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Liked It “very interesting social commentary” see full review » see other reviews » |
Didn’t Like It “Hedges has written a excellent book about religious and secular fundamentalism. He is correct about many points but falls short of developing some ideas. |
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“Interesting counter-balance to the Dawkins et al discussion, but I am not persuaded.”
Ted S wrote this review 2 weeks ago. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“very interesting social commentary”
Jan P wrote this review Thursday, September 10 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Even if you don't read the entire book, chapter seven is a MUST. It is extremely interesting and really makes you think about human nature. Even though I disagree with Hedges on many points, I used a plethora of his quotes in papers and arguments. He's AWESOME in that chapter. ”
krista wrote this review Wednesday, January 7 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“Hedges has written a excellent book about religious and secular fundamentalism. He is correct about many points but falls short of developing some ideas.
Gerhard Peters wrote this review Tuesday, November 4 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
One idea is capitalism. He is harsh on corporations but doesn't realize the complexity involved in capitalism and economics
I highly recommend this book if you are fed up with the fundamentalism, both religious and secular.
A fine book but Hedges seems to be angry in his writings at times
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“I bought this book because I heard Hedges on a Point of Inquiry podcast where he was incredibly well spoken and centered in the face of a very leading and biased interviewer. I really liked this book and did not feel that there was anything incoherent about it. I think the fundamental point of the book that utopianism leads to intolerant behavior is incredibly important and something that I did not appreciate until I read this. In that regard, this book has changed my thinking. I also found his clarity around the arrogant utopianist positions of Dawkins and Hitchens helpful. Hitchens is an embarassment to his own cause.”
Royce W wrote this review Tuesday, September 9 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No“I had quite a mixed reaction to this book. I'm glad I read it, and I think it had some very thought provoking passages. I also think it was incredibly poorly written, repetitive and, at times, even incoherent. Mostly, I just overlooked those parts and focused on parsing out the pieces that added something to my understanding of human being.
Mary v wrote this review Thursday, May 29 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
One of the most useful pieces of the book, for me, despite how they sometimes contributed to the incoherence, were his ample use of quotes from Willa cather, Joseph Conrad, Shakespeare, Dostoevsky, etc. The quotes often stopped me to consider what these wonderful writers had to say.
Hedges complaint is that any fundamentalism (and he focuses on Atheists in comparison to Christians) assumes that human nature is progressing and getting better. Such an assumption leads to horrific outcomes. I think this conclusion is accurate, but I'm sometimes confused with how science underlies the belief that human nature is progressing. . . He quotes Dawkings, Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens as the most guilty of this athesistic fundamentalism, but his proof is not very solid.
I think the book is worth reading because of the importance of recognizing that human beings are necessarily and inevitably flawed. That we are not destined for greatness as a species. I also think it's useful in highlighting the importance of wisdom over knowledge. It is one thing to know a lot, it is another to understand. And, finally, I think the book was useful in pointing out that the "mystery" that is part of being human cannot be explained by science. This does not "prove" there is or isn't a God, it simply means, to me, that part of being human is being incapable of understanding all, regardless of the intervention of science or religion.”
“Should've been half the length. While it has some good points made, they get lost in an oft repeated thesis that humans are bad bad bad (original sin) and a bit of jumping around. Worth the read probably, but not worth buying at hardcover price.”
Charles P wrote this review Wednesday, April 16 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
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