History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

Sources of the Self: The Making of the Modern Identity

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Great, BUT
A True Classic!
"immersion" course in the ideas
A Substantive Theory of the Good
From community to self- and the evolution of ethics...

Sources of the Self: The Making of the Modern Identity
Charles Taylor
Manufacturer: Harvard University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0674824261

Book Description

In this extensive inquiry into the sources of modern selfhood, Charles Taylor demonstrates just how rich and precious those resources are. The modern turn to subjectivity, with its attendant rejection of an objective order of reason, has led--it seems to many--to mere subjectivism at the mildest and to sheer nihilism at the worst. Many critics believe that the modern order has no moral backbone and has proved corrosive to all that might foster human good. Taylor rejects this view. He argues that, properly understood, our modern notion of the self provides a framework that more than compensates for the abandonment of substantive notions of rationality.

The major insight of Sources of the Self is that modern subjectivity, in all its epistemological, aesthetic, and political ramifications, has its roots in ideas of human good. After first arguing that contemporary philosophers have ignored how self and good connect, the author defines the modern identity by describing its genesis. His effort to uncover and map our moral sources leads to novel interpretations of most of the figures and movements in the modern tradition. Taylor shows that the modern turn inward is not disastrous but is in fact the result of our long efforts to define and reach the good. At the heart of this definition he finds what he calls the affirmation of ordinary life, a value which has decisively if not completely replaced an older conception of reason as connected to a hierarchy based on birth and wealth. In telling the story of a revolution whose proponents have been Augustine, Montaigne, Luther, and a host of others, Taylor's goal is in part to make sure we do not lose sight of their goal and endanger all that has been achieved. Sources of the Self provides a decisive defense of the modern order and a sharp rebuff to its critics.

Customer Reviews:

Great, BUT .......2006-03-17

I read this very popular, yet scholarly, and extolled book when it first was published, and found it elegant, helpful, and problematic. The title is the subject of the book: What sources have gone into making of modern identity? Obviously philosophy and theology are the dominant contributors, with psychology pulling up the rear (which is as it should be, since the latter only came to be 150 years ago).

While I agree with Taylor that philosophy, more than either theology or psychology, actually informs our sense of self, particularly the modern self, I'm not sure psychologists would agree. In today's marketplace of ideas, it's psychology that crowds bookstore shelves with a panoply of "self-help" books. Conversely, while the sense of self is implicit in earlier philosophy, not many modern philosophers address the matter at all. Ergo, the need for this book.

Taylor weaves his theory through the prism of philosophical history and the evolutionary unfolding of how the sense of the modern self has come into being. It's a compelling, perhaps unattractive, pinnacle to which we have come. The "modern" sense of self begins with the works of Rene Descartes (i.e., the thinking being), which may or may not have improved on Boethius's medieval ontology (i.e., the rational animal). Still, the sense of "self" is far more complex than either a rational animal or a thinking being alone would suggest. Perhaps either thesis is the starting point, and obviously necessary, but it's certainly not sufficient, to capture what we mean by "self" today.

To Taylor's credit, he begins to add other necessary features, and the features he adds aren't uncontroversial. Yes, phenomenology is a part of the structure; so too is language a key feature to the identity of the modern self; but where are the well-spring of the emotions? This particularly salient feature of emotions barely registers on Taylor's radar. And it's this deficit, the failure to bring our emotional features to bear, that makes this work such an enormous disappointment.

For the other facets, dimensions, and features, Taylor elegantly, eruditely, and heuristically surveys philosophical history and culls most of its ideas. But how could the emotions (e.g., love, hate, joy, grief, etc.) not figure into Taylor's conception of the "modern self." Even if Taylor relies primarily on philosophical perspectives, the philosophy of emotions is not a nil set. David Hume devoted Part II of his seminal "Treatise on Human Nature" to the passions; numerous contemporary philosophers have addressed focused on the emotions in the years immediately preceding the publication of this book. And even if Taylor had been deprived of the philosophical accounts, he certainly could not have been deprived of psychological accounts. So, the minimalist attention to this most salient of features is jarring.

Why such a fuss about this omission? Robert Solomon, whose works both precede and follow Taylor's book, insists that it is the emotions that make life itself meaningful and valuable: Not independent of the other salient features, but intrinsically integrated with them. The "passions" are what give life zest and interest and dynamic. When's the last time that looking at language's performatives brought "joy" to one? What happens when the self ratiocinates that makes it meaningful to us? Of course, the "eureka" of discovery, the pride of accomplishment, the joy of understanding, the hope of implementation, the desire to act, etc., are what make ratiocination interesting and valuable. Cogitation qua cogitation is significant, no doubt, but we cogitate in order to understand, and understand to implement, and implement to enjoy. Thus, pleasure is integral to the cogitation, for without it, it's simply cold, calculating, and indifferent ratiocination. Per Solomon, the passions (i.e., emotions) are what give life meaning.

If Solomon's thesis about emotions giving the self meaning is true, and it is, how could something so obvious and necessary have been overlooked in this magisterial tome? This singular omission marrs this otherwise fascinating and comprehensive history and analysis of what it means to have a "self." It's as if Taylor started to analyze the pictures on the wall, but ignored the elephant in the middle of the room. The emotions are what give life meaning, and any examination of "the self" that omits them may have given us the container, but has also forgotten to fill it.

Happily, despite this serious omission, Taylor provides a probing and detailed exegesis of the development and structure of the modern self. As long as one supplements this massive tome with other reading (e.g., Solomon's "The Passions," "Love," "The Philosophy of Erotic Love," etc., or Martha Nussbaum's "The Therapy of Desire," "Upheavals of Thought," etc., or Ronald de Souza's "The Rationality of Emotions"), Taylor's work provides the outline and identity of the other salient features, but having given us the wall, but missed the nucleus, of the cell, the work lacks life.

A True Classic!.......2005-03-29

Sources of the Self is an exceptional piece of scholarship. In SOS, Taylor engages in a course of philosophical anthropology to demonstrate that our understanding of the self as interior is by no means universal. For Taylor, understandings of the self are inextricably linked to our understandings of the good. Thus, self-understanding is directed by evolving conceptions of the source and location of the good. This idea has been lost, according to Taylor, because of the narrow conception of the good in our modern world and the naturalist suppression of moral ontology.

Taylor defends this argument in two ways. First, he provides a strong argument that the self exists within inescapable moral frameworks. "To know who you are" Taylor argues, "is to be oriented in moral space." These frameworks are composed of hierarchical moral distinctions (i.e., some things are viewed as better than, or more important than others -- for instance, in our time, the notion of respect for persons). Second, Taylor argues that previous goods have been victim to historical suppression.

The bulk of the text is aimed at re-articulating historically suppressed goods. This illustration provides a fascinating romp through the history of ideas from Plato, Augustine, Descartes, Locke, Rousseau and MANY others, as well an interesting pieces about cultural history (e.g., the Puritans, art theory, etc).

One caution -- this is NOT an easy read. The argument itself is in the first few chapters, the remander is illustration. But keep the argument in mind the whole way. You will have to work to get through it - but it is well worth it! You will never see the self the same way again.

"immersion" course in the ideas.......2005-02-15

Someone told philosophy is simply a specific genre of European literature; I would tend to agree if permitted to add that to validate itself as "philosophy" the opus has to include references to the previous philosophical works. Otherwise, however similar in vein and content, a book of philosophy it will not be.
According to that definition philosophers are writers doomed to retell stories heard from their predecessors; far is the day when the Allegory of the Cave will drop off that rambling and overburdened philosophical cart (driven by the Buridan donkey, no doubt) and be moved out of readers' sight.

Whether this definition is true or not, Taylor in his book behaves exactly as described, repeating and condensing others' treatises and opinions. They are many in the long history of our civilization, so the author's tactic is to find connecting "narratives": here is the great "Inward Turn", from which premises of Romanticism easily follow, there came "veneration of the ordinary", which brought about the phenomenon of the modern novel.
It is precisely in this that both the greatest weakness of the oevre and its greatest utility lie: the book has collected innumerable praises from the horde of us, intellectual sloths, for in it we immediately spotted the opportunity to use the results of this marvellous compression, with the narratives as aids to jog our lazy memories, without reading the whole philosophical library of Taylor's sources shelf after shelf, and cover to cover.

The weakness of the approach could be in a certain arbitrariness of the found stories and connections. They make what was announced as "history of the central terms on which the modern man appreciates himself" seem too logical and inevitable. Those threads or constantly developing themes, when historical rather than invented, could be simultaneous, interweaving and interplaying - not consecutive and orderly.
In short, they are patterns half discerned and half imposed on history and philosophy by Taylor himself.

The second peculiarity of the book is the Taylor's style.
Once, they say, physisists came to a University bursar to ask for funds. The bursar studied their proposal for a long time, and then complained: "It's always like this with you, physisists. You always ask for huge sums to do your experiments. Mathematicians are so much better! All they use is paper, pencils and erasers." Then he thought a bit and added: "And philosophers are best of all. They do not even need erasers."
Taylor's style is unnecessarily dense and repetitive. I had an impression that he was more engrossed in wording than in laying out logically when writing. Very often, when the thread has been followed through to the very end, one realises, it could have been greatly reduced, and reduced to almost a platitude, I caught myself thinking at times: yes, "the original unity" of religious worldview was shattered and became multiple disciplines in modernity, emergence of protestant churches is habitually used to explain the Western individualism et cetera et cetera et cetera.
The "difficulty" of the book may be in the density of its style, and not always in the subject matter being discussed.

But still...
they say laziness is the King and true source of all Good in the world, so I cannot help but give the deserved 5 stars to this crash "immersion" course in the ideas of Western philosophy (in the guise of a treatise about Good, Ethics and sources of Modernity), nicely condensed and organized in a number of stories to follow for a curious reader but less than dedicated philosopher.
Digesting the Taylor's tome is the easiest way to read one book and then be able to convincingly claim to know many, many more.

A Substantive Theory of the Good.......2005-02-06

Taylor would like to revitalize the ancients' emphasis on what he calls a substantive theory of the good. This he contrasts with a procedural conception of ethics that he ties to certain elements of Modernism. In particular, Taylor takes on modern ethical systems for being too focused on obligation rather than what he terms the "hypergood."

It is not a simple call for revisiting classical philosophy. Taylor is doing more than trying to draw attention to what he sees as wrong turns and misguided focuses in modern ethical thinking. There is a constructive element to the work.

It is not an introductory piece and many would find the depth of references frustrating. For those who have not read many works to which he refers (e.g. Locke, Kant, Rawls, Habermas, Williams) or who cannot distinguish a Kantian from a utilitarian, etc. it might be a bit of a slog. For ethicists or anyone interested in philosophical issues of identity, self, or conceptions of the common good, it is clearly a very important work.

From community to self- and the evolution of ethics..........2004-11-09

Taylor is an important voice in today's philosophical community- one that refuses to give in to the excesses of either postmodern relativism or extreme conservatism. Instead, with "Sources of the Self", (expanding on "The Ethics of Authenticity"), he's written an important summary of the evolution of moral ideas from the ancient virtue-hierarchies of the Greeks, through the communitarian great chain of medieval philosophy, to the independent "I" of modernity. In doing so, he explains the strengths of modern ethics:

-the "hypergoods" of liberty, equality, and freedom of expression.

-the "sanctification" of ordinary life (esp. as it stems from the Protestant reformation)

-the pursuit of scientific inquiry and it's benefits to modern life.

He also, however, points out the problems that occur when modernity's "focus" on the self turns into the narcissistic "obsession" with self of the Romantics and postmodernists.

I highly recommend this book to philosophical liberals as one of the best defenses of modern liberalism in print, to scholars of philosophy as an important history of the evolution of the idea of the self, and to fans of the works of Jurgen Habermas and Ken Wilber, both of whom also deal extensively with issues tackled in this book.

The Wicked Son: Anti-Semitism, Self-hatred, and the Jews (Jewish Encounters)

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brilliant
what is a self-hating Jew?
Important Theme, Botched
My Review/Wonderful Book
Why am I Jewish?

The Wicked Son: Anti-Semitism, Self-hatred, and the Jews (Jewish Encounters)
David Mamet
Manufacturer: Schocken
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0805242074
Release Date: 2006-10-10

Book Description

As might be expected from this fiercely provocative writer, David Mamet’s interest in anti-Semitism is not limited to the modern face of an ancient hatred but encompasses as well the ways in which many Jews have themselves internalized that hatred. Using the metaphor of the Wicked Son at the Passover seder–the child who asks, “What does this story mean to you?”–Mamet confronts what he sees as an insidious predilection among some Jews to seek truth and meaning anywhere–in other religions, in political movements, in mindless entertainment–but in Judaism itself. At the same time, he explores the ways in which the Jewish tradition has long been and still remains the Wicked Son in the eyes of the world.

Written with the searing honesty and verbal brilliance that is the hallmark of Mamet’s work, The Wicked Son is a scathing look at one of the most destructive and tenacious forces in contemporary life, a powerfully thought-provoking and important book.

Customer Reviews:

brilliant.......2007-08-22

were I more intelligent I would give this book 5 stars but alas I am not and found it somewhat tough going in the 2 days I spent reading it.
I have pondered this subject over the years and even reproached certain Jews for what I consider their anti semitic views'.How can a jew be anti semitic "is the usual ludicrous reply.

Mamet {as have I} have come to the same conclusion as to what drives these traitors {my words)and to be succint they are cowards.If they can convince the world they are indeed cosmopolitans they will escape the fate of their fellows.History prooves otherwise as Mamet points out but what do these people know of history?About the same as they know of their heritage.Nothing.

