th Century tales of disaster, especially his habit of jumping back and forth between the two narrations. It does focus ones attention on the similarities between the two events and the degree to which we have learned little from experience! It would appear that leaning from mistakes has been given more lip service than practice over the years. This may well be due to the fact that it's only been more recently that failure itself has been made a subject in its own right with a proper examination of how systems "go off the rails" and what can be done about it.
The author includes an interesting variety of situations, and the list makes it clear that complexity itself gives rise to surprising new outcomes. Just as the authors of Figments of Reality note, complex systems can give rise to emergent characteristics which are entirely unexpected and therefore not planned. (In their book intelligence/mind arising from brain/nerve.
In Inviting Disaster, Chiles focuses on the effects of top down management, the over riding desire to accomplish records and goals, and the disenfranchisement of front line workers who have important information about front line conditions as the primary cause of disaster. He also notes that with very complex systems, the Devil can be in the details, and it tends to be these that get overlooked or ignored. In the final chapters, he suggests that successful companies have tended to focus on customer satisfaction and safety, and not only value but reward bottom up communication.
The book has a very extensive bibliography that the interested reader might enjoy following up for further information on the technology/human interface. The appendix also includes a list of disasters and near disasters and brief descriptions of each; an eye opener.
Why Things Bite Back is by a historian turned science editor, Edward Tenner. This volume focuses on what the author calls "revenge effects" of technology, the reverse or worse outcomes arising from applications of technology that were intended to eliminate or mitigate problems. Tenner's book takes a more holistic look at the unexpected outcomes of science and technology rather than at specific disasters. Medicine, Environmental Disasters, Computerized Offices, and Sports are among the facets of modern life that are examined.science and technology. In general Tenner sees there has been an exchange from the overwhelming, localized disaster affecting a few to a few thousand individuals to the chronic, more socially distributed effects of negative outcomes that require more sustained vigilance and therefore more expense distributed over an entire society or over the world's population as a whole.
One of the more interesting aspects of the book is the point made that there has been a major change for the worse in the level of satisfaction with life that has arisen as an unexpected outcome of reduced risk. Apparently as life becomes easier and we are less threatened by major problems, we begin to magnify minor problems. He also notes the odd relationship between computers and productivity; their promise doesn't seem to have lived up to the expectations of the industry, and he suggests that our dependence upon them has created complications. He admits, however that some of this may be due to the lag between the introduction of new equipment and the full embracement of the technology, noting that there was also a problem created by the lag between introduction of electrical motors and the abandonment of steam power in industry during the earlier part of the 20th century.
The book has a small annotated bib for "further reading", but the more extensive notes to the chapters with their resources, include titles that might interest the reader too.
Normal Accidents by Charles Perrow, a professor of sociology at Yale, is the most detailed of the three. I found it more difficult to get into this book, however, because of its more technical discussions of industry failures, particularly those in the nuclear power industry. The book was reverently referred to by both of the above authors, however, so when I had finished reading them, I returned to this book and got much more out of it than I had on my first reading. (See my individual review on this book under the title.)
Because of his overall approach as a sociologist to the subject of the human/technology/organization interfaces, Professor Perrow tended to look more closely at how human goals, preconceived notions of reality, and social structures set up some types of failure. He also notes that in some instances, had the various individuals actually tried to cause the accidents of which they became a part, they probably would have had difficulty doing so.
The final chapter of the book is very interesting for the author's social commentary and his suggestions for resolution of dangerous situations. Although I'm not entirely sure I believe that his position is a strong as it seems on first reading, I think it's definitely something that should be considered; certainly to do so would cause us less harm than not doing so might.
The bibliography contains a wide range of references and demonstrates the thoroughness of the academic research. I would make an excellent starting point for anyone who wanted to do their own similar study.
Action and Reaction Again and Again.......2002-10-11
This book is slightly mistitled; it probably should have been called "HOW Things Bite Back", since there's not a lot of "why" until the last few pages of the book. Tenner provides many discrete examples of how various technological solutions to problems of the past have resulted in unforseen consequences, but never really gets at the heart of the philosophical question of why there must always be such unintended consequences. Despite this, it's a fairly interesting little look at various disasters, big and small. Surprisingly, for someone who's not a sports fanatic, the foray into how technology has changed sports in unexpected ways turned out to be the most interesting section.
