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A Short History of Stupid
Alain de Botton meets Russell Brand in this glorious rant about everything that drives you mad about the modern world.
How did everything get so dumb?
How did we become hostages to idiocy?
What must we do to be freed from a captor whose ransom note simply reads, 'D'oh'?
The deteriorating quality of our public debate and the dwindling of common sense in media, politics and culture can drive you to despair and rage. It certainly drove writers Helen Razer and Bernard Keane to a desperate act: befriending each other for long enough to write a book.
Join forces with these uneasy allies to fight against a world that has lost its reason. Explore what's behind the remorseless spread of idiocy, and why there's just so much damn Stupid around you.
Stupid isn't just ignorance; it's not just laziness. Worse than the absence of thought, Stupid is a virus that drains our productivity and leaves us sick and diminished. And Stupid has a long, complex and terrible past, one we need to understand in order to defeat it.
A Short History of Stupid traces the origins of this maddening ill, examining the different ways in which we've been afflicted over the last three thousand years. It damns those who have spread Stupid and celebrates the brave few who resisted. It shows how Stupid tightens the grubby grip of the foolish around our throats.
Hilarious, smart, unpleasant, infuriating and rude, A Short History of Stupid is at once a provocation and a comfort. It will spark debate, soothe the terminally frustrated and outrage the righteously Stupid. It is a book whose Stupid time has come.
How did everything get so dumb?
How did we become hostages to idiocy?
What must we do to be freed from a captor whose ransom note simply reads, 'D'oh'?
The deteriorating quality of our public debate and the dwindling of common sense in media, politics and culture can drive you to despair and rage. It certainly drove writers Helen Razer and Bernard Keane to a desperate act: befriending each other for long enough to write a book.
Join forces with these uneasy allies to fight against a world that has lost its reason. Explore what's behind the remorseless spread of idiocy, and why there's just so much damn Stupid around you.
Stupid isn't just ignorance; it's not just laziness. Worse than the absence of thought, Stupid is a virus that drains our productivity and leaves us sick and diminished. And Stupid has a long, complex and terrible past, one we need to understand in order to defeat it.
A Short History of Stupid traces the origins of this maddening ill, examining the different ways in which we've been afflicted over the last three thousand years. It damns those who have spread Stupid and celebrates the brave few who resisted. It shows how Stupid tightens the grubby grip of the foolish around our throats.
Hilarious, smart, unpleasant, infuriating and rude, A Short History of Stupid is at once a provocation and a comfort. It will spark debate, soothe the terminally frustrated and outrage the righteously Stupid. It is a book whose Stupid time has come.
336 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2014
23 people are currently reading
364 people want to read
About the author
Bernard Keane
4 books8 followersBernard Keane is the politics editor for Crikey and is a former senior public servant.
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May 28, 2015Contrary to what you might think, A Short History of Stupid is unlikely to make you feel smarter. Despite the introduction, in which Razer and Keane make it clear that they aren’t experts and don’t have any consistent truths to offer the reader—A Short History of Stupid isn’t a self-help book after all—their rather smart arguments bust a few sacred cows, shine a light on publically accepted stupidities, and make our extensive foibles all too obvious. You may well, like me, recognise yourself in some of their examples and cringe silently, hoping no one noticed your past stupidities. Others will cause you to laugh knowingly, for having called a stupid spade a stupid spade right from the start. Some examples will make you angry, and others will make you shudder. At the end of it though, you’ll likely be more critical even if you aren’t specifically less stupid, and you’ll probably be amused at times at least, not just because a lot of what Razer and Keane write is funny, but because they manage to get a rather sharp finger right into the heart of the matter in a way that is often strikingly apt.
I’m speaking in generalities here I know, and that’s a little stupid, so let me be more specific. The book is written in alternate chapters between the two authors and tackles such topical subjects as the rise of Liberal Individualism (and with it the ‘talking head’ of opinions), the cult of Denialism, the disturbing trend for uplifting moral stories, the danger of safe spaces, Paternalism, the War on Terror, conspiracy theories, on the medicalising of psychology, on the systematic misuse of statistics, the collapse of meaning into real life postmodern relativism, on faked authenticity and faked compassion. All of these are pretty familiar and proliferating forms of stupidity and Keane and Razer do a good job of calling them out. At its worst, the writing can be a bit rambling, straying from the point into all sorts of pop references, from 1980s television series to personal confessions (mostly in Razer’s chapters). There were times when I forgot what the thesis was because the ‘aside’ had become so prominent. Razer makes an art of the ramble, but she’s so funny and so often on point, that I think you could forgive her anything:
Keane stays a bit more on-track and as Razer is the first to admit, his scholarship is more extensive, but he’s not nearly as funny (possibly as a result). Together though they make a well-balanced pair, and some chapters, such as Keane’s on the “War on Terror” are so frighteningly accurate that once you read it, there’s no hope of ever getting the rosy tint back into your spectacles:
I’m sure it will come as no surprise that the book is left-leaning, and if you come to any book written by the likes of Razer and Keane with expectations of primness, conservatism, and sweetness, you’re stupider than most people (and now that I’ve read A Short History of Stupid I know that’s saying something). This is a book that is delightfully vulgar, bravely contrary, openly critical of media, government (especially the current one), the news, television in general, new age clap trap, and pretty much everything else. If the authors err on the side of being just a little too confident that they’re smarter than the average bear, it’s probably because they are. A Short History of Stupid is a panacea to all the soft serve we’re fed on a regular basis. It might not make you feel smarter, but it will open your eyes a bit and if it makes you more critical, more discerning, and less gullible, it will have been worth the time spent. If not, it’s a lot of fun, and still worth it. You’re worth it.
I’m speaking in generalities here I know, and that’s a little stupid, so let me be more specific. The book is written in alternate chapters between the two authors and tackles such topical subjects as the rise of Liberal Individualism (and with it the ‘talking head’ of opinions), the cult of Denialism, the disturbing trend for uplifting moral stories, the danger of safe spaces, Paternalism, the War on Terror, conspiracy theories, on the medicalising of psychology, on the systematic misuse of statistics, the collapse of meaning into real life postmodern relativism, on faked authenticity and faked compassion. All of these are pretty familiar and proliferating forms of stupidity and Keane and Razer do a good job of calling them out. At its worst, the writing can be a bit rambling, straying from the point into all sorts of pop references, from 1980s television series to personal confessions (mostly in Razer’s chapters). There were times when I forgot what the thesis was because the ‘aside’ had become so prominent. Razer makes an art of the ramble, but she’s so funny and so often on point, that I think you could forgive her anything:
Actually, in researching this chapter—surely a ‘rational’ act—I have shown symptoms consistent with BED. I ate an imperial pound of Cadbury Dairy Milk Marvellous Creations Jelly Popping Candy Beanies when I was trying to understand Foucault’s account of madness and I ate a whole barbecued chicken while I was reading just one chapter of Freud’s Civilisation and its Discontents. When Freud compared my conscious mind to a garrison in the city of the id, I thought I felt bad because I knew that most of humanity represses most of itself most of the time. Now I know it was because I ate an entire bird while I was alone in my underpants. (173)
Keane stays a bit more on-track and as Razer is the first to admit, his scholarship is more extensive, but he’s not nearly as funny (possibly as a result). Together though they make a well-balanced pair, and some chapters, such as Keane’s on the “War on Terror” are so frighteningly accurate that once you read it, there’s no hope of ever getting the rosy tint back into your spectacles:
And while we have incorporated the low-level stupid of the War on Terror into our daily lives—enduring the security theatre of the airport scan, assuming our governments are spying on us, tolerating the waste of billions of dollars on pointless conflicts—we’re oblivious to the greater absurdity: that the fixation with natural security comes with a body count, not merely of foreign lives lost in distant wars, but in the consequences of infrastructure not built, health services not provided, prevention programs not funded, social services cut back, all in the name of strategies that in fact make us less safe. (143)
I’m sure it will come as no surprise that the book is left-leaning, and if you come to any book written by the likes of Razer and Keane with expectations of primness, conservatism, and sweetness, you’re stupider than most people (and now that I’ve read A Short History of Stupid I know that’s saying something). This is a book that is delightfully vulgar, bravely contrary, openly critical of media, government (especially the current one), the news, television in general, new age clap trap, and pretty much everything else. If the authors err on the side of being just a little too confident that they’re smarter than the average bear, it’s probably because they are. A Short History of Stupid is a panacea to all the soft serve we’re fed on a regular basis. It might not make you feel smarter, but it will open your eyes a bit and if it makes you more critical, more discerning, and less gullible, it will have been worth the time spent. If not, it’s a lot of fun, and still worth it. You’re worth it.
December 1, 2014
"In 2012, fifteen-year-old education advocate and student Malala Yousafzai was shot three times on her way to school in Pakistan. Her assailants were Taliban and so this extraordinary young woman was quickly pressed by propagandists in to the service of justifying US military interests. This might sound like a paranoid view until you follow the less 'teachable' moments of Yousafzai's real story.
Hailed by President Obama for her bravery, she was welcomed to the White House. The Western world had expected her to become an ally of the US. In the 'teachable' version of this story, she would thank Obama for his continued liberation of her country. Instead, she asked him to stop the drone strikes for which history will eventually remember his administration. The US-ordered drone strikes, she later told the press, sometimes killed children on their way to school.
