Just How Stupid Are We?: Facing the Truth About the American Voter by Rick Shenkman Summary and Reviews
|
List Price: Our Price: $13.93 You Save: $11.07 (44%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $12.54 (click here) Category: Book See more book details and other editions |
|---|
Book Reviews of Just How Stupid Are We?: Facing the Truth About the American Voter
Book Review: Just How Stupid Are We? by Rick Shenkman
Summary: 4 Stars
As an immigrant of the 1950s, and now a naturalized citizen, the book was an eye opener for me from the perspective of history of our country. Being a political "junky" and a moderate, it was reasonably possible for an individual like me to predict the future of the country from the last 50 years of experience. That prediction is being mercilessly confirmed by the current events. The narrative of Mr. Shenkman was very educational for a reader in terms of our country's history and allows one to delve into what has gone wrong with our political system, although the author has been relatively subtle and scholarly in his approach. He has stopped a step short of calling a spade "A Spade" when approaching the political and financial leadership of the last 50 years. From the perspective of a reader like me, I would have enjoyed reading the book even more had he done so in no uncertain terms.Book Review: Something to Think About
Summary: 4 Stars
This book offers some explanations of why intelligent people have some very un-intelligent (read Stupid) ideas about politics and political candidates. It is well written, organized, and easy to read. I thought it was interesting.Book Review: Sophistry. Condescending ramblings with no supporting evidence
Summary: 1 Stars
This book is awful. Contempt oozes from it's pages about how stupid 'everyone' is. The author, an expert and author in politics, is amazed other citizens don't know as much about politics as him.
He's a specialist who uses his specialty to look down on others.
He pretends his cause is Democracy. But i didn't get that out of the book. I just got an expert with contempt of those who don't specialize in his field.
I follow politics closely. I'm one of the people who do in fact think citizens don't take our democracy seriously, and put little effort into it. But i don't need to communicate that opinion in 186 pages. I just gave it to you in one sentence.
Much better books on how stupid 'we'[voters] are:
"What's the matter with Kansas"
"Moral Politics"
"Republican Noise Machine".
Book Review: Important material, frankly undeniable.
Summary: 4 Stars
In 2008, it is no longer credible to deny the stupidty of the "average" voter (and despite what one reviewer wrote, it is entirely possible to be both average and stupid, unless your ONLY definition of stupid is "less intelligent than half the people), not after Bush was given a second term. So what to do? This book spends a good deal of time making a weighty case that the electorate is in fact toxically stupid, and adds a coda of hope at the end--but it's a faint glimmer at best. The situation is dire, and we see it surrounding us every day, more and more. From the financial crisis to health care, Social Security and the national debt to energy and climate, the politicans dare not promote actual potential solutions, because the voters--the CONSUMERS who vote on occasion--are entirely too misinformed and uninterested to learn the truth. I would love to say that such a book could be a tankard of espresso, a cold slap in the face, but the truth is, the only people who will read are people who won't much benefit from it. Shenkman, while a smart and entertaining writer covering a vital topic, is ultimately just one more prophet in the wilderness crying out to the wind.Book Review: We are really stupid
Summary: 3 Stars
This was a very enlightening book. I hate to say it but this election cycle we are in right now is more of the same. Politicians spinning their views still and credit THE PEOPLE for their woes and wins.