Book Description
The time has come, argues Dr. Wess Stafford, for a major paradigm shift: Children are too important and too intensely loved by God to be left behind or left to chance. Children belong to all of us and we are compelled to intervene on their behalf. We must invest in children–all across the world.
There are strategic, persuasive reasons–beyond love and kindness–to invest in children. Today they may snuggle into your lap, if you let them. But tomorrow you may not have access to them in the corridors of power they might occupy. Now is the time to shape the future.
Dr. Stafford issues an urgent call for change. His adventures as a boy raised in a West African village provide an often-humorous and always-captivating backdrop to his profound and inspiring challenges. Wess lived the reality of “it takes a village to raise a child” and calls us to “be that loving village for children everywhere.”
This book will encourage you to turn your good, loving intentions into strategic actions and empower you to help change the world–and the future–forever: one child at a time.
Customer Reviews:
Inspirational Eye Opener - rethink children's role in our priveledged society.......2007-09-03
This book is a wonderful eye opener that guides the reader through a journey of experiences on so many levels. A MUST READ for any and everyone who cares about the future of our society, our world - which is our children. It raises many questions that need our attention BOTH WORLD WIDE AND IN OUR PRIVELEDGED COUNTRY OF THE USA. As a Mother, the book speaks to my heart and covers so many topics I have thought about and struggled with as I am challenged to raise connected loving children in this priveledged distracted media intensive society.
Please read it and change the world one child at a time starting with the children you know. It can be done and the author explains how.
Then buy a copy for everyone you love.
A Must Read!.......2007-08-01
Every human being NEEDS to read this book! Children are our future and should be most important! A wonderful book and one that I will be passing on!
What Can I Say.......2006-12-13
What can I say that hasn't been said here in other reviews? A timely, riveting piece of writing. Highly, highly recommended.
Rick Evans Chaplain Childhelp Of Ohio
Too Small to Ignore.......2006-11-10
Informative, well written, and disturbing regarding the abuse that the author and other children suffer in terms of their caretakers. At the same time uplifting in terms of the author being able to overcome the effects of his childhood abuse.
An eye opener.......2006-11-05
Dr. Stafford forces us to think about the plight and condition of children outside the industrialized world. And after he makes the case for our consideration he gives us practical ways to help. If you care about the Third World and the countless masses of the next generation growing up there, this is a must read.
Book Description
In this transformational book, the authors have used ground-breaking research to develop four primary patterns of relating to one another that shed light on our actions--and how we can learn to love and be loved even better.
Customer Reviews:
The bedrock of all relational books..........2006-07-22
The earlier (hard copy) edition of this book was titled "Attachments" and used primarily by competent clinicians everywhere. The book has been "oprahfied" (if you will) in that it is now palatable to the lay person who wants to rise to the challenge of "Know Thyself". There is simply no better place to start in terms of understanding the relationships you have and hope to have.
Finally, insight to long sought after questions about connectiong with people/family .......2006-07-13
- a must read for adults who want to better understand their childhood/family dynamics and improve them, and for parents who do not want to repeat mistakes of the past.
The authors have offered insight into family dynamics based on scientific study and their work with patients. They have uncomplicatedly classifed relationships into 4 areas. The premise is that our relationship styles are based on the relationships we had in our families. I have not been able to book the book down.
The authors also offer a section on building healthy relationships with our children and tools to change your future.
Over the years, despite a successful career, great husband and family, I have had nagging feelings of emptiness and loneliness my entire life. But on the outside, I look like a happy, well adjusted and confident working mom. What is the source of these feelings and how do I replace them with happy feelings?
I have been reading books on self-esteem. Some of the content is relevant, but I feel that what I am reading is a prescription for a symptom, not the true problem.
Reading "Why you do the things you do" was an incredible Ah-ha moment. I think I now have the start of a comprehensive tool kit - to really review my history and my 'today' in a completely and constructive manner.
I need to mention that I have seen the book in Christian book stores. One of the author's goals is to help build a stronger relationship with God of a relationship style has hindered that in the past. The Christian content is fairly small and a bit understated.
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