跳过导航
Mobs, Messiahs, and Markets
Book

Mobs, Messiahs, and Markets

Surviving the Public Spectacle in Finance and Politics

Wiley, 2007 更多详情


Editorial Rating

9

Qualities

  • Innovative

Recommendation

With scimitar-sharp wit, withering one-liners and sledgehammer-subtle analysis, William Bonner and Lila Rajiva embark on an amusing and fascinating study of human nature. Along the way, they skewer just about everyone – Republicans, Democrats, fascists, communists, CEOs, hedge-fund managers, journalists and patriots all line up for a good tongue-lashing from the authors. Funny, irreverent and thought-provoking, this treatise is a joy to read, even if you don’t agree with all of Bonner’s and Rajiva’s conclusions. (And who could?) Human nature itself is the true villain in this sweeping work. Enjoyable as it is, this study tackles too much and at times turns into little more than a rant, albeit a readable and persuasive one. Even so, getAbstract recommends it to anyone who hopes to understand human behavior in business and politics.

Take-Aways

  • People consider themselves to be rational and logical beings.
  • Nothing could be further from the truth: Human behavior is driven not by cold facts but by squishy emotions.
  • The need to reproduce guides human decisions. When you buy a Hummer or build a McMansion, you’re advertising your desirability as a mate.

About the Authors

William Bonner is president and CEO of a financial-newsletter company. He created the Daily Reckoning, a contrarian financial newsletter, and co-authored Financial Reckoning Day and Empire of Debt. Lila Rajiva is a journalist and author of The Language of Empire.


Comment on this summary or 开始讨论