What do you think?
Rate this book
The Way We'll Be: The Zogby Report on the Transformation of the American Dream
The Way We'll Be: The Zogby Report on the Transformation of the American Dream
Audiobook
First published January 1, 2008
5 people are currently reading
151 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
November 7, 2016
Trying to purge our book collection, so gave this one a quick read finally so that I could give it away. I think it would have been better if I'd read it closer to when it was published. A lot of the data and theory seems woefully out of date already, which I suppose is a valuable take-away about polling in general.
January 5, 2016
Pollsters may be pretty good at gauging public opinion as it pertains to subjects with short event horizons, but they are terrible at using this data to predict long term future trends. In The Way We'll Be: The Zogby Report on the Transformation of the American Dream, pollster John Zogby examines the attitudes of the 18 – 29 demographic and uses them to predict future nationwide trends. Zogby is highly optimistic about the transformative effect that these young, idealistic, yet pragmatic, realists whom he refers to as “the First Globals” will have on the future of the country … he also couldn’t have been more wrong had he consulted with a Magic 8 Ball pulled from his colon instead of survey data. The book was published in 2008, so 7.5 years later one would expect to begin to see the effects that he forecasts.
Here’s the gist of his predictions … a new nationwide consensus is developing that is characterized by less partisanship and divisiveness, less materialism and demagoguery. Hot button issues such as god, guns, gays and abortion will evaporate to be replaced by a spirit of unity and pragmatic problem solving. Race will also cease to be an issue as the first ‘color blind’ generation comes into its own. Environmental stewardship will be front and center with respect to governmental policy and our expectations of corporate behavior. US exceptionalism and unilateralism will be replaced by a more global outlook that engages other countries to solve problems that affect the entire planet. And rampant consumerism will diminish as people scale down their lifestyles and find meaning in activities other than shopping.
Um … no. Zogby is so wildly off the mark he’s not even wrong. Frankly, it’s a wonder the book hasn’t irrevocably damaged his career given his business (Zogby International Research LLC) is founded upon his prognostication skills.
Zogby does gets one thing right … the pendulum is swinging. But rather than settling comfortably into the pragmatic center, it’s headed for the know-nothing, bug-f*ck, nukes for jesus, fluffer-nut fringe where incivility, xenophobia, demagoguery, magical thinking, and ill-informed opinion carefully nurtured within the comfortable shell of confirmation bias reigns supreme. He certainly failed to foresee that ignorance would become an asset and that dysfunction would become the new norm … let alone that Bill Cosby would no longer be considered particularly funny.
He also completely misses what I believe to be the biggest social transformation taking place in the U.S. today, the decline of Christianity and the rise of those whose religious affiliation is ‘none’. Those who claim they are atheist, agnostic or have no religious affiliation now make up 22.3% of the population. This is a 6.7% increase since 2007 and represents the fastest growing ‘religious’ demographic. In this same time period Evangelical Protestants declined 0.9%, Catholics declined 3.1%, and Mainline Protestants by 3.4%. Add to this the fact that Americans born after 1980 are far more likely to be secular than older age groups and it’s quite clear that religion, though still prevalent in the U.S., is on the wane, and that the transformation is occurring with remarkable rapidity. Here’s some data from one of Zogby’s competitors if you’d like more information: http://www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/am...
Instead of investigating this clear trend, Zogby chooses instead to focus on a group he oddly dubs the ‘secular spiritualists’ (because they are religious, but supposedly hold more secular values), and spins himself into a muddle.
Here’s the thing … polling data can certainly reveal trends in social attitudes, but they are only snapshots of a particularly time, they represent what people say not necessarily how they behave, and they are often simply wrong (using a 95% confidence interval guarantees one wrong conclusion in every twenty). Add to this the fact that external circumstances change that can have an effect on the public’s attitude, that crystal balls do not exist and that the future is notoriously difficult to predict and you have a recipe for inaccuracy. Demographics in the U.S. are changing and the young in the country have different views than their parents, so it’s safe to say that attitudes will change, but whether lunacy or the rational middle prevails yet remains to be seen. I am rather less optimistic in this regard than Mr. Zogby.
If you’re interested, the New York Times has a nice, and somewhat sarcastic review of the book at: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/31/boo...
Here’s the gist of his predictions … a new nationwide consensus is developing that is characterized by less partisanship and divisiveness, less materialism and demagoguery. Hot button issues such as god, guns, gays and abortion will evaporate to be replaced by a spirit of unity and pragmatic problem solving. Race will also cease to be an issue as the first ‘color blind’ generation comes into its own. Environmental stewardship will be front and center with respect to governmental policy and our expectations of corporate behavior. US exceptionalism and unilateralism will be replaced by a more global outlook that engages other countries to solve problems that affect the entire planet. And rampant consumerism will diminish as people scale down their lifestyles and find meaning in activities other than shopping.
Um … no. Zogby is so wildly off the mark he’s not even wrong. Frankly, it’s a wonder the book hasn’t irrevocably damaged his career given his business (Zogby International Research LLC) is founded upon his prognostication skills.
Zogby does gets one thing right … the pendulum is swinging. But rather than settling comfortably into the pragmatic center, it’s headed for the know-nothing, bug-f*ck, nukes for jesus, fluffer-nut fringe where incivility, xenophobia, demagoguery, magical thinking, and ill-informed opinion carefully nurtured within the comfortable shell of confirmation bias reigns supreme. He certainly failed to foresee that ignorance would become an asset and that dysfunction would become the new norm … let alone that Bill Cosby would no longer be considered particularly funny.
He also completely misses what I believe to be the biggest social transformation taking place in the U.S. today, the decline of Christianity and the rise of those whose religious affiliation is ‘none’. Those who claim they are atheist, agnostic or have no religious affiliation now make up 22.3% of the population. This is a 6.7% increase since 2007 and represents the fastest growing ‘religious’ demographic. In this same time period Evangelical Protestants declined 0.9%, Catholics declined 3.1%, and Mainline Protestants by 3.4%. Add to this the fact that Americans born after 1980 are far more likely to be secular than older age groups and it’s quite clear that religion, though still prevalent in the U.S., is on the wane, and that the transformation is occurring with remarkable rapidity. Here’s some data from one of Zogby’s competitors if you’d like more information: http://www.pewforum.org/2015/05/12/am...
Instead of investigating this clear trend, Zogby chooses instead to focus on a group he oddly dubs the ‘secular spiritualists’ (because they are religious, but supposedly hold more secular values), and spins himself into a muddle.
Here’s the thing … polling data can certainly reveal trends in social attitudes, but they are only snapshots of a particularly time, they represent what people say not necessarily how they behave, and they are often simply wrong (using a 95% confidence interval guarantees one wrong conclusion in every twenty). Add to this the fact that external circumstances change that can have an effect on the public’s attitude, that crystal balls do not exist and that the future is notoriously difficult to predict and you have a recipe for inaccuracy. Demographics in the U.S. are changing and the young in the country have different views than their parents, so it’s safe to say that attitudes will change, but whether lunacy or the rational middle prevails yet remains to be seen. I am rather less optimistic in this regard than Mr. Zogby.
If you’re interested, the New York Times has a nice, and somewhat sarcastic review of the book at: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/31/boo...
February 22, 2017
While I do not agree with all the conclusions reached by the author (let's remember that correlations are often incorrectly confused as causes), I found the data contained to be quite insightful. In fact, I was surprised with quite a bit of the results described by the famous poll maker; specially those about our youth. Moreover, the few years that have passed since the book's writing serve to confirm the value of such insights. Finally, the author allowed me as the reader an opportunity into his world in a way that helps me better interpret the results obtained by his industry.
August 26, 2008
This is the second book I have read in the past month by a political pollster. The first, "Words that Work," by Frank Luntz, was a cynical look at how polling can help corporations and politicians paint themselves in the most flattering light and bamboozle a helpless public. John Zogby's book could not be more different. It is a deep, exhaustive look at some of the insights he has gained through decades of polling about the state of the American psyche, what people value, want they hope for and where they would like the country and their own lives to go.
Full disclosure: I worked with the author of this book for many years on political polls he conducted when I was chief political correspondent for Reuters. Obviously, I valued that partnership -- but this book is not primarily about politics. It is a kind of "State of the Union Address" and is by turns amusing, revealing and often surprising.
Zogby's deepest insight is proposition of a vast group of Americans he calls "secular spiritualists" -- people craving meaning in their lives. They want material comfort and security of course but they also want to leave the world a better place than they found it; they crave emotional fulfillment and they are remarkably tolerant. Unfortunately, politicians have completely failed to address these desires, preferring to fall back on unbridled negativity.
Americans, Zogby says, want an ethical government, ethical corporations and ethical leaders. Young Americans, who Zogby calls "First Globals," see themselves as citizens of the world as well of their own country, and committed to preserving its future.
I recommend this book for an informed look at where our country may be heading.
Full disclosure: I worked with the author of this book for many years on political polls he conducted when I was chief political correspondent for Reuters. Obviously, I valued that partnership -- but this book is not primarily about politics. It is a kind of "State of the Union Address" and is by turns amusing, revealing and often surprising.
Zogby's deepest insight is proposition of a vast group of Americans he calls "secular spiritualists" -- people craving meaning in their lives. They want material comfort and security of course but they also want to leave the world a better place than they found it; they crave emotional fulfillment and they are remarkably tolerant. Unfortunately, politicians have completely failed to address these desires, preferring to fall back on unbridled negativity.
Americans, Zogby says, want an ethical government, ethical corporations and ethical leaders. Young Americans, who Zogby calls "First Globals," see themselves as citizens of the world as well of their own country, and committed to preserving its future.
I recommend this book for an informed look at where our country may be heading.
November 6, 2008
No wonder that John Zogby takes polling and surveys quite seriously. Looking into his crystal balls he sees hope in a young generation of Americans. Maybe it is possible to make all manner of predictions from polls and surveys, but I wonder.
It isn’t too surprising that people might answer questions in a way that makes them look good, but we have to trust that the number crunchers took social desirability into account. Maybe Mr. Zogby does so, but there’s is no specific mention of how that was accomplished, leaving me to wonder to what degree many survey responses are more reflective of wishful thinking than reality. So Americans report a willingness to sacrifice for the environment? That’s great, really. And I sure hope that’s true, but even more, I hope we can see those attitudes turn into actions. My suspicion is that Zogby tends toward an understandable over-reliance on his interpretations of survey responses. While data of this sort provides a small view or porthole to more complex pictures, to suggest that it is possible to do much more than that oversells the limited ability of surveys and what we can learn from them.
Zogby’s writing is clear, crisp and reasonably interesting, given that anyone picking this book up has to know theyll be looking at a lot of survey results.
It isn’t too surprising that people might answer questions in a way that makes them look good, but we have to trust that the number crunchers took social desirability into account. Maybe Mr. Zogby does so, but there’s is no specific mention of how that was accomplished, leaving me to wonder to what degree many survey responses are more reflective of wishful thinking than reality. So Americans report a willingness to sacrifice for the environment? That’s great, really. And I sure hope that’s true, but even more, I hope we can see those attitudes turn into actions. My suspicion is that Zogby tends toward an understandable over-reliance on his interpretations of survey responses. While data of this sort provides a small view or porthole to more complex pictures, to suggest that it is possible to do much more than that oversells the limited ability of surveys and what we can learn from them.
Zogby’s writing is clear, crisp and reasonably interesting, given that anyone picking this book up has to know theyll be looking at a lot of survey results.
February 20, 2009
I recently saw this book on a listing of various books that President Obama should make a point to read. Authored by John Zogby, whose polls we all breathlessly await during election season, this book attempts to use polling data to highlight shifts in our culture. A few notes I took from the book are as follows:
● Where one shops, be it Wal-Mart and Kohl’s on the right or Fileen’s and Bloomingdale’s on the left, might be the most important predictor of voting patterns.
● A potentially powerful voting bloc waiting to happen is a combination of libertarians and moderates. Interestingly, both these groups are united in their enjoyment of the comedic styling of Bill Cosby.
● Younger generations are increasingly liberal in the classic, though not necessary political, sense and are increasingly accepting and international in their mindsets.