People like Noam Chomsky,anti semite extraordinaire have huge followings and fame as an intellecual.Is he famous for hating his own people?How lonely this must be would be Mamets take.
Why not study his own heritage and religion and find fellowhip,peace and pride.Mamet does and this is his reccomenation for the Jews who flounder from one trend to another.
Come home where you belong is his answer.
I realize as does Mamet that this is provocative and not possible to prove but certainly worthy of thought.

what is a self-hating Jew?.......2007-07-14

Mamet delivers a relentless answer to this question, describing the impact of a bigoted society on one's sense of self, and highlighting the isolation unaffiliated Jews encounter while living in a world that is always going to hate them whether they are affiliated or not. It is an indictment of the generation of Jewish intellectuals who chose to reject the faith, but like an older brother, Mamet scolds them but also makes an impassioned plea for their return. He attempts to explain to us all what a magnificent culture we have inherited. As the child of alienated Jews, I was raised in the desert and am trying to find my way into Canaan. Mamet's point on the inescapability of our Jewishness is well taken. For me this book has had a powerful healing influence - but I don't expect my parents' generation to appreciate it - I think it would only offend them. I read it all within two days - it's brilliant, almost brutal although motivated by love - the observations about race, global anti-semitism, and internalized self-hatred are very astute.

Important Theme, Botched.......2007-07-02

Though sympathetic to Mamet's general premise, I found more to dislike about the book than I anticipated. What bothered me most were:
1) Mamet's authoritative voice was presumptuous and pedantic, especially when his arguments were thin, muddled, or unconvincing.
2) The use of Freudian theory/ terminology to buttress those arguments.
3) The erroneousness of Mamet's target: Mamet considers as "apostates" not just the obvious Chomsky-Finkelstein types ( deserving of his buckshot ), and Jews scornful of Judaism ( also buckshot-worthy ), but any Jew who isn't a regular attendee at synagogue. To Mamet, the Jew who doesn't study Torah is part of the problem. And his sole prescription for these apostates? Get thee to a shul.
4) Mamet's tone, throughout, is lofty, arrogant, and without sympathy even when his targets are harmless, non-apostate innocents who happen to irk him, and who he drags in to the fight ( i.e., poets, writers, and artists who participate in artist groups, whom he calls liars for thinking their work has worth ).
The book has its strengths, and the first few chapters dealing with anti-Semitism are good, but from there on it's a rough ride, sometimes interesting, with an erratic driver who does a lot of talking to himself.

My Review/Wonderful Book.......2007-05-28

Movies, Books, Music & ArtCommentaries
David Mamet's 'The Wicked Son'
Column: Interesting Times
Lynne Bundesen
[...]
May 25, 2007
"See also, the bachelor who manages to find in every potential mate something just a little bit wrong. This person may be accused of, and may in fact grudgingly admit to, that malady called fear of commitment, but that may be more truthfully characterized as greed.

"The perennial bachelor is afraid not of commitment but of passing up any opportunity for unlicensed sex -- he is afraid not of commitment but of restraint."

There you have David Mamet in "The Wicked Son."

The book's title refers to the character in the Passover Seder who distances himself from his people by asking, "What does this ritual mean to you?" The subtitle lays bare Mamet's meditation: "Anti-Semitism, Self-hatred, and the Jews."

Some reviews say the book is "bombastic"; a few online reviews have said that one needs a dictionary to read the book. The New York Times review says, "Like everything he does, it is blunt and bracing, honest and provocative, original and gutsy." I say it is a must read. The book may make you angry, may disturb you, or may cause rejoicing that someone has said what needs to be said.

Mamet: "In substituting conveniently elected totems and ceremonies for their more ancient counterparts, we have become neither more rational nor more humane, merely more confused -- we have replaced awe by superstition. The ceremony of circumcision is derided as savage self-mutilation, that of breast augmentation as logical fulfillment of individual prerogative. Plastic surgery performed in the aid of self- or community propitiation is simple cosmetic alternative; that performed in the aid of religion, is viewed, by the enlightened, as monstrous.

"But every obeisance, performance, or sacrifice the apostate finds irrational or ludicrous in religion will be found, under another name, in his daily life. The apostate might balk at consulting a rabbi as he might a soothsayer but finds it logical to consult with a 'life coach.' ... The enlightened might find ludicrous the notion of a Magic Balm of Youth, yet pay outrageous sums for an inert white cream that has been suggested to reverse the aging process. One might identify as primitive the caste differences between Cohen, Levi and Israel yet pay exorbitantly to 'move up' from one model car to the next -- models operationally identical, and differing only in the placement and shape of their fenders and badging."

Writing is thinking -- or should be -- and Mamet thinks: "Man is a constantly, irremediably, deeply superstitious creature -- no man more than he who is assured of his absolute rationality. The apostate is not an agnostic but an unconscious polytheist."

