Marc Alexander > Recent Status Updates

I have a real contrarian streak, this is a very contrarian book. The author marshals compelling evidence for the thesis that some secondary and almost all post-secondary education is effectively just a signal to employers that a potential hire is hard working (high in conscientiousness), willing to take instruction (high in conformity) and intelligent (higher IQ).

This is one of those books where the thesis is easy to grasp and the arguments fairly straightforward: empathy distorts our ability to do good because we cannot empathize with everyone, nor can we empathize with many people. Rational compassion does more good, more effectively. It’s a nice counterweight to the idea that the world would be a much better place with far more empathy, or the lack of it is a major issue.

This is one of those books where the thesis is easy to grasp and the arguments fairly straightforward: empathy is powerful but also distorts our ability to do good. Rational compassion does more good, more effectively. It’s a nice counterweight to the idea that the world would be a much better place with far more of it, or the lack of it is an major issue.