Showing posts with label truth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label truth. Show all posts

Fate, Time, and Language: An Essay on Free Will Review

Fate, Time, and Language: An Essay on Free Will
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This book centers around David Foster Wallace's undergraduate honors thesis in philosophy. It begins with a very well-written and interesting introduction to the philosophical argument DFW takes to task in his thesis, an argument by Taylor that takes a set of commonly accepted philosophical presuppositions and entails fatalism. The book then presents Taylor's article, originally published in the early 1960s, and a flurry of (sometimes heated) responses by other philosophers. All of this serves as the background for Wallace's work, which extends (seemingly substantially) upon those other responses.
I'm not a philosopher by either trade or background, and so I won't claim to have followed every nuance of all of the arguments, and as a reader, I found the back-and-forth regarding Taylor's original argument less interesting than either the introduction or DFW's contribution. However, the thesis itself is lucid (and I think easier to follow than several of the other arguments, even if it is not particularly light reading), and in a word, satisfying. It seems to me that David Foster Wallace was an exceptionally gifted person, and so I am glad that the editors and contributors put forth the effort to make it available. It was also enjoyable to detect elements of his literary style even at this early stage of his writing.
Based on this book alone, I'm not convinced that David Foster Wallace found the question of free will (as the subtitle might suggest) all that vexing or in need of defense - it seems as likely that he was concerned about the imprecise use of language and the confusion it may lead to - that doesn't detract from the book in any way. Very enjoyable for fans of DFW or, say, modal semantics.

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Busting Loose From the Money Game: Mind-Blowing Strategies for Changing the Rules of a Game You Can't Win Review

Busting Loose From the Money Game: Mind-Blowing Strategies for Changing the Rules of a Game You Can't Win
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I don't regret buying this book, as I received quite a lot of value from it, but at the same time I strongly disagree with some of his fundamental premises.
This book is difficult to summarise adequately, but basically he is saying - we create our reality (including our financial reality) with our minds. Our life experience is a illusory game created by what he calls our 'Expanded Self' - a larger, omnipotent creative intelligence, of which we are just a small aspect. This 'Human Game' is divided into 2 phases: Phase 1, which most people are stuck in, and Phase 2, which is the object of the processes in this book. Phase 1 appears to have rigid rules, and was purposely designed by our Expanded Self to convince us of our limitations and lack of power. When we are ready, we enter Phase 2, in which our Expanded Self leads us through the process of reclaiming our personal power and then 'busting loose' of the game. After busting loose, our desires & goals (including money) will fall into place with little effort, and we might even experience seemingly 'impossible' events, as the illusory nature of reality becomes apparent, and life no longer has to follow the usual rules.
What I liked about the book:
*I found it to be well written & some parts are very interesting & thought-provoking.
* The idea that our consciousness creates our reality is nothing new to me, and I'm already familiar with the holographic model of reality creation that he discusses. I've read many books on similar topics, most of which haven't really given me anything new. This book did at least take an approach I haven't encountered before, so I give it some credit for originality, even if there is much I disagree with. I can see how it could be a bit `far out' for some of those who are totally new to this kind of material.
*Scheinfeld offers four techniques which we can use to enter & progress through Phase 2, and even though I don't accept his notion of what Phase 2 should be like, I have found all of these techniques to be useful, and perhaps worth the price of book alone.
*I like his `no limit' thinking - he proposes a vision of what life could be like unencumbered by all the rules & regulations that most people accept as normal or just `how life is'. I do agree with him that our potential as conscious creators of our own realities is unlimited, and that so called `supernatural' or 'magical' events could be commonplace if only we could allow them, and it's good to see a writer who is unafraid to stick his neck out & make claims that probably sound preposterous to the average person (Star Trek's Q as a role model? - sounds good to me!)
* I also like his debunking of traditional ways of thinking about money, which I've always thought were rather unnecessary & limited too.What I didn't like
*While the holographic model in general makes sense to me, I don't accept that the other people (or animals etc) in my life are purely my creation. I see them more as independent consciousnesses who are also creating their own holographic realities, some aspects of which intersect with my own (based on the law of attraction), thus contributing to our shared experiences. I do agree that no-one else can create in our experience however, and tend to think that people will show whatever side of themselves that we attract from them, so in that sense we do have control over the type of behaviours we attract from others.
*I don't agree that we're just pawns in a game set up by our Expanded Self for its own amusement. I don't really see any distinction between that Expanded Self & the `me' that is here experiencing this life - its power is mine, and my experiences from this self-created perspective are of value to it. We are on the leading edge, and we (the `expanded you' plus the personality you know as `you') are in control - together.
*I don't agree that the `busting loose' process has to be painful & traumatic. Nor do I agree we have to just passively wait for our Expanded Self to pop unpleasant events into our experience for us to react to. It's perfectly possible to reclaim our power & release inner resistance without all the trauma & drama. The journey to freedom & personal power can be a pleasant one.
*Scheinfeld says that what we experience doesn't matter - it's no better to be wealthy than to be poor, or to have good relationships rather than bad ones. While I agree that it's unhealthy to be inflexible & to get overly attached to specific outcomes, and that any event can be a valuable learning experience, I can't accept that our desires and preferences have no value (just the opposite in fact - what's the point of being a deliberate creator without a personally defined, constantly evolving purpose towards which we can direct our energies?). Life may be an illusion, but some aspects of that illusion are undoubtedly more pleasant than others, so why not focus on attracting/creating the pleasant experiences that we prefer?
I would also add - this is not a 'mainstream' financial advice book (which you've probably guessed from the above comments!). You won't find advice about what actions to take to make money (there are plenty of other books on how to manage your money, choose investments etc), nor is it about the psychology of wealth in the usual sense (I like the Rich Dad Poor Dad series for that aspect of wealth building). It presents a metaphysical approach that requires an open-minded willingness to suspend disbelief and the need for 'proof', so if you're just looking for advice on how to get rich in the traditional ways, or are someone who isn't willing to consider a new idea unless it has been scientifically validated, this isn't the book for you!
I could go on, but won't! Scheinfeld is presenting his model of reality here, which is apparently working for him, and which seems to work well for many others too, but his model might not be the best approach for everyone. He's not saying - this is absolutely how it is & you must agree. It's just one perspective on the purpose & mechanics of this physical life experience. All in all, I can't give this book a terrible review, or a glowing one. As with any book or other information source, the best approach is to take what resonates with you, and discard the rest.
Personally, I like to forge my own path, but in terms of external teachings I strongly recommend the Abraham-Hicks material to anyone who is open-minded enough to accept that they are capable of creating an unlimited reality (including unlimited wealth), but who also prefers an easy-going, joyous path, in which they are in control and which is not fraught with trauma and unpleasant `learning' experiences!

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Real people, real transformations!
"Absolutely amazing! It completely shifts your paradigm for life. One of the most wonderful things about it is that the results are immediate. My whole perception and relationship to money has undergone a major, substantial change."—Chris Attwood, writer and teacher, California
"I've spent most of my life trying to figure out what's true and what's real. I have to say I now have a clear glimpse into what it really is."—Tom Hill, Colorado
"Before Busting Loose from The Money Game, I was very unhappy and frustrated in my life. I was driven to find more ways to make money. I changed jobs, cities, countries, went back to school, read books. Financially, the stress was causing anxiety attacks and migraines so severe I stayed in bed. The joy I feel now is priceless. Money is there when I need it, in the amount that's needed, no matter what occurs (car repairs, unplanned trips, etc.). It's absolutely amazing!"—Suresh Thakoor, Texas
"As a retired professor on a fixed and limited income, I always lived from a tight budget and felt compressed by it-especially at the end of the year. I don't use a budget anymore and have opened up new streams of income that were always closed to me in the past."—Howard Rovics, Connecticut
"It opened a whole new dimension for me and shifted my perspective on life completely. I especially love how practical it is. The application is so simple, so effective . . . and fun!"—Doris Kahle, Hagen, Germany
"I'd had a lot of success in the corporate arena, made a ridiculous amount of money and lost a ridiculous amount of money. But I was caught in a cycle of making it, losing it. I needed to break that cycle-for myself and my family-and this gave me the keys to do that. Busting Loose from The Money Game opened a window I had no clue even existed. This is very cutting-edge, a revolutionary approach to unwrapping yourself from limitations. If you're not satisfied with where you are financially and you're concerned about your future, get this book!"—Ben Coleman, Texas

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unSpun: Finding Facts in a World of Disinformation Review