He says: "The constant battle against personification and rationalization, against our all-too-human desire to cast ourselves as God, is not a perquisite for the practice of religion; it is the practice of religion."

And he chides his brethren: "Surrender is frightening, and surrender to one's own tradition, race and heritage is, demonstrably, the most frightening of all. Why do some Jews reject their religion and their race? For two reasons: because it is 'too Jewish' and because it is not Jewish enough."

In one of those six degrees of separation, I once was engaged to the brother of David Mamet's first wife, but that thought only crossed my mind as I was stunned by the text and nearly through reading. Remembering is one thing Mamet wants from his readers, from his fellow Jews. Remembering who you are and where you came from.

"The Wicked Son" is a slim volume, but the contents take time to digest. And all is not criticism. His volume ends: "We are the children of kings and queens, a holy nation and a kingdom of priests. We are the children of a mystery that has not abandoned us and that has come for us; it is both described and contained in the Torah."

-- -- --

Lynne Bundesen is the author of five books on religion and was adjunct professor at the Boston Theological Institute under a Templeton Science and Religion Grant. She is currently the spiritual expert for the physical and spiritual health website of Dr. Andrew Weil. Her book "The Feminine Spirit: Recapturing the Heart of Scripture" was just published. Her email address is [...]

Why am I Jewish?.......2007-05-09

How rich a history we Jews have,,,,,celebrate it .Live it,,,,Thanks >>David Mamet for reiterating that point !!!
As a child of Parents who emerged from Auschwitz < both their parents and most of their siblings were GASSED and cremated. I know the world hates Jews and I am quilty of absorbing myself into other cultures in order to escape the utter pain inflicted on my family,,,,Thank you for setting me straight into my own TRIBE. WHAT A RICH HERITAGE WE JEWS HAVE!!David Mamet is my hero..Thanks for being who you are,,,,Kol hakavod

An Introduction to Theories of Personality

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Theories of Personality Book Review
Good product

An Introduction to Theories of Personality
B. R. Hergenhahn , and Matthew H. Olson
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0130992267

Book Description

This introduction to the theories of personality introduces readers not only to the rich history of psychology but to practical information that helps them understand their own lives and their relationships with other people. Using a theorist-by-theorist approach, the book summarizes the major theories of personality and emphasizes that the best understanding of personality derives from a variety of viewpoints. Thus, theories representing the psychoanalytic, sociocultural, trait, learning, sociological, and existential-humanistic paradigms are offered as different—yet equally valid—ways of approaching the study of personality. Includes a series of experiential exercises. What Is Personality? Sigmund Freud. Carl Jung. Alfred Adler. Karen Horney. Erik H. Erikson. Gordon Allport. Raymond B. Cattell and Hans J. Eysenck. B. F. Skinner. John Dollard and Neal Miller. Albert Bandura and Walter Mischel. Edward O. Wilson. George Kelly. Carl Rogers. Abraham Maslow. Rollo Reese May. For anyone wanting a comprehensive understanding of personality and individual differences.

Customer Reviews:

Theories of Personality Book Review.......2007-09-06

The book was delivered to me complete and in the condition that it was sold to me in. I would recommend and use this seller for future transactions.

Good product.......2007-02-16

It was in excellent condition when I received the item; it was exactly what I asked for and it was shipped in a very timely manner! Thanks!

The Hero and the Outlaw: Building Extraordinary Brands Through the Power of Archetypes

Average customer rating:

Disappointing
Wow, a new archetype!
Dry but valuable
A Brand Is Never Just A Logo
Insightful

The Hero and the Outlaw: Building Extraordinary Brands Through the Power of Archetypes
Margaret Mark , and Carol S. Pearson
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0071364153

Book Description

A brand’s meaning—how it resonates in the public heart and mind—is a company’s most valuable competitive advantage. Yet, few companies really know how brand meaning works, how to manage it, and how to use brand meaning strategically. Written by best-selling author Carol S. Pearson (The Hero Within) and branding guru Margaret Mark, this groundbreaking book provides the illusive and compelling answer. Using studies drawn from the experiences of Nike, Marlboro, Ivory and other powerhouse brands, the authors show that the most successful brands are those that most effectively correspond to fundamental patterns in the unconscious mind known as archetypes. The book provides tools and strategies to:
• Implement a proven system for identifying the most appropriate and leverageable archetypes for any company and/or brand
• Harness the power of the archetype to align corporate strategy to sustain competitive advantage

Download Description

Using studies drawn from the experiences of Nike, Marlboro, Ivory and other powerhouse brands, the authors show that the most successful brands are those that most effectively correspond to fundamental patterns in the unconscious mind known as archetypes.

Customer Reviews:

Disappointing.......2007-09-14

I was disappointed by the lack of rigorous thinking in this book.

Sure, different companies have different personalities and personality is part of the brand. We could even create our own set of Jungian archetypical brand personalities, and go about attaching them to different brands.

But now for a test. Is Coca Cola a Creator -- helping inspire its users to do great bubbly things? Is it a Caregiver -- showing care for others? Maybe it's a Ruler -- a tough competitor and long the top dog in Cola Wars? How about a Jester -- always at the center of a good time? Or just it's just the drink for Regular Guys and Gals? Look at the ads -- maybe its a Lover or at least a drink for Lovers sharing a soda with two straws? Or, how about an almost Heroic presence, again from ads? Sometimes, it has a sort of Outlaw feel (with folks like Mean Joe Greene playing Robin Hood handing a Coke to a kid). In the old days Coca Cola ads praised it both for giving energy and a calming effect -- though there's no archetype for either of those. So, maybe it is more a Magician -- think of some of those magical ads past and animated present and its ability to give both energy and calm the soul. Given Coca Cola's global ubiquity and appeal, it might well be the drink of Explorers. It might even be (given the caffeine) the energy drink for yuppie Sages? Well, it turns out (according to the authors), that Coke is clearly so successful because it's an "Innocent." The toughest competitor in the Cola Wars, a mixture of caffeine, water, and sugar, almost wizened from a century of success -- yeah, it's clearly an Innocent and that explains everything.

My point is that the book lacks any sense of rigor, proof, or science-like basis in fact. The authors do a clever job of retrofitting achetypes to brands, and several of the cases are interesting, but the whole thing appears to work better in hindsight than proven principles for brand success. One could equally well, in this reviewers opinion, talk about aligning your brand with top-rated TV shows, Tarot cards, signs of the Zodiac, or (with at least a tiny bit of science) Myers-Briggs personality types --- "proving" the case with stories about how GE, Toyota, Google, etc. etc. all fit some stellar or personality pattern.

The kernel of truth in the book is that people like their brands, products, and companies to have a predicatable, attractive, and aspirational subtext. Creating an enduring and attractive personality makes sense, at least as long as the personality remains relevant.

Speaking of personalities, what's the Jungian archetype for the Maytag repair man? Is he a Regular Guy, sidekick to a Hero, or a Jester? Is the Ultimate Driving Machine (BMW) a Hero or an Explorer . . . with maybe the 3 Series for Regular Guys and Gals with higher aspirations than Honda and Toyota owners? No doubt the authors could tell us, though I doubt their hindsight would be of much value in predicting past or future business success.

What might be of value to some readers, especially those who think Jung had the last meaningful words on human decision making, is that some structure (almost any structure, even the Yellow Pages or TV guide) can be useful in brainstorming product and brand alternatives.

Wow, a new archetype!.......2007-08-06

Amazing... discover some (partial) new knowledge of psychology for the sole purpose of manipulating and profiting from others!
While this is standard for advertising types, it would only be fair of Pearson to discuss the other core archtypes at work here: the Crook, the Scam Artist, the Amoral Profiteer. These are real archetypes, that most readers of this book are living. Make money Peason, ok, but face your shadow and dont be part of the human problem; be part of the solution.

Dry but valuable.......2007-07-28

Alright, I'll be the first to admit it; this book is not an easy read. In fact, I'd call it a slog (and I'm a readaholic who can't put down the back of a cereal box!). But, the concepts presented are worth the work. The authors explain what's so darn compelling about Apple's logo, what type of client you want to speak to, and what they need you to say to make a connection with them. Plus much, much more.

So if you're trying to get a handle on branding and figure out what will work for you, grab this book. Thankfully, although it is dry as bone, it's fairly skim-friendly. So do what I did and skip the parts that don't apply or get too boring, and just look at the handy call-out boxes of bulleted info. You'll get the meat of the book without having to work so hard.

A Brand Is Never Just A Logo.......2007-03-08

If you're in the business of building brands. positioning products and adding value to organizations, this is a must-read. Simply organized, easy to follow and full of insight and thought, this book belongs on the office desk of every one who's involved in the science and art of marketing and brand development.

Insightful.......2006-11-11

This book draws some rock-solid suggestions about how companies can build successful brands by tapping into the fables and stories that are hardwired into our DNA. Uses insightful examples and makes what could have been a pretty dry read into a book that I actually read cover to cover on a cross-country flight. That's an achievement as generally five minutes spent reading on an airplane puts me into a deep sleep.

The Handbook of Self-Determination Research

Average customer rating:

A superb resource for researchers in intrinsic motivation

The Handbook of Self-Determination Research

Manufacturer: University of Rochester Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1580461565

Book Description

Over the past twenty years an increasing number of researchers from various universities have been investigating motivational issues underlying the self-regulation of behavior. Using either Self-Determination Theory or closely related theoretical perspectives, these researchers have performed laboratory experiments, as well as field studies in a variety of real-world settings, including education, work, parenting, health care, sport, and protection of the environment. In April 1999 thirty of these researchers convened at the University of Rochester to present their work, share ideas, and discuss future research directions. The Handbook of Self-Determination Research is an outgrowth of that important and fascinating conference. It summarizes the research programs of these social, personality, clinical, developmental, and applied psychologists who have a shared belief in the importance of self-determination for understanding basic motivational processes and for solving pressing real-world problems. Eighteen chapters, including an overview of self-determination theory, present the current state of the research in this scientifically rigorous, yet highly relevant, approach to studying motivational problems in various life domains. Researchers from eighteen universities in the United States, Canada, and Germany present concise and up-to-date accounts of their research programs concerned with the self-determination of human behavior. In these chapters, scholars also consider the relevance of the research on self-determination to other areas of inquiry such as coping, self-esteem, and interest. Edward L. Deci and Richard Ryan are professors of psychology in the University of Rochester's Department of Clinical and Social Sciences in Psychology.

Customer Reviews:

A superb resource for researchers in intrinsic motivation.......2003-04-20

For anyone researching or writing in the area of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation this is an invaluable resource. The first chapter gives a detailed overview of Self-Determination Theory and its sub-theories from the theory's originators, Deci & Ryan. Subsequent chapters by a range of distinguished researchers provide detailed literature reviews linked to theory in a variety of contexts, notably education and the workplace. This book has saved me probably hundreds of hours of searching and interpreting the research literature in this field the hard way! Although certainly an academic text, I didn't find it too dry. Most of the authors write well and their enthusiasm for the subject shines through, (although perhaps this was my impression because I feel the same way!). Highly recommended.

Real Indians: Identity and the Survival of Native America

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Real Indians: Identity and the Survival of Native America
Eva Marie Garroutte
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0520229770

Book Description

At the dawn of the twenty-first century, America finds itself on the brink of a new racial consciousness. The old, unquestioned confidence with which individuals can be classified (as embodied, for instance, in previous U.S. census categories) has been eroded. In its place are shifting paradigms and new norms for racial identity. Eva Marie Garroutte examines the changing processes of racial identification and their implications by looking specifically at the case of American Indians.

Being Rita Hayworth: Labor, Identity, and Hollywood Stardom

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Exploring the creation of this popular movie star's persona

Being Rita Hayworth: Labor, Identity, and Hollywood Stardom
Adrienne L. McLean
Manufacturer: Rutgers University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0813533899

Book Description

Who was Rita Hayworth? Born Margarita Carmen Cansino, she spent her life subjected to others' definitions of her, no matter how hard she worked to claim her own identity. Although there have been many "revelations" about her life and career, Adrienne McLean's book is the first to show that such disclosures were part of a constructed image from the outset.

McLean explores Hayworth's participation in the creation of her star persona, particularly through her work as a dancer—a subject ignored by most film scholars. The passive love goddess, as it turns out, had a unique appeal to other women who, like her, found it extraordinarily difficult to negotiate the competing demands of family, domesticity, and professional work outside the home. Being Rita Hayworth also considers the ways in which the actress has been treated by film scholarship over the years to accomplish its own goals, sometimes at her expense. Several of Hayworth's best-known star vehicles—among them Gilda (1946), Down to Earth (1947), The Lady from Shanghai (1948), and Affair in Trinidad (1952)— are discussed in depth.

Customer Reviews:

Exploring the creation of this popular movie star's persona.......2005-01-12

Being Rita Hayworth: Labor, Identity And Hollywood Stardom by Adrienne L. McLean (Assistant Professor of Film Studies, University of Texas-Dallas) strives to answer the question "Who was Rita Hayworth?" Exploring the creation of this popular movie star's persona, beloved in movies such as "The Lady from Shanghai" (1948) and "Affair in Trinidad" (1952), Being Rita Hayworth takes an especial interest in her appeal to other women of the day who were struggling to navigate the demands of family and work outside the home. Careful research of Hayworth's life frames the chapters, which meticulously pick apart fabricated image and propaganda from what can be verified as truth. An excellent read for anyone with an especial interest in not only Hayworth's career, but the ripple effect her star persona had on the hearts and minds of a female generation.

Becoming Mexican American: Ethnicity, Culture, and Identity in Chicano Los Angeles, 1900-1945

Average customer rating:

Amazing
A Great Cultural Historical Analysis

Becoming Mexican American: Ethnicity, Culture, and Identity in Chicano Los Angeles, 1900-1945
George J. Sanchez
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Mexico | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0195096487

Book Description

Twentieth-century Los Angeles has been the locus of one of the most profound and complex interactions between variant cultures in American history. Yet this study is among the first to examine the relationship between ethnicity and identity among the largest immigrant group to that city. By focusing on Mexican immigrants to Los Angeles from 1900 to 1945, George J. Sanchez explores the process by which temporary sojourners altered their orientation to that of permanent residents, thereby laying the foundation for a new Mexican-American culture. Analyzing not only formal programs aimed at these newcomers by the United States and Mexico, but also the world created by these immigrants through family networks, religious practice, musical entertainment, and work and consumption patterns, Sanchez uncovers the creative ways Mexicans adapted their culture to life in the United States. When a formal repatriation campaign pushed thousands to return to Mexico, those remaining in Los Angeles launched new campaigns to gain civil rights as ethnic Americans through labor unions and New Deal politics. The immigrant generation, therefore, laid the groundwork for the emerging Mexican-American identity of their children.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing.......2006-03-24

This book is essential for a student of American immigration or ethnic history, ESPECIALLY those who are interested in California and the Western United States. It provides a solid foundation to understand Southern California and immigration from mexico in the first half of the 20th century. Being a native of Los Angeles, i was amazed at the detail and complexity of this history. Truly a wonderful book, only after you finish it can you appreciate its throughness. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

A Great Cultural Historical Analysis.......2000-04-24

This is an incredibly rich and well thought out book on an often neglected area of American History. Sanchez assumes a strong background in Historical and Cultural studies that I initially found difficult. Once I worked through it though it was well worth the effort. It was one of those rare books that I felt a better rounded historian after reading as well as more knowedgable about the subject. Keep a close eye one the way that he defines culture throughout the book in both Mexico and LA.

Regulating Aversion: Tolerance in the Age of Identity and Empire

Average customer rating:

A powerful critique of tolerance

Regulating Aversion: Tolerance in the Age of Identity and Empire
Wendy Brown
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0691126542

Book Description

Tolerance is generally regarded as an unqualified achievement of the modern West. Emerging in early modern Europe to defuse violent religious conflict and reduce persecution, tolerance today is hailed as a key to decreasing conflict across a wide range of other dividing lines-- cultural, racial, ethnic, and sexual. But, as political theorist Wendy Brown argues in Regulating Aversion, tolerance also has dark and troubling undercurrents.

Dislike, disapproval, and regulation lurk at the heart of tolerance. To tolerate is not to affirm but to conditionally allow what is unwanted or deviant. And, although presented as an alternative to violence, tolerance can play a part in justifying violence--dramatically so in the war in Iraq and the War on Terror. Wielded, especially since 9/11, as a way of distinguishing a civilized West from a barbaric Islam, tolerance is paradoxically underwriting Western imperialism.

Brown's analysis of the history and contemporary life of tolerance reveals it in a startlingly unfamiliar guise. Heavy with norms and consolidating the dominance of the powerful, tolerance sustains the abjection of the tolerated and equates the intolerant with the barbaric. Examining the operation of tolerance in contexts as different as the War on Terror, campaigns for gay rights, and the Los Angeles Museum of Tolerance, Brown traces the operation of tolerance in contemporary struggles over identity, citizenship, and civilization.

Customer Reviews:

A powerful critique of tolerance.......2006-09-04

Brown delivers a compelling critique of tolerance. In a complex, yet accessible way, she argues that tolerance functions as an instrument of power by regulating group differences and by selectively and differentially integrating "others" into the civic space. Conferring and withholding tolerance can both function as differential modes of exclusion and regulation of difference.

The problem with tolerance is that it dissimulates its political role: tolerance relies on a power differential between those who tolerate and those who are tolerated. Yet this power relation is masked because "tolerance talk" individualizes racial, cultural, and sexual difference. It treats difference as something that should be confronted by civility and behavior: if only we all behaved responsibly and tolerated others, we could all happily live together. Unsatisfactory in this view - as Brown argues convincingly - is that it substitutes a vocabulary of civility for political problems and confrontations and thus sidelines demands for freedom, equality and justice. It individualizes social and political questions, as it substitutes the individual object of tolerance for the group (and simultaneously reifies difference and otherness by construing the subject as the product of a collective identity).

Brown traces the transformation of tolerance from its early modern inception (where it meant tolerating other beliefs) to its current instantiation, where it means tolerating (sexual, cultural, racial) difference. The central question of her book is how what she calls "tolerance talk" has become the beacon of multicultural justice and civic peace. Reminding readers that only a generation ago, tolerance was reviled as a thinly veiled form of racism - yet today it has emerged as the emblem of the good society.

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