On Bullshit

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I was able to find this book at the UNH Library; I remarked to the checkout chick staffer at the checkout desk that I would have thought (especially at UNH) that there would be a long waiting list.

Well, anyway: this is a very short, very readable exploration of the nature of the title topic. Careful distinctions are made: bullshit is not just "lying", and bullshit can even be true. The key point is: a bullshitter doesn't really care about truth.

It would have been easy—way too easy—for the author to come up with numerous actual examples of bullshit from politicians. The author no doubt saw an abundance of fish in that barrel and wisely refrained from shooting.

I don't think it would be much good as a self-help book, though; give this book to a bullshitter, and he'll almost certainly tell you afterwards that it's brilliant, insightful, witty, blah, blah, blah. But that could well be bullshit.


Last Modified 2024-02-04 5:17 AM EDT