unSpun: Finding Facts in a World of Disinformation
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At least I think it's a great book, but now I'm not so sure. The authors, Brooks Jackson, and Kathleen Hall Jamieson have done such an outstanding job of showing me why I bought the electric scissors I didn't need and how I was focusing so much on watching the healthy people on the television doing Tai Chi in the park, I completely overlooked the possible side effects of the drug the commercial was pedaling. Now that I've listened and found out that it may lead to complete loss of body hair, tailbone growth, swelling of the lips and tongue, excessive weight gain, webbed feet, tooth loss, emesis and leprosy, I've stopped taking the drug.
Starting out with the first snake oil salesman making outrageous claims, to political advertisements by republicans and democrats, by Bush and Kerry, we learn that virtually none of them can be trusted because they appeal to our biases, our perception, our experiences, and cynicism with words that are open to interpretation such as clinically tested, larger, better, more people trust or use..., on average, and other caveats that deserve closer scrutiny. (I've also added to the list: "Read with an open mind," and "Only for those who can be objective").
If that isn't bad enough, the authors show us how our personal experiences and eyewitness accounts can be manipulated by others and by our own biases. For example, when subjects were shown two lines of differing lengths, they often reported that the shorter one was longer, once they learned that everyone else (supposedly) had selected the shorter line. An even better one is the neighboring review: One, who has made his conservative feelings clear, felt that there was more "left favoring" bias to this book. A commenter said that he felt there was more "right-favoring" bias. This is a classic recommendation for the book.
The most fascinating thing I took from this short paperback is that people will cling to their beliefs more tenaciously in the face of overwhelming evidence that reveals their position is incorrect or invalid, that people will short-circuit their own brains and readily accept as fact that which conforms to their own beliefs, and that we must learn to question bias, sources, evidence, and our cynicism before parting with our money or accepting information as knowledge or fact.
So, I can guarantee that you will be 100% satisfied as were the people in my survey who read this book compared with another. Two out of three found this not only a better read, but reported that it killed the germs that cause bad breath, took inches off their waistline, and removed wrinkles. So, what are you waiting for? Get started today. Start reading. After all, you have everything to lose!
Guaranteed! Or, my name isn't Axel Schnookenhoffer!


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The Fifteen Biggest Lies about the Economy: And Everything Else the Right Doesn't Want You to Know about Taxes, Jobs, and Corporate America Review

The Fifteen Biggest Lies about the Economy: And Everything Else the Right Doesn't Want You to Know about Taxes, Jobs, and Corporate America
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Author Joshua Holland comes out swinging against the rhetoric and arguments that conservatives and Republicans have been inundating media and blogs with, in the past several years about the future and stability of our economy.
Holland takes fifteen topics, topics on taxes, jobs, corporations, free trade, illegal immigration, unions, healthcare, the deficit, minorities, and socialism, to name a few, and demolishes their arguments and charges that Republicans misinform the public to instill fear in the electorate.
For years, Republicans and conservatives have turned their message into an art form of slogans and falsehoods that do not stand scrutiny when Holland gives you the analysis, the stats, or the historical reality behind each of them.
Holland's prose is somewhere between strident and measured, but lucid and factual. He offers percentages and charts that are easy to follow and do not bore. He demonstrates clearly how corporations and lobbyists control the message and determine everything from legislation to trade agreements.
This is for the avid observer of the political struggle that is currently raging in this country. This is especially informative for the person whose political awareness is just germinating. The very well informed may wish to read this to recall things momentarily forgotten.
It is an alarming story and a depressing one. It is the story of our country being owned by the entities just described, how legislators do the bidding of their contributors rather than citizens, how our government does more to protect business than consumers.
What was just as important is what Holland didn't say. He was describing the slow strangulation of the death of a republic that was bought through avarice and greed with a powerful message of fear, and the perversion of a dream that belonged to our Founding Fathers.
I can give you fifteen reason why you might want to read this.
I also recommend the following:
The End of America: Letter of Warning to a Young Patriot
Free Lunch: How the Wealthiest Americans Enrich Themselves at Government Expense (and StickYou with the Bill)
Over the Cliff: How Obama's Election Drove the American Right Insane
Perfectly Legal: The Covert Campaign to Rig Our Tax System to Benefit the Super Rich--and Cheat Everybody Else
The Looting of America: How Wall Street's Game of Fantasy Finance Destroyed Our Jobs, Pensions, and Prosperity'and What We Can Do About It


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AlterNet editor Joshua Holland demolishes the Right's biggest and most outrageous myths about the economy

Taxes kill growth. Labor unions hurt their members. Government regulation destroys jobs. These are just a few of the biggest lies in the web of misinformation spun by conservatives and the Chamber of Commerce. Holland's book dissects each malicious fiction to show how the Right is just plain wrong on the economy—wrong on jobs, wrong on the deficit, wrong on taxes, wrong on trade.
Takes down old and new conservative myths about the economy, including healthcare, stimulus, progressive taxes, Wall Street regulation, and more
Filled with recent quotes from conservative politicians and pundits, from the misleading to the laughable to the totally outrageous
Tackles specific aspects of the Republicans' economic agenda, including their 2010 alternatives to Obama's budget
Deftly written and rigorously documented by Alternet senior writer/editor Joshua Holland

With the economy set to be the driving issue before and after the 2010 midterm elections, The Fifteen Biggest Lies about the Economy sets the record straight on every part of the conservatives' economic agenda.

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