● Most youngsters, or first globals as Zogby calls them, really could care less about the country of origin of their products, perhaps best typified in the failure of the “this is our country” trucks ads.
● Most polling would seem to suggest that we really prefer socially responsible corporations.
In sum, there is not a whole lot of really new material here, but it is worthwhile to be able to point to supporting polling data for sociological trends that seem rather intuitive.
● Where one shops, be it Wal-Mart and Kohl’s on the right or Fileen’s and Bloomingdale’s on the left, might be the most important predictor of voting patterns.
● A potentially powerful voting bloc waiting to happen is a combination of libertarians and moderates. Interestingly, both these groups are united in their enjoyment of the comedic styling of Bill Cosby.
● Younger generations are increasingly liberal in the classic, though not necessary political, sense and are increasingly accepting and international in their mindsets.
● Most youngsters, or first globals as Zogby calls them, really could care less about the country of origin of their products, perhaps best typified in the failure of the “this is our country” trucks ads.
● Most polling would seem to suggest that we really prefer socially responsible corporations.
In sum, there is not a whole lot of really new material here, but it is worthwhile to be able to point to supporting polling data for sociological trends that seem rather intuitive.
September 15, 2011
Utica-based pollster John Zogby paints a fairly optimistic portrait of the near-future based on his poll results. The questions and their results are sometimes quirky, sometimes counterintuitive, sometimes just what you'd expect. He breaks it down in between with his thoughts on current events and where we might be headed. Interestingly enough, he doesn't appear to be unbiased...seems to lean a little to the left, which is fine with me, but I'm not sure how he's "supposed" to be w/r/t his occupation. Also, he is forever comparing and conflating consumer habits with voting habits, arguing that where and how you shop (or at least, how you say you do/would) is a good indicator of how you vote or behave (or at least, how you say you do/would). That gets a bit irritating, especially since it seems awfully questionable that people are ACTUALLY voting/shopping/investing/otherwise behaving the way the poll results indicate they are. According to Zogby, there is a relatively clear profile of the "First Global" generation emerging, and it doesn't look very much like the peer group I see around me. But then, I don't have hard numbers. Overall, a decent, quick read for a bit of an uplift if you have anecdotal evidence that the world is going to hell. The numbers indicate we're at least not rushing there.
October 22, 2008
Take some polling numbers. Now, extrapolate them. Ok, got it? Now, insert your personal opinions in the mix. Do you have something resembling objective? Most likely not. Now you understand my initial underlying concern with this book.
That being said, I came up with a formula for how to read this book. The moment what you're reading starts to sound remotely biased, skip to the next chapter. This will limit you to about 15 pages of solid reading, but fortunately, that reading may be interesting to you. Did you know how research pollsters do for private corporations? A lot (including Cisco, which is a major client of Zogby). Got all of that? That's all that's fairly interesting.
The rest is simply Zogby rehashing the material of a few other misguided social critics out there who believe that the millennial generation is practically the second coming. Speaking as a millennial, I can see part of the argument, but ultimately, while this generation is more socially aware, most of the generation hasn't yet entered "the real world." If our generation can continue its level of advocacy and balance a career/personal life has yet to be seen. For the time being, I'll be a good student of statistics and not extrapolate the ending that Zogby seems to envision.
That being said, I came up with a formula for how to read this book. The moment what you're reading starts to sound remotely biased, skip to the next chapter. This will limit you to about 15 pages of solid reading, but fortunately, that reading may be interesting to you. Did you know how research pollsters do for private corporations? A lot (including Cisco, which is a major client of Zogby). Got all of that? That's all that's fairly interesting.
The rest is simply Zogby rehashing the material of a few other misguided social critics out there who believe that the millennial generation is practically the second coming. Speaking as a millennial, I can see part of the argument, but ultimately, while this generation is more socially aware, most of the generation hasn't yet entered "the real world." If our generation can continue its level of advocacy and balance a career/personal life has yet to be seen. For the time being, I'll be a good student of statistics and not extrapolate the ending that Zogby seems to envision.
Read
February 5, 2009Like the data Zogby studies, reactions to his book were somewhat difficult to gauge. Several critics dismissed him as hopelessly optimistic, but they didn't seriously attempt to debunk his data. Others offered an unqualified embrace of his vision of the future, but they didn't provide any qualifications of their own. Perhaps the most reasonable response came from the Wall Street Journal. Michael Barone stressed that readers should keep in mind that Zogby is an unconventional pollster who sometimes pushes the boundaries of the field; at the same time, some of the trends that Zogby identifies are difficult to deny, even if one feels relatively less optimistic about them. Critics also disagreed on whether Zogby's prose transcends the trends: some found themselves carried along by his occasional anecdotes and concise analysis, while others found themselves bogged down in the numbers. So The Way We'll Be is a book about one man's opinions about predicting the future based on many other people's opinions. Only you can decide if that much irresolvable speculation will make your brain hurt.
This is an excerpt from a review published in Bookmarks magazine.
December 11, 2009
Ultra-pollster Zogby looks at the evolution of America’s views on many things, explaining the art and science of the polling world along the way. The book is rather interesting though possibly a little over-detailed in places where we already get the picture, John. Great insights into America, though, from things like how where people shop being a better indicator of how they will vote than most things you would think of before that (Wal-Mart shoppers are republicans, counterintuitive to the whole red-state thing – perhaps they should change the colour of the stores) to the fact that age and income dictate who you think the funniest comedian is, but with surprising results. The upshot of the findings is that young Americans (15-24 and 25-34 age groups in particular) consider themselves more citizens of the world than America, are not really happy with the government, think that it is their responsibility and that of corporations to do good, and are willing to expect less in terms of material stuff and money to be happy, as long as they have a sense of purpose and meaning. Well worth the read.
July 28, 2011
I usually like geekish books like this, with stories and stats, but this one had too many stats and not enough stories. In listening to it, I felt that the author was trying to make a case that his point-in-time survey snapshots, which are sliced and diced in literally thousands of ways, imply major changes in the way people think. I kept wondering while listening (audiobook!) whether his surveys are backward-looking, reflecting a point in time, or if they could be prescriptive, predicting future events, as the author writes. I don't see the straight line predictions that he makes, I think there is a normal ebb and flow in the way people think, over time for a cohort, and between cohorts. The youthful cohort is getting what they ask for with our current government policies, and I suspect they will quickly learn that the price to be liberal is high, and they and their children will be paying the price. After finishing this book, I feel that the results could easily be totally different if done in a year or two, so my 2 star review reflects that.
October 1, 2008
Polls are among the most-maligned things about politics, but if you actually conduct them with an open mind you can tell a lot about the state of public attitudes. I've always found John Zogby to be flashy and overrated, but in this book he thoroughly interpolates a lot of attitudes that I've noticed in people my age and younger. The idea is that youngin's are more globally-minded than anybody, and that people are giving up on a materialism-based American dream and moving into more personally meaningful visions of the American dream. Since this was the result of the switch of an economy that doesn't work for America as well as the old middle-class economy did, the subtitle of this book should be "Lipstick on a Pig," but I believe it's at least accurate lipstick.
February 9, 2011
This book should serve as a warning to any pollster who likes to extrapolate big predictions from his data. Is was written before the financial crisis and the rise of the Tea Party. Still, I think Zogby has done some valuable work and I do agree with him that there are reasons for optimism about the future of the U.S. I do think though that he makes too many sweeping conclusions and time did not prove him right on everything. He does, however, say that Barack Obama was the ideal candidate to get elected in 2008. That much he was right on! I also wish that like so many pollsters he would quit grouping everyone into "generations" and make assumptions from there. People born in the early '60's are not "baby boomers" who are influenced by Vietnam War politics.
November 8, 2008
If you like spew out random facts at dinner, this is the book for you. If you opposed Prop 8 in California and are asking yourself, "What is going on in this country?" then this book is for you. This book is hopeful and interesting as it depicts the "First Globals" generation that is growing up in an age ofhe internet. Zogby describes the "First Globals" as a group of people that are more open minded to issues regarding diversity, homosexuality and global expansion. They hunger new technology but are ware of the dangers of consumerism. I found this book to be an inspiring read during a time of significant change in American Politics.
