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Debunk It: How to Stay Sane in a World of Misinformation
We live in an era of misinformation, much of it spread by authority figures, including politicians, religious leaders, broadcasters, high-traffic bloggers, and, of course, websites. With so much bullshit coming from so many sources, how can anyone be expected to discover the truth? Well, if you are tired of hearing blowhards spouting off about climate change, history, evolution, medicine, and more, you'll find this book full of invaluable facts that will startle and amuse you.
In Bullshit, John Grant, author of acclaimed books such as Discarded Science, Corrupted Science, and Denying Science, will hook readers with modern, ripped-from-the-headlines examples of bullshit, clearly explaining how to identify and debunk such hogwash. He also provides a roundup of the rhetorical tricks bullshitters use when they try to pull the wool over our eyes and even offers advice about how to take bullshitters down. Although the subject matter can often be serious, the book is full of Grant's trademark humor and perceptiveness. (And some snark, too.)
In Bullshit, John Grant, author of acclaimed books such as Discarded Science, Corrupted Science, and Denying Science, will hook readers with modern, ripped-from-the-headlines examples of bullshit, clearly explaining how to identify and debunk such hogwash. He also provides a roundup of the rhetorical tricks bullshitters use when they try to pull the wool over our eyes and even offers advice about how to take bullshitters down. Although the subject matter can often be serious, the book is full of Grant's trademark humor and perceptiveness. (And some snark, too.)
228 pages, Paperback
First published February 3, 2015
26 people are currently reading
267 people want to read
About the author
John Grant
537 books183 followersJohn Grant is author of over eighty books, of which about twenty-five are fiction, including novels like The World, The Hundredfold Problem, The Far-Enough Window and most recently The Dragons of Manhattan and Leaving Fortusa. His “book-length fiction” Dragonhenge, illustrated by Bob Eggleton, was shortlisted for a Hugo Award in 2003; its successor was The Stardragons. His first story collection, Take No Prisoners, appeared in 2004. He is editor of the anthology New Writings in the Fantastic, which was shortlisted for a British Fantasy Award. His novellas The City in These Pages and The Lonely Hunter have appeared from PS Publishing.
His latest fiction book is Tell No Lies , his second story collection; it's published by Alchemy Press. His most recent nonfiction is A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Film Noir . Earlier, he coedited with John Clute The Encyclopedia of Fantasy and wrote in their entirety all three editions of The Encyclopedia of Walt Disney’s Animated Characters; both encyclopedias are standard reference works in their field. Among other recent nonfictions have been Discarded Science, Corrupted Science (a USA Today Book of the Year), Bogus Science and Denying Science.
As John Grant he has to date received two Hugo Awards, the World Fantasy Award, the Locus Award, and a number of other international literary awards. He has written books under other names, even including his real one: as Paul Barnett, he has written a few books (like the space operas Strider’s Galaxy and Strider’s Universe) and for a number of years ran the world-famous fantasy-artbook imprint Paper Tiger, for this work earning a Chesley Award and a nomination for the World Fantasy Award.
His latest fiction book is Tell No Lies , his second story collection; it's published by Alchemy Press. His most recent nonfiction is A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Film Noir . Earlier, he coedited with John Clute The Encyclopedia of Fantasy and wrote in their entirety all three editions of The Encyclopedia of Walt Disney’s Animated Characters; both encyclopedias are standard reference works in their field. Among other recent nonfictions have been Discarded Science, Corrupted Science (a USA Today Book of the Year), Bogus Science and Denying Science.
As John Grant he has to date received two Hugo Awards, the World Fantasy Award, the Locus Award, and a number of other international literary awards. He has written books under other names, even including his real one: as Paul Barnett, he has written a few books (like the space operas Strider’s Galaxy and Strider’s Universe) and for a number of years ran the world-famous fantasy-artbook imprint Paper Tiger, for this work earning a Chesley Award and a nomination for the World Fantasy Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 54 reviews
July 31, 2016
This book on logic and reasoning appears to have been thrown together by a science fiction writer who has a lot of strong opinions on things.
There are two sections to the book:
The first is there to teach you how to detect bullshit
The second is showing the author debunking bullshit
Read chapters 1,3,and 4 and nothing else and this book might be of some value to you. The rest is just the author pressing hos own ideas.
The author claims on the inside cover and on the back of the book that he will teach you how to build a bullshitometer. At no point does he actually do so. He lays out a bunch of good ways in which bullshit artists can deceive you and then tells you that sometimes you even deceive yourself. If you would like to build your own bullshit meter you will have to put in a decent amount of legwork yourself.
The second part of the book is just an outlet for the author to express his own opinion on a bunch of different subjects by ripping apart arguments that he doesn't support. It was interesting to note that he himself used many of the tactics that he warned about when 'debunking' all of these false claims.
The main function of the book is to build up the author's own ego by pushing his ideas as absolute fact onto the reader. Oh, and it comes with a side of self help.
Here are my valuable takeaways:
Look at the source of the information that you are ingesting, what is the motive of the author.
What kind of authority does the author have on the subject, more than you?
Someone's blind ignorance is absolute truth to them.
Ensure that arguments are fair and two sided.
Watch out for red hearings that take away from the factual basis of an argument:
Attacks of the person or defending entity, not the content
The painting of straw man arguments that the author easily tares apart
Cited information excessively, you have the freedom to check it out
Just because someone is a blogger or writer does not mean that they are an expert on the subject, many times they are just writing from their own personal experience and ignorance
Notice when studies are cited that it is only ever interesting and supportive studies that are usually published or mentioned
How to build up the bullshit meter?
1. Research the author of what you are going to be reading, watching or listening to beforehand. What is their motivation to do what they do and why are they generating this media.
2. Have awareness that you are easily persuaded to whatever line of thinking is presented and go in beforehand with some insight. Realize anecdotal evidence for what it is, a story, nothing else. A more emotional version of a fact.
3. Take notes afterward on the subject mater of the talk and do a little bit of research into the claims, articles, books, and people mentioned. That is where the real learning comes in.
4. Talk about the material with someone to clarify it in your mind
5. Compare it with what other influential people think. Compare it to some of the many greats that you have listened to over the years
There are two sections to the book:
The first is there to teach you how to detect bullshit
The second is showing the author debunking bullshit
Read chapters 1,3,and 4 and nothing else and this book might be of some value to you. The rest is just the author pressing hos own ideas.
The author claims on the inside cover and on the back of the book that he will teach you how to build a bullshitometer. At no point does he actually do so. He lays out a bunch of good ways in which bullshit artists can deceive you and then tells you that sometimes you even deceive yourself. If you would like to build your own bullshit meter you will have to put in a decent amount of legwork yourself.
The second part of the book is just an outlet for the author to express his own opinion on a bunch of different subjects by ripping apart arguments that he doesn't support. It was interesting to note that he himself used many of the tactics that he warned about when 'debunking' all of these false claims.
The main function of the book is to build up the author's own ego by pushing his ideas as absolute fact onto the reader. Oh, and it comes with a side of self help.
Here are my valuable takeaways:
Look at the source of the information that you are ingesting, what is the motive of the author.
What kind of authority does the author have on the subject, more than you?
Someone's blind ignorance is absolute truth to them.
Ensure that arguments are fair and two sided.
Watch out for red hearings that take away from the factual basis of an argument:
Attacks of the person or defending entity, not the content
The painting of straw man arguments that the author easily tares apart
Cited information excessively, you have the freedom to check it out
Just because someone is a blogger or writer does not mean that they are an expert on the subject, many times they are just writing from their own personal experience and ignorance
Notice when studies are cited that it is only ever interesting and supportive studies that are usually published or mentioned
How to build up the bullshit meter?
1. Research the author of what you are going to be reading, watching or listening to beforehand. What is their motivation to do what they do and why are they generating this media.
2. Have awareness that you are easily persuaded to whatever line of thinking is presented and go in beforehand with some insight. Realize anecdotal evidence for what it is, a story, nothing else. A more emotional version of a fact.
3. Take notes afterward on the subject mater of the talk and do a little bit of research into the claims, articles, books, and people mentioned. That is where the real learning comes in.
4. Talk about the material with someone to clarify it in your mind
5. Compare it with what other influential people think. Compare it to some of the many greats that you have listened to over the years
February 24, 2015
DEBUNK IT!: HOW TO STAY SANE IN A WORLD OF MISINFORMATION is pitched to teens, but contains useful information for anyone in the modern world. Hoaxes can travel faster than ever, and having a tool kit for separating fact from fiction is essential.
I wish that chapter four ("Building Your Own Bullshitometer") came first, because it contains some of the most useful information. It does build some on the first three chapters, but not so much that it couldn't be arranged to be first. John Grant tackles common logical fallacies, weasel words, and how to track down sources to check for context, veracity, and authority. He also tackles some of the subjects that are subject to a great deal of misinformation; for instance, medical fads, climate change, and woo.
DEBUNK IT! is very accessible. Grant's firm stances on various subjects might turn some readers off, but that's part of the point of the book. It's important to know why you shouldn't be worried about mercury and formaldehyde in vaccines. Namely, vaccines contained a small dose of a mercury compound that is no longer used, and now contian a smaller dose of formaldehyde than can be found in an apple.
It's tempting when you read a click-bait article to copy and paste the link to your Tumblr without thinking, to spout back what you half remember reading to family and friends. But it is important to remember to stop and think, to question where the information came from and why. There's lots of good, hard facts out there, but sorting fact from fiction is a skill. Unfortunately, not every lie is obviously crazy.
DEBUNK IT! is a fun and informative read that should entertain far beyond the expected teenage audience. It may be nonfiction, but it is far from dry.
I wish that chapter four ("Building Your Own Bullshitometer") came first, because it contains some of the most useful information. It does build some on the first three chapters, but not so much that it couldn't be arranged to be first. John Grant tackles common logical fallacies, weasel words, and how to track down sources to check for context, veracity, and authority. He also tackles some of the subjects that are subject to a great deal of misinformation; for instance, medical fads, climate change, and woo.
DEBUNK IT! is very accessible. Grant's firm stances on various subjects might turn some readers off, but that's part of the point of the book. It's important to know why you shouldn't be worried about mercury and formaldehyde in vaccines. Namely, vaccines contained a small dose of a mercury compound that is no longer used, and now contian a smaller dose of formaldehyde than can be found in an apple.
It's tempting when you read a click-bait article to copy and paste the link to your Tumblr without thinking, to spout back what you half remember reading to family and friends. But it is important to remember to stop and think, to question where the information came from and why. There's lots of good, hard facts out there, but sorting fact from fiction is a skill. Unfortunately, not every lie is obviously crazy.
DEBUNK IT! is a fun and informative read that should entertain far beyond the expected teenage audience. It may be nonfiction, but it is far from dry.
September 26, 2016
I wanted to like this book. Promoting critical thinking is a noble endeavour. The author has a few dozen books under his belt but for me this read lacked the gift of gab required to make a project like this float. It's little more than a Coles notes of Penn and Teller's Showtime series Bullshit, which was entertaining and funny. This is the literary equivalent of the condescending jerk sitting next to your on a long flight who feels compelled to tell you why you shouldn't eat the inflight meal. It's nit picking disguised as insight.
March 10, 2015
This book is a no holds back debunk of just about everything but the kitchen sink. The author touches on everything from evolution, to AIDS, to climate change, etc. I actually learned quite a few things about how screwed up some high level doctors and leaders are and how their actions or inaction's have created catastrophic outcomes.
Packaging of the book itself isn't up to par. The cover combined with the font makes it look like a cheap knock off instead of a professionally published book. This is turn makes for one to think of conspiracy theorists instead of a man who really has his act together and quite a bit of knowledge to share. I beg the publisher to do the author justice and produce a package worthy of the product being offered. If I was perusing the shelves and came across this, honestly, I would just keep on going.
The publisher states that this book is for ages 14+ and parts of me agree with that while other parts of me don't. It just feels like a good debatable read that the younger crowd would not get the gist of. While reading it, I felt like I was sitting there with the author and having a full out discussion with him. He calls out the bull and trumps it with facts. This book brings up things in the past. but not in an old fashioned way while also bringing to the forefront the current events and activities of our world like one's well read uncle would. The author tackles some theories that right now have people on opposite sides of one another.
This book would make for a great supplementary read in any class that deals with history. This history is not just world history, economic history, religious history but also ecological history. This is where the younger crowd comes in and would have fun with the authors contributions, while in a learning atmosphere.
I recommend this book to just about everyone, even those who can't see the grey but only the black and white. I feel that every reader will finish reading this with a minimum of one thing that they didn't know before and a better understanding of why and how things get so blown out of proportion.
Packaging of the book itself isn't up to par. The cover combined with the font makes it look like a cheap knock off instead of a professionally published book. This is turn makes for one to think of conspiracy theorists instead of a man who really has his act together and quite a bit of knowledge to share. I beg the publisher to do the author justice and produce a package worthy of the product being offered. If I was perusing the shelves and came across this, honestly, I would just keep on going.
The publisher states that this book is for ages 14+ and parts of me agree with that while other parts of me don't. It just feels like a good debatable read that the younger crowd would not get the gist of. While reading it, I felt like I was sitting there with the author and having a full out discussion with him. He calls out the bull and trumps it with facts. This book brings up things in the past. but not in an old fashioned way while also bringing to the forefront the current events and activities of our world like one's well read uncle would. The author tackles some theories that right now have people on opposite sides of one another.
This book would make for a great supplementary read in any class that deals with history. This history is not just world history, economic history, religious history but also ecological history. This is where the younger crowd comes in and would have fun with the authors contributions, while in a learning atmosphere.
I recommend this book to just about everyone, even those who can't see the grey but only the black and white. I feel that every reader will finish reading this with a minimum of one thing that they didn't know before and a better understanding of why and how things get so blown out of proportion.
June 13, 2023
I think the author would be pleased to know that Alex Jones was ‘ordered to pay $965 million for Sandy Hook lies’ (https://apnews.com/article/shootings-...)
I liked the book and the concept. He did go on for a bit about climate change denials, but perhaps I feel that way because I already know/accept that climate change is real.
I appreciated him addressing the moon landing. I was also hoping he’d address the concept of a flat earth or other famous conspiracies such as Elvis or Amelia Earhart surviving, but that’s asking a lot out of one book.
I was glad he covered vaccines, but wish his language around Autism was a bit more considerate as he referred to it as a disease.
I had known about pizzagate and was hoping that he was going to cover about when Palin misspoke about Paul Revere’s lanterns and how supports flocked to Wiki to edit the article.
I liked the book and the concept. He did go on for a bit about climate change denials, but perhaps I feel that way because I already know/accept that climate change is real.
I appreciated him addressing the moon landing. I was also hoping he’d address the concept of a flat earth or other famous conspiracies such as Elvis or Amelia Earhart surviving, but that’s asking a lot out of one book.
I was glad he covered vaccines, but wish his language around Autism was a bit more considerate as he referred to it as a disease.
I had known about pizzagate and was hoping that he was going to cover about when Palin misspoke about Paul Revere’s lanterns and how supports flocked to Wiki to edit the article.
April 16, 2015
Say you’re at a party and someone is talking to you and a few others about their beliefs on vaccinations. Or maybe climate change is their topic, or evolution, or alternative medicine. What they have to say sounds like it could be wrong, but how do you know? If you’re not an expert on a subject yourself, how can you spot the signs that the speaker is no expert either?
John Grant, the author of more than 70 books and an expert on conspiracy theories, has a few ideas for you. In Debunk It: How to Stay Sane in a World of Misinformation, Grant starts off by talking about critical thinking, and how learning to analyze a few key points can help you recognize when someone is trying to pass off information as accurate when they’re either just repeating something they’ve heard or purposefully trying to mislead. There’s a lot of conflicting information coming our way these days, so learning to think critically is an important skill to have.
Grant is an equal opportunity debunker, taking on issues dear to those who lean politically left and right. He also delves into issues from the past, to show how conspiracy theories and misinformation have been around about as long as people have been keeping records of what others have said. All the more reason to realize that someone with an agenda will always work to confuse issues of the day. Debunk It! offers tips on how to recognize when we are being misled and ways to find information that is considered accurate. Grant backs up his words with footnotes and an extensive bibliography for readers who want to check his sources. I recommend it for teens and others who want to be more informed consumers of information.
John Grant, the author of more than 70 books and an expert on conspiracy theories, has a few ideas for you. In Debunk It: How to Stay Sane in a World of Misinformation, Grant starts off by talking about critical thinking, and how learning to analyze a few key points can help you recognize when someone is trying to pass off information as accurate when they’re either just repeating something they’ve heard or purposefully trying to mislead. There’s a lot of conflicting information coming our way these days, so learning to think critically is an important skill to have.
Grant is an equal opportunity debunker, taking on issues dear to those who lean politically left and right. He also delves into issues from the past, to show how conspiracy theories and misinformation have been around about as long as people have been keeping records of what others have said. All the more reason to realize that someone with an agenda will always work to confuse issues of the day. Debunk It! offers tips on how to recognize when we are being misled and ways to find information that is considered accurate. Grant backs up his words with footnotes and an extensive bibliography for readers who want to check his sources. I recommend it for teens and others who want to be more informed consumers of information.
March 25, 2015
Are you tired the mountains of BS from the media, politicians, and everyone on your Facebook feed? Then Debunk It! is the perfect book for you.
Debunk It! serves a twofold purpose: 1. To teach you how not to fall for BS in a world filled with BS, and 2. To dispel some of the biggest BS out there today. It accomplishes both of these pretty well, but it isn't going to arm you with high quality arguments for debunking all the BS out there. Rather, it gives you the tools to learn how to do it yourself. By touching on BS topics like anti-vaccination, anti-evolution, and a wide range of other nonsense, Grant teaches readers of any age all the tricks of the BSers. While he does dismantle these BS topics quickly, this book won't actually help you argue against them. You'll still have to do your own research.
The writing is very accessible. It's written for teens, but it can be appreciated by anyone. Parents should probably be warned that there is mild profanity (bullsh!t is used dozens of times), but it's all in good fun. Grant certainly isn't obscene.
Overall, a fun and informative read that anyone can enjoy (except maybe extreme liberals and extreme conservatives who are too brainwashed by their own BS).
Debunk It! serves a twofold purpose: 1. To teach you how not to fall for BS in a world filled with BS, and 2. To dispel some of the biggest BS out there today. It accomplishes both of these pretty well, but it isn't going to arm you with high quality arguments for debunking all the BS out there. Rather, it gives you the tools to learn how to do it yourself. By touching on BS topics like anti-vaccination, anti-evolution, and a wide range of other nonsense, Grant teaches readers of any age all the tricks of the BSers. While he does dismantle these BS topics quickly, this book won't actually help you argue against them. You'll still have to do your own research.
The writing is very accessible. It's written for teens, but it can be appreciated by anyone. Parents should probably be warned that there is mild profanity (bullsh!t is used dozens of times), but it's all in good fun. Grant certainly isn't obscene.
Overall, a fun and informative read that anyone can enjoy (except maybe extreme liberals and extreme conservatives who are too brainwashed by their own BS).
February 14, 2016
Having picked this book up while browsing at the library, I read less than a page before I knew it wasn't for me. In a chapter concerning creation/evolution theories, the author accuses those holding the creationist view of being ignorant. Wow. It can't be possible that the problems that evolutionary theory has kept accumulating since its first statements aren't enough to, at the very least, keep debate alive. Make an end run and condemn everyone in that camp as 'ignorant'. It won't be enough to make crumbling paradigms into safe havens for wrong scientific thought.
August 22, 2019
Great updated version of this book with timely reminders about checking sources as hot air will soon be ramping up for election debates.
Read
December 2, 2017Misinformation can have serious consequences, and this irreverent book exposes rhetorical fallacies and teaches important critical thinking skills to help teens cope.
Recommended grade level: 7 and up
Pages: 288 (for ISBN 9781936976683)
Genre(s) and keywords: nonfiction
Tone/Style: informational, irreverent, scornful
Pace: leisurely to moderate
Topics: misinformation, hoaxes, fallacies, logic
Themes: critical thinking, honesty
Who will like this book?: With such timely subject matter, there should be plenty of teens, parents, teachers, and librarians who are interested in what Grant has to say. He includes strategies that can be applied to any argument, and examples of his strategies being applied to some major debates currently occurring in our society. This is an effective instructional method, because it both debunks specific hoaxes readers are likely to encounter, and teaches them how to debunk new hoaxes that arise.
Who won’t like this book?: Grant uses the word “bullshit” as his term of choice for any misinformation; the word is used about twice per page. This may turn off some language-sensitive readers. Although the book is nonpartisan, the “bullshitters” he discusses are more often conservative than liberal. You could argue that he’s biased, or you could argue that, as Stephen Colbert says, “Reality has a well-known liberal bias.” Either way, I could see this book angering certain conservatives. (Note that Grant does criticize liberals too, however.)
Other comments: As funny as it is, I wish Grant had laid off on the use of the word “bullshit.” I think this would have reached a broader audience without it.
Sequel(s):
Readalikes: John Grant has several other books about bogus science and conspiracy theories. (Check them out on his Goodreads page.) For the younger set, there are some books about common fallacies for kids such as Myths Busted! Just When You Thought You Knew What You Knew by Emily Krieger and Think Again! by Clive Gifford. Also, point interested readers to snopes.com, which is both credible and entertaining.
Read about more recommended books for middle school readers at www.flashlightchronicles.com.
Recommended grade level: 7 and up
Pages: 288 (for ISBN 9781936976683)
Genre(s) and keywords: nonfiction
Tone/Style: informational, irreverent, scornful
Pace: leisurely to moderate
Topics: misinformation, hoaxes, fallacies, logic
Themes: critical thinking, honesty
Who will like this book?: With such timely subject matter, there should be plenty of teens, parents, teachers, and librarians who are interested in what Grant has to say. He includes strategies that can be applied to any argument, and examples of his strategies being applied to some major debates currently occurring in our society. This is an effective instructional method, because it both debunks specific hoaxes readers are likely to encounter, and teaches them how to debunk new hoaxes that arise.
Who won’t like this book?: Grant uses the word “bullshit” as his term of choice for any misinformation; the word is used about twice per page. This may turn off some language-sensitive readers. Although the book is nonpartisan, the “bullshitters” he discusses are more often conservative than liberal. You could argue that he’s biased, or you could argue that, as Stephen Colbert says, “Reality has a well-known liberal bias.” Either way, I could see this book angering certain conservatives. (Note that Grant does criticize liberals too, however.)
Other comments: As funny as it is, I wish Grant had laid off on the use of the word “bullshit.” I think this would have reached a broader audience without it.
Sequel(s):
Readalikes: John Grant has several other books about bogus science and conspiracy theories. (Check them out on his Goodreads page.) For the younger set, there are some books about common fallacies for kids such as Myths Busted! Just When You Thought You Knew What You Knew by Emily Krieger and Think Again! by Clive Gifford. Also, point interested readers to snopes.com, which is both credible and entertaining.
Read about more recommended books for middle school readers at www.flashlightchronicles.com.
August 11, 2021
Mostly filled with factoids that are better experienced by just looking them up on the internet, instead of sitting down and reading a whole bunch of.
January 12, 2023
I support the main point, but the belligerence just makes it lean even more biased and come across as less credible.
September 21, 2021
I got this book in a preview box from a book distributor. It was one of the ones I was looking forward to reading, but I found it condescending and Eurocentric. For a less opinionated book on the topic, try "An Illustrated Book of Bad Arguments" by Ali Almossawi. Or spend some time chatting with a librarian.
August 28, 2022
I like what this book did.
However, something that the book failed at was mass appeal. If Grant is trying to get people to change their minds, he's going at it the wrong way, because his sarcasm and satiric only appeal to people who already agree with him. It was still a good book and all, but.. you know. Basic.
Now, my bias is going to talk, and you're only going to like my saying this if you agree with my views:
He just roasts people who don't believe in climate change and vaccines. People who don't "believe in" climate change (it's not a belief) and don't vaccinate their children don't need to be roasted or insulted; they need to be educated. And I mean that respectfully.
Grant doesn't know how to appeal to the minds he wishes he was changing.
However, something that the book failed at was mass appeal. If Grant is trying to get people to change their minds, he's going at it the wrong way, because his sarcasm and satiric only appeal to people who already agree with him. It was still a good book and all, but.. you know. Basic.
Now, my bias is going to talk, and you're only going to like my saying this if you agree with my views:
He just roasts people who don't believe in climate change and vaccines. People who don't "believe in" climate change (it's not a belief) and don't vaccinate their children don't need to be roasted or insulted; they need to be educated. And I mean that respectfully.
Grant doesn't know how to appeal to the minds he wishes he was changing.
November 17, 2015
John Grant does a good job of pointing out some of the methods used by "bullshitters" to make you believe their point of view. He takes on Global Warming, Anti-vaxxers and the Theory of Evolution. Grant shows with concrete examples many of the ways that people try to divert attention from the truth and feed you their "bullshit". That a paraphrasing of his words.
The psychology and the science behind his work is sound. Grant presents his arguments rationally and is careful to dissect each issue. His recommendation for teens to look things up on Wikipedia is troubling. Other than that, this is solid work that gives science and logic their due.
The psychology and the science behind his work is sound. Grant presents his arguments rationally and is careful to dissect each issue. His recommendation for teens to look things up on Wikipedia is troubling. Other than that, this is solid work that gives science and logic their due.
June 10, 2020
Nope. This book sadly does not achieve what the title implies. It would have been great to really investigate fake news and learn how to debunk and critically evaluate sources. Nope.
Then, the author devotes around 3/4 of the book to sharing his own views on topical issues. No citations or references provided to back up his claims. Probably great examples of poor writing, and quite easy to debunk and critically evaluate, really. After all, the writer is not a qualified scientist, yet writes from the arrogant perspective of someone who knows all the answers without truly investigating multiple perspectives and weighing them up.
Not recommended.
Then, the author devotes around 3/4 of the book to sharing his own views on topical issues. No citations or references provided to back up his claims. Probably great examples of poor writing, and quite easy to debunk and critically evaluate, really. After all, the writer is not a qualified scientist, yet writes from the arrogant perspective of someone who knows all the answers without truly investigating multiple perspectives and weighing them up.
Not recommended.
June 25, 2015
This is a teen book but anyone who buys into the hype of marketing - and I mean that not only in advertisements but also in news, social media, friend-of-a-friend stories, etc. - can get a lot out of reading this. The author reminds the reader to take a step back from the hype and utilize his/her brain for critical thinking, something the brain does very well when used properly :-) I ended up skimming the book because I didn't find much new information for me but I think it's a good read.
June 26, 2016
Everyone, young and old, needs to read this book and keep a copy handy for reference.
January 26, 2021
I also really wanted to find something useful here in this book considering the times we are in with disinformation flowing without reason or facts in all directions these days. It has become unbearably rampant. Especially now that the social media platform amd general media outlets have decided to be the pervaers of truth and thow shalt not get to read anything we believe 'untruthful' and use the term 'inciteful' as justification. I guess just inciting dislike by the decision makers being the deciding point in their case. In otherwords, not our worldview so you aren't reading it on our platforms.
Simple answer from me, 'bye'.
I believe this particular author's position and writing follows along these same lines of condescending and sometimes arrogant positions while doing the same things he espouses to watch out for. No questioning the 'debunked' creationism theory as an example? I am by no means a bible thumping, hard right conservative, anti-abortion protestor but I do believe it seems pretty clear no one has yet proved definitively there is not a supreme intelligence or God behind the design of the universe or universes or multiverses. There are many very scholarly and well respected scientists that still hold that belief the last time I looked. If there was something in the news I missed please enlighten me. That is one of his 'debunked' examples that he using as an example of facts based positions? Comical and poorly executed. It seems he himself is not exactly the expert on what he expects you to believe he is that shouldn't be questioned when he is kind of enough to grace you with his presence in person in sessions. Unless, his whole intent was a ruze to be the antagonist he wants you to be on the watch for? That might be interesting if true but someting tells me no.
Meh, this one lost me at the skimming step as well to determine value to proceed or not. He may have had a few useful points to watch out for potentially, but he just lost me at 'hello' on this one.
Simple answer from me, 'bye'.
I believe this particular author's position and writing follows along these same lines of condescending and sometimes arrogant positions while doing the same things he espouses to watch out for. No questioning the 'debunked' creationism theory as an example? I am by no means a bible thumping, hard right conservative, anti-abortion protestor but I do believe it seems pretty clear no one has yet proved definitively there is not a supreme intelligence or God behind the design of the universe or universes or multiverses. There are many very scholarly and well respected scientists that still hold that belief the last time I looked. If there was something in the news I missed please enlighten me. That is one of his 'debunked' examples that he using as an example of facts based positions? Comical and poorly executed. It seems he himself is not exactly the expert on what he expects you to believe he is that shouldn't be questioned when he is kind of enough to grace you with his presence in person in sessions. Unless, his whole intent was a ruze to be the antagonist he wants you to be on the watch for? That might be interesting if true but someting tells me no.
Meh, this one lost me at the skimming step as well to determine value to proceed or not. He may have had a few useful points to watch out for potentially, but he just lost me at 'hello' on this one.
June 5, 2019
This book is based on logical reasoning and is formatted in a way that would suggest that the author feels strongly towards. This book is formatted into two parts being; How to detect "bullshit" and How to debunk "Bullshit" hence the title of the book "Debunk it!." This book is rather helpful up until chapter 4 where the Author just rambles about his strong ideas. This book is well put together and interesting until post-Chapter 4 where it is like this wall of consistent repetition. The second part of the book is not "How to debunk 'bullshit'." But in fact a continuation of his ideas and arguments he does not support and shoots down and other arguments using similar tactics he gives to use to "debunk bullshit." Which is funny as it is because this book is trying to help the reader avoid being deceived while being deceived. This book really just kind of teaches how to "Detect Bullshit" and then the rest is constant ideas of the authors and trying to sway the reader into thinking the same way. This book would be good for readers starting from 8th grade and up but it is a book that is uncensored and would be good for a 14 year old to actually get them to read and more importantly think critically and to learn to critically think when being spoke to. This book deserves 3 stars because it does teach how to avoid being fed nonsense information and to know when it is happening but the book is 288 pages so 4 chapters is not enough to be worth more than a 3 star rating.
January 27, 2024
John Grant published this 288-page book, telling people all about the biggest loads of misinformed claptrap to ever be foisted on the public and how to protect one's self from such bunk, in 2014. Can you imagine how long this book would have to be if it were written in any year since 2014? There are a whole lot of people today who could benefit from a book like this, but this may not be the book for them. Based on its title, I was expecting that this book would focus on simple, proven methods for improving one's critical thinking skills, etc. Grant does include some tips, but the vast, vast majority of this book focuses on many of history's biggest lies, hoaxes, and addle-minded conspiracy theories. The writing is straightforward and at times amusing, and Grant shoots down all of the arguments put out by such people as anti-vaxxers and those who think the moon landings were a hoax. It's apparent that Grant has quite an ax to grind, and though it's a righteous one, he seems to forget the purpose implied by the subtitle of his book. He doesn't even bother to tie things up with a conclusion. Nit-picking time: there were too many errors--mostly typographical--here, things that really stand out in a book that purports to be a fount of truth and knowledge. Still, I found this book a quick, entertaining, and informative read. Unfortunately, the people who need to read it never will--or, if they do, will never heed it.
November 14, 2020
This was a book recommended to my teen and it looked interesting so I borrowed it from her. I feel like the most valuable portion of the book is the very beginning where the author points out different types of logical fallacies and other ways by which we can be misled. And I do think this is something everyone could use, but especially teens who are just making their way out into the world of the internet and being exposed to all that information all at once. The rest of the book is the author speaking more in-depth on some examples, and while Grant discusses these in a funny, casual way, his tone often creeps more toward dismissive, condescending, and caustic, which would definitely be off-putting to any who have considered some of these topics differently than he has (and these things range from climate change to religion). He is prone to falling into some of the same traps he recommends we avoid (appeal to authority, straw man arguments, etc.), and while that's understandable in such a brief delve into each topic, it's frustrating that he never once seems to notice or point this out. Is he testing the teens who are reading this, or is he unaware of the ways he also falls prey to the pitfalls he's recommending we avoid? It's never really clear, and that's too bad.
January 6, 2020
Well this is certainly a book that is essentially making you think about a variety of things & some throughout history too. It's unfortunate that this book has to even exist but yes it is necessary. I guess it would've helped to get more out this than I did though. Since the various chapters are dealing w/ specific topics it was using those as a way to get the point across. I appreciate his take on climate deniers & anti-vaxxers. I am not sure if it did that as well as it could have though. I think trying to determine the bullshit to begin w/ has to be able to be recognized & developed before anything else. Learning about the authors' ideas & how some of the things discussed can be put into practice also left things a little empty or needing more. I think the author could've given more or just set things up a bit differently to be more engaging.
July 15, 2021
This read a little bit like a rant from the smartest guy at the bar at times. It wasn't what I was hoping it would be, which is a dissection of how to apply to critical thinking tools to misinformation *with* case studies and examples, but rather just an extended debunking of case studies and examples with very little tieback to the introductory sections. It also lacked some significant nuance and touted what it was professing with no evidence at times, which is the pinnacle of unselfaware irony, imo.
Just okay, but a pretty entertaining read.
Just okay, but a pretty entertaining read.
May 21, 2024
I had to DNF this book. I didn't make it to the end of the first chapter. It started out good with some excellent points of how to detect misinformation but began to sound quite angry with its constant use of 'bullshit' (not as a swear but more just overusing the word) and quack (overuse)
He really started to lose me when he included a section on social workers interrogating children into claiming sexual assult. For me, as a mental health professional, I felt this section was mostly to express his negative opinions on mental health and not state misinformation.
He really started to lose me when he included a section on social workers interrogating children into claiming sexual assult. For me, as a mental health professional, I felt this section was mostly to express his negative opinions on mental health and not state misinformation.
August 6, 2017
First part was ok, explaining how to think about scientific "facts" proclaimed by various people of few qualifications. The rest of the book was the author screaming about all the stupid stuff (in his opinion) that people believe and/or have believed. Too bad he doesn't spend any time talking about how to have a sane conversation with people who you think may not be approaching a topic scientifically.
October 3, 2019
As a college librarian, I spend a lot of time teaching students how to critically evaluate information. This book helps the reader to sort out misinformation from the truth. The sections on particular topics, such as evolution, climate change, quack medicine, and faking history, give the facts that people can use in discussions. It will probably not change the minds of those who don't accept scientific fact, but for those who do, here's what to use.
June 28, 2018
John Grant eloquently elucidates popular misconceptions to allow teens to form a healthy skepticism regarding the media.
May 29, 2020
Part one is alright, part two is just ....
December 21, 2020
More airing of his own personal grievances than actually explaining how to tell fact from fake.
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