In refusing her time as a 'teachable moment', Yousafzai reminded the world that the deaths of more than 200 children by US drones have been recorded in Yemen and Pakistan. There's no doubt that her bravery in the face of Taliban soldiers is inspiring. But Yousafzai is also a hero for her refusal to function as a personal story. This moment was so unteachable, it filled me with optimism. Here was someone not only strong enough to stare down thugs, but curiously intelligent enough to see beyond her personal story in a much wider political reality. The personal, for Yousafzai, was political. So political that she saw no reason to talk about the personal" - Helen Razer, p.61
Hailed by President Obama for her bravery, she was welcomed to the White House. The Western world had expected her to become an ally of the US. In the 'teachable' version of this story, she would thank Obama for his continued liberation of her country. Instead, she asked him to stop the drone strikes for which history will eventually remember his administration. The US-ordered drone strikes, she later told the press, sometimes killed children on their way to school.
In refusing her time as a 'teachable moment', Yousafzai reminded the world that the deaths of more than 200 children by US drones have been recorded in Yemen and Pakistan. There's no doubt that her bravery in the face of Taliban soldiers is inspiring. But Yousafzai is also a hero for her refusal to function as a personal story. This moment was so unteachable, it filled me with optimism. Here was someone not only strong enough to stare down thugs, but curiously intelligent enough to see beyond her personal story in a much wider political reality. The personal, for Yousafzai, was political. So political that she saw no reason to talk about the personal" - Helen Razer, p.61
Want to read
January 28, 2015Couldn't get into this at all. I liked the blurb and the introduction when I read it in the bookstore, which is why I bought it. But it didn't take too long for the style to dominate the substance. I found it hard to process the argument (and there seemed too little of it) underneath the jaded conversational style. Might be some people's cup of tea, but it's not mine. Disappointed as I had high hopes and thought I was cynical enough to enjoy it. Sadly, maybe not enough.
February 18, 2015
Essays on how stupidity has always and does now drive the popularist agenda and conversation.
Should be read by anyone before making comment on anything in the public sphere, basically saying get your facts before entering debate.
You might not agree with everything that that is written, but it still does make you think... And I love Razer's writing.
Should be read by anyone before making comment on anything in the public sphere, basically saying get your facts before entering debate.
You might not agree with everything that that is written, but it still does make you think... And I love Razer's writing.
July 25, 2015
This is most engaging and interesting Book!!! If we are to judge it by the number of times I felt the need to read bits out to whomever was nearby, it was one of the most engaging I've ever read. If we go by the way I felt at the end, perhaps less so. "Stupid" refers to the things we as a society do that, on reflection, don't make sense. These range through a long list of things including parents not vaccinating their children; politicians talking without saying anything; journalists pretending to do journalism; paternalism; medication based psychiatry; reaction to terrorism and finally to reality TV shows and postmodernism.
It had me jumping up and down with excitement as I told passers by over and over "Listen to this! I've been saying that!". The book also tried to give some historical and philosophical background as it looked at the various aspects of Stupid and while this generally seemed to make sense to me, I can't say how rigorous or valid the analysis is.
The book's two authors wrote alternate chapters. They don't take themselves too seriously and write in a racy and informal style with a heavy seasoning of obscenities. As a rule, I related better to Keane's chapters than Razer's in part because her potty-mouth is more prominent than his.
The Good News:
I was pleased that the book was written by Australians and reflected my environment. It necessarily made reference to UK and especially US culture and institutions because thgey are a big part of our reality.
I loved the fact that the authors recognised and called out "Stupid" wherever they saw it and the clear and lucid way they exposed it.
I was encouraged to see that a few things that I had always been uncomfortable about have now officially been classified as "Stupid", along with a helpful explanation of exactly why.
I was pleased to be alerted to a few new forms of "Stupid" that had previously escaped my notice altogether.
I found the historical perspectives useful - especially drawing attention to the pivotal points in the past that helped to increase or reduce Stupid.
The authors take a balanced approach when considering the influence of christianity on Stupid behaviour, giving credit as well as blame where it's due.
The Bad News:
I almost stopped reading in the first chapter which went into great detail about the characters in some TV show that was so stupid I had never watched it. I found it hard keep track of the torrent of names of characters and actors and hard to take seriously an author that thought these shows meant something. Fortunately, the rest of the book stands up without my having to learn about them.
The chapter on Postmodernism refers (ad nauseum) to the fact that George Bush Snr vomited at a dinner in 1992 and some of it hit the Prime Minister of Japan. Apparently this is an object lesson to the reader on how Stupid Postmodernism is. It was too subtle for me. Or obscure. Or just stupid.
Over all, it was a thought provoking and informative book. Sadly, the authors do not offer any clues on how to prevent Stupid or even minimise its effects. As a compensation, they remind us of some forms of major Stupid we no longer practice (eg burning heretics at the stake). In the appendix, they each name their Top ten Enemies of Stupid and their Top ten Friends of Stupid. These alone make interesting reading.
I commend this book to anyone who has despaired at the paucity of reason in the public debate, politics and the media and to anyone who has shouted at the television. It won't answer all your questions and it may leave you a little sad in the knowledge that "Stupid will always be with us", but it will give you something to think about.
It had me jumping up and down with excitement as I told passers by over and over "Listen to this! I've been saying that!". The book also tried to give some historical and philosophical background as it looked at the various aspects of Stupid and while this generally seemed to make sense to me, I can't say how rigorous or valid the analysis is.
The book's two authors wrote alternate chapters. They don't take themselves too seriously and write in a racy and informal style with a heavy seasoning of obscenities. As a rule, I related better to Keane's chapters than Razer's in part because her potty-mouth is more prominent than his.
The Good News:
I was pleased that the book was written by Australians and reflected my environment. It necessarily made reference to UK and especially US culture and institutions because thgey are a big part of our reality.
I loved the fact that the authors recognised and called out "Stupid" wherever they saw it and the clear and lucid way they exposed it.
I was encouraged to see that a few things that I had always been uncomfortable about have now officially been classified as "Stupid", along with a helpful explanation of exactly why.
I was pleased to be alerted to a few new forms of "Stupid" that had previously escaped my notice altogether.
I found the historical perspectives useful - especially drawing attention to the pivotal points in the past that helped to increase or reduce Stupid.
The authors take a balanced approach when considering the influence of christianity on Stupid behaviour, giving credit as well as blame where it's due.
The Bad News:
I almost stopped reading in the first chapter which went into great detail about the characters in some TV show that was so stupid I had never watched it. I found it hard keep track of the torrent of names of characters and actors and hard to take seriously an author that thought these shows meant something. Fortunately, the rest of the book stands up without my having to learn about them.
The chapter on Postmodernism refers (ad nauseum) to the fact that George Bush Snr vomited at a dinner in 1992 and some of it hit the Prime Minister of Japan. Apparently this is an object lesson to the reader on how Stupid Postmodernism is. It was too subtle for me. Or obscure. Or just stupid.
Over all, it was a thought provoking and informative book. Sadly, the authors do not offer any clues on how to prevent Stupid or even minimise its effects. As a compensation, they remind us of some forms of major Stupid we no longer practice (eg burning heretics at the stake). In the appendix, they each name their Top ten Enemies of Stupid and their Top ten Friends of Stupid. These alone make interesting reading.
I commend this book to anyone who has despaired at the paucity of reason in the public debate, politics and the media and to anyone who has shouted at the television. It won't answer all your questions and it may leave you a little sad in the knowledge that "Stupid will always be with us", but it will give you something to think about.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 5, 2015
I am sure that there will be many detractors of this book but hopefully it made them think. I agree, the book won't make you smarter but it will hopefully lead you to the path of Less Stupid. All keyboard warriors should read this book - actually, they probably won't see the need to because the irony lies in the fact that the people who are mired in the Stupid are the least likely to read it. I suspect that this book has saved my 'thinking life' - because it is important to question and we seem to question less and less if only because I often feel 'bad' when I question.
For me, this is a must-read for any person who has quietly balked or complained about the state of the world we live in and how we are fed information. Whether the research is adequate or not is not for me to debate (but for those who do, the book, in my humble view has succeeded in leading someone away from Stupid momentarily). it is the crux of the book and the message it delivers that is important.
This book stopped me from changing my profile pic to a rainbow - because it spurred me to actually read what I was supposedly caring about, it made me do something slightly different to show my care, compassion and support and most of all, it made me stop and think.
Thank you Bernard Keane and Helen Razer for saving the rot of my brain.
For me, this is a must-read for any person who has quietly balked or complained about the state of the world we live in and how we are fed information. Whether the research is adequate or not is not for me to debate (but for those who do, the book, in my humble view has succeeded in leading someone away from Stupid momentarily). it is the crux of the book and the message it delivers that is important.
This book stopped me from changing my profile pic to a rainbow - because it spurred me to actually read what I was supposedly caring about, it made me do something slightly different to show my care, compassion and support and most of all, it made me stop and think.
Thank you Bernard Keane and Helen Razer for saving the rot of my brain.
August 15, 2015
An almost unreadable whinge-fest focusing more on the authors pet-peeves.
December 2, 2014
***I AM SELLING THIS BOOK AT DISCOUNT. GET IN TOUCH IF YOU'RE INTERESTED - IT'S BEEN HATE-READ ONCE***
I'm surprised in that I didn't hate-fart its contents around home and garden despite one of its authors not so much kind in offering nice wise rather brutal in cut-throat determination and sub-tweet of me as Stupid. It's true, I am but with potential to not be but given lack of work experience of twenty years, writing and reading think-tank before supporting the system and all about the mind-numb, aspiring as it were to hob-knob books with the middle-class, and now parting ways with little cash offering to support intelligent voices. I spare of hurt feelings and give way not to check these current affairs, furthering myself away from author ammunition. Besides, there are no solutions here.
I'm surprised in that I didn't hate-fart its contents around home and garden despite one of its authors not so much kind in offering nice wise rather brutal in cut-throat determination and sub-tweet of me as Stupid. It's true, I am but with potential to not be but given lack of work experience of twenty years, writing and reading think-tank before supporting the system and all about the mind-numb, aspiring as it were to hob-knob books with the middle-class, and now parting ways with little cash offering to support intelligent voices. I spare of hurt feelings and give way not to check these current affairs, furthering myself away from author ammunition. Besides, there are no solutions here.
January 16, 2015
An engaging, thought provoking look at the way public debate pulls us in, pays our heads and sends us on our way none the wiser.
Razed and Keane are not known for being bashful and confront the notion societal 'Stupid' with knives sharpened.
Don't read it to agree blindly with their propositions, but approach with scepticism and an enquiring mind. That's really all they're asking...
Look out for my interview with Bernard Keane on 2SER 107.3 FM's Final Draft program...
http://www.2ser.com/component/k2/item...
Razed and Keane are not known for being bashful and confront the notion societal 'Stupid' with knives sharpened.
Don't read it to agree blindly with their propositions, but approach with scepticism and an enquiring mind. That's really all they're asking...
Look out for my interview with Bernard Keane on 2SER 107.3 FM's Final Draft program...
http://www.2ser.com/component/k2/item...
February 10, 2015
There was a time when I was quite convinced that the whole world had, in a single instance, moved completely into a totally insane universe of incomprehensible madness; that, since this had happened all at once, no one noticed any difference; and that people then continued to live and work as if nothing had happened. This weird feeling was, in a sense, electrifying and terrifying at the same time: one could devote oneself to remedying the insanity by constantly pointing out the madness (an electrifying and highly motivating cause presented itself) but at the same time one was aware that no one would appreciate any action in that regard because they were insane anyway (a terrifying realisation that rendered any action impotent).
This book helped me restore my equanimity a little: it was not that people were insane — they were simply Stupid. The thought that everyone was insane was too awful to contemplate; the fact that they might simply be just Stupid seemed more kind and humanising. This realisation helped bring a wry smile to my face.
The book is the brainchild of two distinctive authors, one make, one female. They alternate throughout the book with separate sections: the male seemingly detached and slightly academic; the female more in-your-face aggressive and prickly. But these are the mere externals — underneath both one will find intelligent, reasonable arguments for their shared concerns. The constant juxtapositions put the reader into a kind of therapeutic treatment that plunges one from hot water into iced water all the way through the book. So for intending readers: be prepared to be shocked, insulted, outraged, angry and generally discombobulated. But be prepared, also, to be enlightened as well.
The book attempts to include an historic overview as to the how and why of the rise of Stupid, and provides some suggestions as to how one should become aware of the mainstreams of Stupid that have come to dominate the modern world especially. One does not necessarily have to agree with the authors, of course; but one must at least confront each instance of Stupid face-on, and to think about some of the potential consequences of that stupidity. There is also the problem that this is not always easy in the here and now: sometimes, something that seemed a good thing a few millennia ago turns out to be the propagator of a grand network of Stupid today… Hindsight is a good clarifier in the long term, but does not help in the here and now… So maybe the first thing to do is to identify past “good” things that have gone wrong and re-classify them as Stupid. I can see whole University Departments established to deal with all the complexities of the subject, all devoted to establishing ideas that can as objectively as possible be designated non-Stupid… One thing is for sure: the use of the capitalised word Stupid and using it as a noun rather than as an adjective is empowering (thanks, Bernard and Helen!)
A final comment. There is a sense that this book is itself rather stupid. As pointed out above, the main concern of the authors is to get readers to stop and think — and what can be more stupid than that?! :-)
This book helped me restore my equanimity a little: it was not that people were insane — they were simply Stupid. The thought that everyone was insane was too awful to contemplate; the fact that they might simply be just Stupid seemed more kind and humanising. This realisation helped bring a wry smile to my face.
The book is the brainchild of two distinctive authors, one make, one female. They alternate throughout the book with separate sections: the male seemingly detached and slightly academic; the female more in-your-face aggressive and prickly. But these are the mere externals — underneath both one will find intelligent, reasonable arguments for their shared concerns. The constant juxtapositions put the reader into a kind of therapeutic treatment that plunges one from hot water into iced water all the way through the book. So for intending readers: be prepared to be shocked, insulted, outraged, angry and generally discombobulated. But be prepared, also, to be enlightened as well.
The book attempts to include an historic overview as to the how and why of the rise of Stupid, and provides some suggestions as to how one should become aware of the mainstreams of Stupid that have come to dominate the modern world especially. One does not necessarily have to agree with the authors, of course; but one must at least confront each instance of Stupid face-on, and to think about some of the potential consequences of that stupidity. There is also the problem that this is not always easy in the here and now: sometimes, something that seemed a good thing a few millennia ago turns out to be the propagator of a grand network of Stupid today… Hindsight is a good clarifier in the long term, but does not help in the here and now… So maybe the first thing to do is to identify past “good” things that have gone wrong and re-classify them as Stupid. I can see whole University Departments established to deal with all the complexities of the subject, all devoted to establishing ideas that can as objectively as possible be designated non-Stupid… One thing is for sure: the use of the capitalised word Stupid and using it as a noun rather than as an adjective is empowering (thanks, Bernard and Helen!)
A final comment. There is a sense that this book is itself rather stupid. As pointed out above, the main concern of the authors is to get readers to stop and think — and what can be more stupid than that?! :-)
January 20, 2015
Reviewing this book was more complicated than I thought. This is because its central premise, which is quite reasonable, might not stand up with its evidence. The book is written in an appealing way and the authors do not beat around the bush in their presentation.
I happen to agree that reason has been lacking in public debate. But it lost two stars for a reason.
The content of this book panders to the political predispositions of the authors, which in itself is no sin. But if you happen to disagree with it, it makes the argument all the more weaker.
The topics they cover are wide and diverse. Their section of postmodernism is particularly amusing while their section on mental illness is totally unreadable and their section on Kony 2012 is eye-opening. .
I recommend this book to anyone interested, but I urge them to take notice of the main message and not the author's political leanings.
I happen to agree that reason has been lacking in public debate. But it lost two stars for a reason.
The content of this book panders to the political predispositions of the authors, which in itself is no sin. But if you happen to disagree with it, it makes the argument all the more weaker.
The topics they cover are wide and diverse. Their section of postmodernism is particularly amusing while their section on mental illness is totally unreadable and their section on Kony 2012 is eye-opening. .
I recommend this book to anyone interested, but I urge them to take notice of the main message and not the author's political leanings.
March 2, 2015
An enjoyable read, some interesting and detailed views on a number of subjects that come up frequently in today's world. They do have some great points backed up with good references and gave me plenty to think about in-between chapters.
Recommend it for anyone who finds themselves getting frustrated by the world around them on a regular basis.
Recommend it for anyone who finds themselves getting frustrated by the world around them on a regular basis.
March 6, 2015
A fun and challenging read - enjoyable even if you don't agree with everything being said. Occasionally the style can grate - but that's to be expected. Still worth the read as semi-concise summary of all that is wrong with our modern world.
January 22, 2017
An interesting and, sometimes, even fun, read. I might have given it 4 stars, but unfortunately, for me it didn't live up to it's over-blown back cover blurb.
February 16, 2016
Brutally funny, A Short History of Stupid reminds us to check our facts/egos/everything at the door and look for rationality in the face of an epidemic of stupid.
July 28, 2015
Critical thinking. This book made me both happy and angry as I saw my own frustration with the modern world spilled across the pages of this book. Infuriating/inspiring/defeating/un-put-downable.
August 8, 2015
I found several of the chapters in this book very interesting food for thought, well written and well worth the time.
A few others just didn't do it for me.
A few others just didn't do it for me.
April 21, 2016
Not a stupid book. Well written and introduces you to a lot of the ideas underpinning Western thought and actions
February 18, 2016
Insightful book that reminds one to question the motives of the media, mainstream and misogyny and many other forces in our everyday lives. I found Helen a little easier to digest than Bernard.
January 29, 2017
Not at all stupid from the authors
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December 6, 2024One issue, largely ignored by the authors (and indeed by most commentators on many subjects), is the continuing influence of Darwinian Natural Selection. The authors ask:
Q.1) How did everything get so dumb?
Q.2) How did we become hostages to idiocy?
Natural Selection was running along quite smoothly: improving eyesight, running faster, flying higher, better claws, improving intelligence, etc. Or improving defences by those which did not run fast, fly high or have high intelligence, and etc. But all of a sudden we invent forms of government that do not facilitate (and even discourage) Natural Selection and the dumb and the stupid are not weeded out, and not only are they not weeded out they are allowed to multiply. And being dumb and stupid, multiply at a faster rate. As a result there are more and more of the dumb and the stupid.
In many forms of social structure there is a roughly equal say in the selection of leaders, in development of policies, in laws passed. And so with more and more of the dumb and the stupid we get more stupid leaders, more policies that make little sense, laws that don't work, common sense in decline, and a greater tendency to look only to the short-term with greater self-interest.
And so to answer the two questions above:-
A.1 we have developed systems that encourage the dumb and the stupid, and which lock us into remaining that way.
A.2 we permit those who do not have the requisite knowledge or expertise an equal say in making decisions in areas for which they have no experience, or qualification.
In direct contradiction to the principles of Natural Selection, we insulate the stupid and dumb decision makers from the effects of their own decisions. In effect we have instituted a system of Stupid Selection. And so we get water-intensive agriculture in the desert, energy generation systems that destroy our environment, political parties whose only principle is to stay in power, renewable resources destroyed by over-harvesting, metropolises built on the best agricultural land, discarding of fruit and vegetables because of minor skin blemishes while millions go hungry, planned obsolescence, banks too big to fail, small investors insulated after making bad investment decisions, and etc.
But Natural Selection is still operating, and so nations as a whole fail, cities disintegrate, productive land turns to desert, societies wither. Where is the next species of homo that will replace sapiens, as sapiens replaced neanderthal which replaced erectus? Would a new homo be allowed to thrive, or would it be surgically or medically corrected. Have we reached the end of the line?
Q.1) How did everything get so dumb?
Q.2) How did we become hostages to idiocy?
Natural Selection was running along quite smoothly: improving eyesight, running faster, flying higher, better claws, improving intelligence, etc. Or improving defences by those which did not run fast, fly high or have high intelligence, and etc. But all of a sudden we invent forms of government that do not facilitate (and even discourage) Natural Selection and the dumb and the stupid are not weeded out, and not only are they not weeded out they are allowed to multiply. And being dumb and stupid, multiply at a faster rate. As a result there are more and more of the dumb and the stupid.
In many forms of social structure there is a roughly equal say in the selection of leaders, in development of policies, in laws passed. And so with more and more of the dumb and the stupid we get more stupid leaders, more policies that make little sense, laws that don't work, common sense in decline, and a greater tendency to look only to the short-term with greater self-interest.
And so to answer the two questions above:-
A.1 we have developed systems that encourage the dumb and the stupid, and which lock us into remaining that way.
A.2 we permit those who do not have the requisite knowledge or expertise an equal say in making decisions in areas for which they have no experience, or qualification.
In direct contradiction to the principles of Natural Selection, we insulate the stupid and dumb decision makers from the effects of their own decisions. In effect we have instituted a system of Stupid Selection. And so we get water-intensive agriculture in the desert, energy generation systems that destroy our environment, political parties whose only principle is to stay in power, renewable resources destroyed by over-harvesting, metropolises built on the best agricultural land, discarding of fruit and vegetables because of minor skin blemishes while millions go hungry, planned obsolescence, banks too big to fail, small investors insulated after making bad investment decisions, and etc.
But Natural Selection is still operating, and so nations as a whole fail, cities disintegrate, productive land turns to desert, societies wither. Where is the next species of homo that will replace sapiens, as sapiens replaced neanderthal which replaced erectus? Would a new homo be allowed to thrive, or would it be surgically or medically corrected. Have we reached the end of the line?
December 29, 2021
There are essentially two books in one here, with Bernard Keane and Helen Razer writing alternating chapters (excluding the introduction and concluding chapters), so I feel it's useful (and necessary) to comment on each author's contribution individually.
Bernard Keane ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Keane's contributions are generally thoughtful, well-considered and easy to follow. He effectively constructs his arguments and presents a clear train of thought through to his concluding arguments (like a real author!). Occasional barbs directed at conservative Australian politicians are also always welcome.
Helen Razer ⭐
This is where the book gets... terrible. I've not come across Razer's work before this book, and after reading some of her work here, I hope I never do again. Compared to Keane's concise and clear prose, Razer's inane blather borders on incomprehensible word salad frequently, and I found myself continually having to stop and wonder "what the fuck am I reading?" I still, having completed the book, have no idea what any chapter authored by Razer was about.
This is before the chapter in which Razer claims that psychiatry is a "pseudo-science". While there's an interesting discussion to be had on this topic, Razer instead spends the chapter condescendingly dismissing a wide gamut of genuine mental health conditions and snarkily cherry-picking DSM entries which she thinks are invalid. Cool and helpful, not damaging at all.
Overall Razer's contributions fall somewhere in the hate-triangle of boring, confusing and offensive, and aren't even really worth skimming.
Overall
If anyone's interested in reading this book, I would strongly and without any reservations or qualifications recommend skipping every other chapter and just reading Keane's contributions. After that, if you're still in the mood for some punishment, stick a fork in each eye - it'll be just as painful as reading Razer's chapters, but at least it'll be quick.
Bernard Keane ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Keane's contributions are generally thoughtful, well-considered and easy to follow. He effectively constructs his arguments and presents a clear train of thought through to his concluding arguments (like a real author!). Occasional barbs directed at conservative Australian politicians are also always welcome.
Helen Razer ⭐
This is where the book gets... terrible. I've not come across Razer's work before this book, and after reading some of her work here, I hope I never do again. Compared to Keane's concise and clear prose, Razer's inane blather borders on incomprehensible word salad frequently, and I found myself continually having to stop and wonder "what the fuck am I reading?" I still, having completed the book, have no idea what any chapter authored by Razer was about.
This is before the chapter in which Razer claims that psychiatry is a "pseudo-science". While there's an interesting discussion to be had on this topic, Razer instead spends the chapter condescendingly dismissing a wide gamut of genuine mental health conditions and snarkily cherry-picking DSM entries which she thinks are invalid. Cool and helpful, not damaging at all.
Overall Razer's contributions fall somewhere in the hate-triangle of boring, confusing and offensive, and aren't even really worth skimming.
Overall
If anyone's interested in reading this book, I would strongly and without any reservations or qualifications recommend skipping every other chapter and just reading Keane's contributions. After that, if you're still in the mood for some punishment, stick a fork in each eye - it'll be just as painful as reading Razer's chapters, but at least it'll be quick.
March 21, 2019
Some of this book was conflicting and confronting. Bernard Keanes chapters were well researched and read beautifully. He presented his argument and if you didnt agree - well then. I dont think he would care (he never seems to when on Insiders). Helen Razers were in her true style but read more like op eds. She lost me when she tried to argue that Binge Eating Disorder was proof of the world gone mad and showed a lack of bothering to research what BED is, and a fundamental opposition to trying to understand the disorder. But this is Razer. She has always been this way. Some of her chapters and arguments were better than others. In all the book is interesting. It brought together two of my favourite writers from different spheres (politics, and pop culture criticism respectively) and allowed them to hash out some arguments showing that the world has indeed become fucking stupid, and that we are culpable because we have allowed institionalised stupidity instead of protesting against. It is firmly set in Australia though takes on some global issues. If you like to be confronted with new opinions and the intersection of politics and pop culture - this is for you.
November 1, 2022
Was going to give this book 3 stars but then the authors decided to extol the "virtues" of Edward Snowden - someone who released hundreds of thousands of documents online without ever reading the majority of what was even there - stupidity at its finest and further increasing the distrust of democratically elected govenments.
This book was written pre-Trump, Q-Anon and stupidity ramped up to a crazy fever pitch so it seemed like there was things being called out that were slightly unfair - for instance calling out the govt for sourcing thousands of redundant vaccines during the SARS outbreak when it was clear we were due for an outbreak at some point so the worry was not stupidity or misplaced.
This book was written pre-Trump, Q-Anon and stupidity ramped up to a crazy fever pitch so it seemed like there was things being called out that were slightly unfair - for instance calling out the govt for sourcing thousands of redundant vaccines during the SARS outbreak when it was clear we were due for an outbreak at some point so the worry was not stupidity or misplaced.
December 25, 2017
I so wanted to love this book as the premise is engaging and so very relevant in this Trumpian era. Yet I found it arduous, pompous, and simply not engaging. So much so, I couldn't finish it--and I like to finish things.
I hadn't heard of Bernard Keane but Helen Razer is known for her wit, yet I just didn't find it witty. Which is not to say the book had no attributes; on the contrary, it was intelligent, thoughtful, and attempted a discourse on a much-needed subject. But oh my, just engage me! You had such potential and you squandered it, alas.
I hadn't heard of Bernard Keane but Helen Razer is known for her wit, yet I just didn't find it witty. Which is not to say the book had no attributes; on the contrary, it was intelligent, thoughtful, and attempted a discourse on a much-needed subject. But oh my, just engage me! You had such potential and you squandered it, alas.
June 30, 2020
I wanted to like this a lot more than I did.
The authors have obviously read a lot and are able to articulate themselves pretty well (altho a bit verbose at times), but... they don't have a lot of say other than making this book a personal rant about how most everything and everybody is stupid. It's very punk rock, to be sure, but doesn't provide a lot of answers or hope. That's too bad as most everyone can do that without having to read a whole host of books about philosophy and/or history.
I read this entirely on my Kindle.
The authors have obviously read a lot and are able to articulate themselves pretty well (altho a bit verbose at times), but... they don't have a lot of say other than making this book a personal rant about how most everything and everybody is stupid. It's very punk rock, to be sure, but doesn't provide a lot of answers or hope. That's too bad as most everyone can do that without having to read a whole host of books about philosophy and/or history.
I read this entirely on my Kindle.
December 14, 2018
Considering the title of this book I expected it to be funny, or at least satirical (Razer is not unknown as a humourist). For me, it was neither. I actually struggled to work out what point it was trying to make because, by the time it got to the chapter on Jacques Derrida (didn't know about him, couldn't care less), it seemed as if the authors were doing all they could to make me feel stupid. Which I'm not. To prove it, I stopped reading.
March 5, 2017
I don't deny that stupid exists in this world, but I found it hard to read this without getting bogged down in rampant cynicism that was more unashamedly hostile than witty or insightful. I don't know that this would help anyone fix their own stupid, or anybody else's, which is a shame as that was exactly what I was hoping for.
June 1, 2017
A good place to start when trying to understand the Stupid in this world today
I can't recommend too highly. The authors have had to report on a lot of Stupid over the years, so this is a good starting point to helping to understand the possible reasons for how historically politics and public policy has favoured the Stupid. Good one Helen and Bernard.
I can't recommend too highly. The authors have had to report on a lot of Stupid over the years, so this is a good starting point to helping to understand the possible reasons for how historically politics and public policy has favoured the Stupid. Good one Helen and Bernard.
May 18, 2022
This sarcfest is quite interesting and educational. It's not easy to follow but worth reading. It's a wild ride from ancient Greek philosophers (both stupid and not stupid) through medieval theologians and the French and American revolutions and Freud to post modernism - all in a very informal style. Explains how we ended up with a world nearly full of stupid people and their stupid ideas.
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