September 17, 2010
John Zogby shares great insight in the way that culture is shifting in the United States and what ramifications those changes have on consumerism. He outlines specifically how the American Dream is changing and shares very interesting insight into the younger generation's values and how those values are motivating behavior and purchasing.
I loved this book. It was a bit of a heavy read at times because of the analytics and numbers that are shared, but definitely worth the read!
To see more of my thoughts on the review, please visit my business books review site.
I loved this book. It was a bit of a heavy read at times because of the analytics and numbers that are shared, but definitely worth the read!
To see more of my thoughts on the review, please visit my business books review site.
October 28, 2008
I love people who back up their claims with data! The author is the founder of the polling company, Zogby Int'l, and his premise is that polling data show that Americans are far ahead of pundits and politicians when it comes to dealing with 21st century realities such as living within economic limits, embracing diversity,and becoming more internationalist and consensus oriented. He sees this as a watershed moment, much like 1800 or 1860, when we as a nation had to redefine our values. Well written and not a partisan blast.
did-not-finish
November 16, 2014I'm not sure what the point of this book was supposed to be. If it was truly meant to be an overview of the "transformation of the American dream," as stated in its subtitle, then it didn't use the resources that exist to reach that goal at all. I think that may be the heart of the problem -- the only resources it used was statistical information from the author's company and from his competitors. Statistics are fine but don't go nearly far enough to explain the why's of things. Also, the frequent references to the author's company made the book come off as an extended advertisement.
December 23, 2008
I really enjoyed this book. First, it was a mini review about polling but primarily and it addressed trends for the country-where we , as a nation are headed. In the day to day dreariness of the world- with it's fears and loss- it was refreshing to hear optimistic news. Mr Zogby is a highly respected pollster and his trends and predictions are based on the social research of his surveys. What a treat.
April 15, 2009
A light read that will make progressives feel a bit better about some of the emerging trends in upcoming generations. Basically a generation of "European" Americans on the way regarding things like global and environmental awareness and a willingness to live within ones means. Zogby's illustrates clearly and hammers his points home, but the writing never becomes terribly engaging or insightful at a level higher than your typical talking head on TV.
August 16, 2009
Should have been called "The Way We Were." Poll result after poll result of the way that we think. Some very interesting. Most all very dry.
Good parts included the one that showed voter demographics coincided better with were we shopped (i.e. Walmart shoppers overwhelmingly conservative) than where we live (blue state, red state). Showed some interesting trends, nothing earth-shattering though.
Good parts included the one that showed voter demographics coincided better with were we shopped (i.e. Walmart shoppers overwhelmingly conservative) than where we live (blue state, red state). Showed some interesting trends, nothing earth-shattering though.
Read
July 31, 2011What I liked about this book was the enthusiasm with which Zogby gathers and analyzes numbers. Some of the data--particularly about "Kerry voters" and "Bush voters" seems dated now, but I think he's really on to something about this next generation and their unique views. Anyone in business or marketing will get some unique insights into the "globals" that Zogby has revealed.
May 4, 2010
I enjoyed reading about American culture through statistical trends. It was also helpful for someone like me who has a bare minimum of stats knowledge to reference. Zogby gives insight on how to interpret the numbers.
August 2, 2011
Good read, unusually optimistic about the future of the United States. As a college student its refreshing to hear someone say that we will be something great ourselves, and not another demotion of the American Dream
December 15, 2015
This book presented a few interesting ideas, but they were unfortunately too few and far between. The same thoughts get repeated over and over again, turning what could have been an entertaining article into an overgrown book.
January 27, 2016
An interesting story about the world of polls and their interpretations. The book was published in 2008 which made some of the topics dated in perspective but not to the extent that it interfered with the subject matter.
December 12, 2008
Fascinating and optimistic picture of what currently drives American people and their voting habits. Written early in 2008, this book makes utterly clear why Barack Obama won the 2008 election.
February 8, 2009
Very interesting take on the future by John Zogby who does all those surveys.......
March 27, 2009
Great book - really informative and hopeful.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews