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The Grand Unified Theory of Bullshit
Navigating the marketplace of ideas can be difficult when there is so much bullshit to wade through. This book helps connect the underlying arguments used by charlatans and gives readers a skeptic’s toolkit to identify the logical traps and pitfalls of different types of nonsense, and to discard each of them using critical thinking practices. From paranormal and medical quackery, to conspiracy theories and religion, the authors unpack the Grand Unified Theory of Bullshit, pulling out the common thread that ties these nonsensical and harmful ideas together.
Audiobook
Published March 6, 2022
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
February 28, 2022
For anyone who is familiar with Cecil and Tom’s body of work: this book won’t come as a shock. Turns out, people are generally convinced of their own bs and will jump through many a hoop searching for that tasty, tasty confirmation bias. This book offers a great breakdown of some of the bs folks have come to know and love, and how to start approaching the world through a skeptic’s lens, ensuring that you don’t fall into some of the same traps.
March 2, 2022
love the book and love the podcast
I have been listening to the Cognitive Dissonance podcast for years and I absolutely recommend it as a companion piece if people want to get to know the authors behind this book. They are hilarious and they absolutely live the advice of their book. I started listening to them over 7 years ago and watching the evolution of their social and political views has been honestly inspiring. They evolved from sarcastic dude bro’s (which was a whole lot of their intro call in audience at the beginning of their podcasts) to a still sarcastic but awesomely informed individuals that dissect the social and political landscape with well informed opinions and perspectives. This book is a fun beginner’s guide and offers some great advice on how to navigate this world that oftentimes feels filled with misinformation.
I have been listening to the Cognitive Dissonance podcast for years and I absolutely recommend it as a companion piece if people want to get to know the authors behind this book. They are hilarious and they absolutely live the advice of their book. I started listening to them over 7 years ago and watching the evolution of their social and political views has been honestly inspiring. They evolved from sarcastic dude bro’s (which was a whole lot of their intro call in audience at the beginning of their podcasts) to a still sarcastic but awesomely informed individuals that dissect the social and political landscape with well informed opinions and perspectives. This book is a fun beginner’s guide and offers some great advice on how to navigate this world that oftentimes feels filled with misinformation.
March 4, 2022
Excellent
Accessible and on point. This book lays out the harm caused by credulous thinking and religion in an accessible manner. Well written and well reasoned.
Accessible and on point. This book lays out the harm caused by credulous thinking and religion in an accessible manner. Well written and well reasoned.
June 6, 2022
The Grand Unified Theory of Bullsh!t by Cecil Cicirello and Tom Cury
“The Grand Unified Theory of Bullsh!t” is a fun, skeptical book that makes the compelling case that even innocuous bad beliefs are potentially dangerous. Podcasters of The Scathing Atheist, Tom Cicirello and Tom Curry takes the readers on a journey that will help readers believe as many true things and as few bad beliefs as possible. This entertaining 299-page book includes the following five chapters: 1. Alternative Medicine, 2. Religion, 3. Supernatural and Paranormal, 4. Conspiracy and 5. Reality Matters.
Positives:
1. A fun, page-turner book to read.
2. The fascinating topic of skepticism. “The main premise of this book is not to point out how easy we are to manipulate, nor to deeply examine the logical fallacies that are used against people to convince them that something is true. Instead, this book is meant to show that all these different, seemingly disparate nonsense subjects (paranormal, supernatural, conspiracy, alternative medicine, etc.) use the same methods and place the same logical traps as the others.”
3. An irreverent tone that has substance. The book has a good rhythm about it founded on a recurring pattern that scammers use to exploit the public.
4. Debunks many practices and shows how said practices cause harm. “…an often-overlooked issue is that the skin itself should also be sterilized at the insertion point. If this is not done, it can lead to infection. In fact, one of the most common negative outcomes from acupuncture is infection.”
5. The foundation of cons. “It's an old con: make up a problem so big that only you can fix it. This is the bread and butter of quacks.”
6. How religion harms. “Every week, a new legal settlement or new accusation hits the news, and while there are other religions that are culprits, the bulk of accusations are against the Catholic Church. Why is that? The answer seems obvious: celibacy and power.”
7. The reality of abortions. “Abortion statistics in places where it is legal and easy to access are actually much lower than in places that have restrictions or that ban it altogether.”
8. Religion and the LGBTQ. “It's not just women and children who suffer at the hands of those whose thinking has been distorted by religion. The LGBTQ population has suffered terribly under the inhumane policies promoted by religious dogma.” “Conversion therapy is a pseudoscience that uses physical stimuli like electric shock, spiritual nonsense, and psychological trauma to “cure” people of their gayness.”
9. Bad ideas debunked. “This idea that we are immortal, like so many other wishful beliefs, is just motivated thinking; we are emotionally attached to this idea, and we won’t give it up.”
10. Scamming mediums. “One such menace was Sylvia Browne, who traveled from one daytime TV show to another, talking to spirits for the audience's amusement. It wasn’t all fun and games though; she did some real damage. She pretended to use powers to “solve” criminal cases. She never solved a single case.”
11. Debunks seemingly world-changing effects of conspiracy theories. “They also happened to be conspiracy theorists who believed that the mist created when aircraft fly through the air is actually made up of chemicals used for mind control, poisoning the population or engineering weather.”
12. The foundation of conspiracies. “In short, debunking bad ideas cannot compete emotionally with the satisfaction of belief.”
13. Examines Holocaust hoaxers. “It has three main thrusts. The first claim is that there were no gas chambers.”
14. Examines one of the worst conspiracy generators, Alex Jones.
15. Trump and misinformation. “Trump’s real problem was that he knew that many of the mail-in ballots leaned heavily Democratic, and it was his and the Republican’s intent to disenfranchise them.” “Stories about voter fraud plummeted a whopping 73% a week after Trump was removed.”
16. Misinformation and its impact. “What appears more and more clear isn’t that we are unable to solve these problems, but that we are unwilling to agree on the problems that need solving.”
17. How to vet your sources for trustworthiness. “Any source that you are considering for trustworthiness must pass the following tests: Do they have a physical office where employees work?”
18. Citations included.
Negatives:
1. Lacks depth. It takes a rapid-fire approach.
2. No formal bibliography.
In summary, I really enjoyed this book! It’s a fun book to pick up and go through a number of bad beliefs or scams. The authors take an irreverent, mocking approach that will please their fans but the rapid-fire approach comes at the expense of depth. That said, the book is a lot of fun to pick up and does a great job of selecting the most popular bad beliefs and scams. I recommend it!
Further suggestions: "50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God" by Guy Harrison, "The Believing Brain…" and "Why People Believe Weird Things" by Michael Shermer, "Scientific Paranormal Investigations" by Benjamin Radford, "The Belief Instinct" by Jesse Bering, "The Faith Healers" by James Randi, "The Christian Delusion" by John W. Loftus, "The Blind Spot" by William Byers, "Paranormality" Richard Wiseman, "Science Under Siege" by Kendrick Frazier, "Superstition" by Robert Park and "Science and Nonbelief" by Taner Edis.
“The Grand Unified Theory of Bullsh!t” is a fun, skeptical book that makes the compelling case that even innocuous bad beliefs are potentially dangerous. Podcasters of The Scathing Atheist, Tom Cicirello and Tom Curry takes the readers on a journey that will help readers believe as many true things and as few bad beliefs as possible. This entertaining 299-page book includes the following five chapters: 1. Alternative Medicine, 2. Religion, 3. Supernatural and Paranormal, 4. Conspiracy and 5. Reality Matters.
Positives:
1. A fun, page-turner book to read.
2. The fascinating topic of skepticism. “The main premise of this book is not to point out how easy we are to manipulate, nor to deeply examine the logical fallacies that are used against people to convince them that something is true. Instead, this book is meant to show that all these different, seemingly disparate nonsense subjects (paranormal, supernatural, conspiracy, alternative medicine, etc.) use the same methods and place the same logical traps as the others.”
3. An irreverent tone that has substance. The book has a good rhythm about it founded on a recurring pattern that scammers use to exploit the public.
4. Debunks many practices and shows how said practices cause harm. “…an often-overlooked issue is that the skin itself should also be sterilized at the insertion point. If this is not done, it can lead to infection. In fact, one of the most common negative outcomes from acupuncture is infection.”
5. The foundation of cons. “It's an old con: make up a problem so big that only you can fix it. This is the bread and butter of quacks.”
6. How religion harms. “Every week, a new legal settlement or new accusation hits the news, and while there are other religions that are culprits, the bulk of accusations are against the Catholic Church. Why is that? The answer seems obvious: celibacy and power.”
7. The reality of abortions. “Abortion statistics in places where it is legal and easy to access are actually much lower than in places that have restrictions or that ban it altogether.”
8. Religion and the LGBTQ. “It's not just women and children who suffer at the hands of those whose thinking has been distorted by religion. The LGBTQ population has suffered terribly under the inhumane policies promoted by religious dogma.” “Conversion therapy is a pseudoscience that uses physical stimuli like electric shock, spiritual nonsense, and psychological trauma to “cure” people of their gayness.”
9. Bad ideas debunked. “This idea that we are immortal, like so many other wishful beliefs, is just motivated thinking; we are emotionally attached to this idea, and we won’t give it up.”
10. Scamming mediums. “One such menace was Sylvia Browne, who traveled from one daytime TV show to another, talking to spirits for the audience's amusement. It wasn’t all fun and games though; she did some real damage. She pretended to use powers to “solve” criminal cases. She never solved a single case.”
11. Debunks seemingly world-changing effects of conspiracy theories. “They also happened to be conspiracy theorists who believed that the mist created when aircraft fly through the air is actually made up of chemicals used for mind control, poisoning the population or engineering weather.”
12. The foundation of conspiracies. “In short, debunking bad ideas cannot compete emotionally with the satisfaction of belief.”
13. Examines Holocaust hoaxers. “It has three main thrusts. The first claim is that there were no gas chambers.”
14. Examines one of the worst conspiracy generators, Alex Jones.
15. Trump and misinformation. “Trump’s real problem was that he knew that many of the mail-in ballots leaned heavily Democratic, and it was his and the Republican’s intent to disenfranchise them.” “Stories about voter fraud plummeted a whopping 73% a week after Trump was removed.”
16. Misinformation and its impact. “What appears more and more clear isn’t that we are unable to solve these problems, but that we are unwilling to agree on the problems that need solving.”
17. How to vet your sources for trustworthiness. “Any source that you are considering for trustworthiness must pass the following tests: Do they have a physical office where employees work?”
18. Citations included.
Negatives:
1. Lacks depth. It takes a rapid-fire approach.
2. No formal bibliography.
In summary, I really enjoyed this book! It’s a fun book to pick up and go through a number of bad beliefs or scams. The authors take an irreverent, mocking approach that will please their fans but the rapid-fire approach comes at the expense of depth. That said, the book is a lot of fun to pick up and does a great job of selecting the most popular bad beliefs and scams. I recommend it!
Further suggestions: "50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God" by Guy Harrison, "The Believing Brain…" and "Why People Believe Weird Things" by Michael Shermer, "Scientific Paranormal Investigations" by Benjamin Radford, "The Belief Instinct" by Jesse Bering, "The Faith Healers" by James Randi, "The Christian Delusion" by John W. Loftus, "The Blind Spot" by William Byers, "Paranormality" Richard Wiseman, "Science Under Siege" by Kendrick Frazier, "Superstition" by Robert Park and "Science and Nonbelief" by Taner Edis.
June 14, 2022
I'm a big fan of Tom and Cecil's podcasts, and this book did not disappoint. It was an entertaining, well-researched and sourced look at irrational belief, why we believe it, and why it's damaging. It was informative and entertaining, however deceptively long.
Overall I enjoyed it, but there was both simultaneously too much information and not enough. I would have preferred to read more in-depth analyses of each of the topics over multiple books because it was a lot of information to cram into a single volume, and it did fill mildly rushed in places to try and cover the topic in a limited word count.
This did not detract from my appreciation of the subject matter and the skill of the execution overall, but it turned it from a five-star read into a four-star read for me.
Overall I enjoyed it, but there was both simultaneously too much information and not enough. I would have preferred to read more in-depth analyses of each of the topics over multiple books because it was a lot of information to cram into a single volume, and it did fill mildly rushed in places to try and cover the topic in a limited word count.
This did not detract from my appreciation of the subject matter and the skill of the execution overall, but it turned it from a five-star read into a four-star read for me.
March 20, 2022
The book is a very well done discussion of critical thinking and the lack thereof. It goes through common non-critical viewpoints and analyzes what went wrong to cause the uncritical view. They discuss topics from reiki healing, Chem trails, pizzagate and the claim of election fraud. Finally it goes into some very good ideas on how we might be able to protect ourselves from falling for similar ideas.
I very much enjoyed it and I highly recommend it.
I very much enjoyed it and I highly recommend it.
March 16, 2022
To the Point and Important
This reads like an updated version of Carl Sagan’s Demon Haunted World, and I mean that in the best way.
Tom and Cecil do a great job of not just explaining some of the specific things people fall for, but explaining why we fall for those things and how they’re all using related methods.
This reads like an updated version of Carl Sagan’s Demon Haunted World, and I mean that in the best way.
Tom and Cecil do a great job of not just explaining some of the specific things people fall for, but explaining why we fall for those things and how they’re all using related methods.
March 13, 2022
This is an incredible novel. I've listened to Cecil & Tom's podcast for years and am so excited to have physical work published by them. They explore and critique various irrational beliefs that persist in society and relate all of these examples back to flawed cognitive processes we all have. This book will prompt you to self-reflect on and recognize your own flawed or lazy thought patterns that can lead you to develop or accept irrational beliefs.
July 27, 2022
This book was quite a disappointment. The tone was quite annoying, and was even more so because I listened to the audiobook.
Don’t tell me what to think, tell me how to think.
Instead of this book, I recommend “The Scout Mindset” by Julia Galef, or listen to Steven Novella’s Great Courses Course, Your Deceptive Mind.
Don’t tell me what to think, tell me how to think.
Instead of this book, I recommend “The Scout Mindset” by Julia Galef, or listen to Steven Novella’s Great Courses Course, Your Deceptive Mind.
April 30, 2025
I recently had a conversation with my brother about how atheism is bereft of solid leaders who are not cringy, not manosphere-adjacent, or don’t end up espousing contradictory/confusing/odious beliefs that you, as a member of their community, have to answer to when referencing them. Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens are vibe terrorists.
In comes this book, in comes my new obsession with the Cognitive Dissonance podcast, WE HAVE ARRIVED, BABY! Tom Curry and Cecil Cicirello ARE THE ANTIDOTE TO THE NEW ATHEISM TREACHERY! WOOHOO!
This book is a skeptic’s tool kit. Every chapter provided power-packed yet sample-sized bites of necessary criticism (and, in some cases, a near forensic dismantling) of all juggernauts of harmful misinformation- new age medicine, religion, the paranormal, and conspiracy theories. It also walks you through how to evaluate your beliefs, opinions, and how to determine what is knowable as fact. Our desire to confirm our worldviews makes us vulnerable to irrational thinking, and it’s our obligation to take stock of our beliefs and opinions in today’s world and constantly re-evaluate our positions.
Five stars. Happy to have minds like this right now.
In comes this book, in comes my new obsession with the Cognitive Dissonance podcast, WE HAVE ARRIVED, BABY! Tom Curry and Cecil Cicirello ARE THE ANTIDOTE TO THE NEW ATHEISM TREACHERY! WOOHOO!
This book is a skeptic’s tool kit. Every chapter provided power-packed yet sample-sized bites of necessary criticism (and, in some cases, a near forensic dismantling) of all juggernauts of harmful misinformation- new age medicine, religion, the paranormal, and conspiracy theories. It also walks you through how to evaluate your beliefs, opinions, and how to determine what is knowable as fact. Our desire to confirm our worldviews makes us vulnerable to irrational thinking, and it’s our obligation to take stock of our beliefs and opinions in today’s world and constantly re-evaluate our positions.
Five stars. Happy to have minds like this right now.
July 15, 2025
Entertainment & Engagement: Poor
Though the podcast is one of my favorites — entertaining and informative — the book itself is dry and dull by comparison.
Educational Value: Good
While not the best book on irrational thinking, it does provide useful insights and holds some value in its core proposition.
Effort, Accessibility & Aesthetic Impact: Good
It’s an easy read overall. Chapters are long, but the language is clear and avoids unnecessary jargon or long-windedness.
Practical Application: Great
The book’s most redeeming feature is its final section, which offers practical tips for combating credulity. This alone makes it worth reading — though other shortcomings affect its overall impact.
Value for Writers: Poor
There’s minimal value here for fiction writers, aside from a general understanding of the human mind and the psychology behind conspiracy theories and irrational beliefs.
Though the podcast is one of my favorites — entertaining and informative — the book itself is dry and dull by comparison.
Educational Value: Good
While not the best book on irrational thinking, it does provide useful insights and holds some value in its core proposition.
Effort, Accessibility & Aesthetic Impact: Good
It’s an easy read overall. Chapters are long, but the language is clear and avoids unnecessary jargon or long-windedness.
Practical Application: Great
The book’s most redeeming feature is its final section, which offers practical tips for combating credulity. This alone makes it worth reading — though other shortcomings affect its overall impact.
Value for Writers: Poor
There’s minimal value here for fiction writers, aside from a general understanding of the human mind and the psychology behind conspiracy theories and irrational beliefs.
October 7, 2023
I've been listening to Tom and Cecil ever since Cecil the Lion was big news. I appreciated the humour in how they approached that story, even as I struggled to find the underlying information. At the time it was so sensationalized that it was hard to figure out. Years later I read A Demon Haunted World and enjoyed that greatly, but often the stories Sagan wrote about had limited relevance to current events. This book was ripped from the headlines and goes to show that the more things change, the more they stay the same.
May 11, 2022
I listened to this on audio, read by the author. I liked his reading.
If you've listened to their podcast, Cognitive Dissonance, or if you've been an atheist for a while, some of this won't be new. Having all this information together, and articulated, is useful though.
It's informative, told in an accessible way. This isn't just a bitchfest, or anti-religious rant. There's great advice on how to get better at living more rationally, and not be taken in by con-artists.
If you've listened to their podcast, Cognitive Dissonance, or if you've been an atheist for a while, some of this won't be new. Having all this information together, and articulated, is useful though.
It's informative, told in an accessible way. This isn't just a bitchfest, or anti-religious rant. There's great advice on how to get better at living more rationally, and not be taken in by con-artists.
December 12, 2024
This book is not beating the "smug skeptic" charges even if I agree with almost everything stated here. It's perfect for young people looking for language to understand their humanist and skeptic leanings, but I'm not sure it's going to convince conspiracy nuts that the moon landing was real. But what will?
May 21, 2025
Some of the negative reviews almost scared me off, saying it was just rehashed podcast episodes.
It's not quite that, but really does tie so many different conspiracies together (like a good conspiracist would), showing ways how one feeds the other.
Would recommend the audiobook. Tom reads this one, and his Alex Jones impression alone is worth the price of admission.
It's not quite that, but really does tie so many different conspiracies together (like a good conspiracist would), showing ways how one feeds the other.
Would recommend the audiobook. Tom reads this one, and his Alex Jones impression alone is worth the price of admission.
May 11, 2022
These guys put out my favorite podcast so I knew what I was getting into. Turns out not only are they super funny and insightful podcasters, but they're also great writers! The book is a good addition and update to, say, The Demon-Haunted World.
July 11, 2022
Great rundown of common conspiracies, alt med ideas, and other common mistaken beliefs. Not necessarily targeted at someone who isn't yet interested in honing their critical thinking skills or for someone who doesn't know about scientific skepticism, but a great read for those who are.
December 16, 2024
While I agree with much of what they have to say, they present it in the most grating way possible, which would never convince anyone who wasn't already on their side. Also, it's completely lacking in nuance, particularly in subjects they lack expertise in (such as medicine).
May 1, 2022
A wonderful primmer on scam detection and self examination.
January 4, 2023
I bought and read with Tom in the audio book. This a wonderful primer of all the types of woo that have and do invade our culture and daily life. I highly recommend it
February 22, 2023
Worthy successor to The Demon-Haunted World, this book is clearly written and well researched. Reason and skepticism are even more important now than they were in Carl Sagan's day.
November 20, 2023
Enjoyable enough book. Not a lot of new information for skeptics but a good place to start as a guide of how to recognize and not fall for bullshit.
June 30, 2024
I would have given this book 5 stars, but being a Christian, I had a few issues with the way that the authors discussed the Bible and it's followers.
January 6, 2025
I loved it so much I bought it. I will carry it around my office spreading truth.
August 29, 2025
Not news to me, but a greater primer on bullshit and skeptical thinking.
April 27, 2022
I have enjoyed Cecil and Tom on their podcasts for years. This is an excellent distillation of their passion for logical reasoning and against illogical thinking.
January 27, 2024
These authors must have picked my mind and wrote what I would have if only one third as smart. Much of it settled gently on my mind, bringing loose threads together into a well fitting suit. The value for some, might be to prepare for a talk, a discussion or to prepare for that family Thanksgiving Dinner. Those who present to all, that "special-know-it-all", place will not be convinced. You will, however, be more steadfast in your thinking when dealing with others. Don't argue, that gets everyone absolutely nowhere, just talk and share the things learned from this great book.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews