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 Customer Reviews
A really excellent short exposition, 04 Jun 2008
Unlike many of Chomsky's other political books this one is somewhat easier to read and the points it gets across are lucidly put
It is also short and would make an excellent introduction to his work and ideas
Nothing much surprising in this book, 13 Nov 2007
Overall an interesting little book, but the topic is much too complex to adequately cover in such a small book/pamphlet.
In my opinion it is also lacking examples from Nazi Germany, which would much better highlight the achievements of propaganda in media.
Also, from a European perspective, where there are much broader and more independent sources of news reporting, US propaganda in media form is pretty much "old news".
Chomsky, 10 Feb 2007
This is a great place to start if you're new to Chomsky and political books. It is one of his most accessible books, with a lots of varied information to whet your appetite. You are left with a feeling of shock, but also a desire to go out and learn more, which this book points you in the right direction of. Well worth a read.
How is Internet going to impact the Media Control? , 15 Jan 2007
This is another book from Chomsky that makes you look at the American political life from a critical point of view. He has a certain style in writing his books; he makes an hypothesis and builds the book around it. The hypothesis of this book is that American democracy developed towards a system (which he calls "spectator democracy") during early 20th century in which there is an elite group that basically "figure things out" for the rest, i.e. "bewildered herd". For this system to work, the elite group engineer others' opinions by using propaganda or in other words by using public relations. As you would guess, once the elite group recognize the power they have, they start abusing the system for their own benefit but not for that of the public (the herd). He gives many examples, including First World War, labor union laws, Vietnam War and The Gulf War to prove his hypothesis.
What I found unsatisfactory is the lack of his ideas about how Internet is going to impact the propaganda tools that the elite group use. With only TV, newspapers and radio in place, engineering others' opinions were easier because it was enough to own or cooperate with few media channels. With Internet getting more available for the masses, it is a totally different ball game. An individual or a group gets the power to produce or share content to inform and influence others. So, his analysis fails to explain what role Internet will play in this whole argument of "media control".
Having said that, I respect Noam as an honest and smart intellectual and highly recommend this book to everyone who would like to understand how media can be and was used as an evil tool. His analysis is powerful yet not totally contemporary.
The bewildered herd must be tamed, 12 Sep 2006
Noam Chomsky explains perfectly how propaganda spectacularly achieved to turn `real' democracy, where the public participates meaningfully in state affairs, into `spectator' democracy, where the public is occasionally allowed to elect one or another member of a specialized class.
Spectator democracy is based on the assumption that the stupid masses (`the bewildered herd') are too dump and incompetent to really understand their own interests. Only a small elite, the decision makers, can understand the common interest. The bewildered herd must be tamed by, among other means, propaganda.
But who benefits? How get the decision makers into their position? The answer is very simple: by serving people with real power, by defending the interests of private power and the state-corporate nexus.
Noam Chomsky dissects brilliantly the propaganda machine with its use of disinformation, falsification of history, and marginalization of dissident opinion.
He gives perfect examples of propaganda, like the Creel commission in WWI, which turned a pacifist majority of the people into a warmongering crowd, or the battle against the `Vietnam syndrome' (`the sickly inhibitions against the use of military force'), or the use of fear of enemies in order to hide real domestic problems (health, education, homelessness, joblessness, crime, soaring criminal populations, jails, deterioration in the inner cities).
Ultimately, the bewildered herd will never be tamed completely. It will have to choose between a real free society and a self-imposed totalitarianism where it will be marginalized.
A brilliant essay by a superb free mind.
We need Noam Chomsky's loud and clear voice.
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People Skills
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Customer Reviews
A really excellent short exposition, 04 Jun 2008
Unlike many of Chomsky's other political books this one is somewhat easier to read and the points it gets across are lucidly put
It is also short and would make an excellent introduction to his work and ideas
Nothing much surprising in this book, 13 Nov 2007
Overall an interesting little book, but the topic is much too complex to adequately cover in such a small book/pamphlet.
In my opinion it is also lacking examples from Nazi Germany, which would much better highlight the achievements of propaganda in media.
Also, from a European perspective, where there are much broader and more independent sources of news reporting, US propaganda in media form is pretty much "old news".
Chomsky, 10 Feb 2007
This is a great place to start if you're new to Chomsky and political books. It is one of his most accessible books, with a lots of varied information to whet your appetite. You are left with a feeling of shock, but also a desire to go out and learn more, which this book points you in the right direction of. Well worth a read.
How is Internet going to impact the Media Control? , 15 Jan 2007
This is another book from Chomsky that makes you look at the American political life from a critical point of view. He has a certain style in writing his books; he makes an hypothesis and builds the book around it. The hypothesis of this book is that American democracy developed towards a system (which he calls "spectator democracy") during early 20th century in which there is an elite group that basically "figure things out" for the rest, i.e. "bewildered herd". For this system to work, the elite group engineer others' opinions by using propaganda or in other words by using public relations. As you would guess, once the elite group recognize the power they have, they start abusing the system for their own benefit but not for that of the public (the herd). He gives many examples, including First World War, labor union laws, Vietnam War and The Gulf War to prove his hypothesis.
What I found unsatisfactory is the lack of his ideas about how Internet is going to impact the propaganda tools that the elite group use. With only TV, newspapers and radio in place, engineering others' opinions were easier because it was enough to own or cooperate with few media channels. With Internet getting more available for the masses, it is a totally different ball game. An individual or a group gets the power to produce or share content to inform and influence others. So, his analysis fails to explain what role Internet will play in this whole argument of "media control".
Having said that, I respect Noam as an honest and smart intellectual and highly recommend this book to everyone who would like to understand how media can be and was used as an evil tool. His analysis is powerful yet not totally contemporary.
The bewildered herd must be tamed, 12 Sep 2006
Noam Chomsky explains perfectly how propaganda spectacularly achieved to turn `real' democracy, where the public participates meaningfully in state affairs, into `spectator' democracy, where the public is occasionally allowed to elect one or another member of a specialized class.
Spectator democracy is based on the assumption that the stupid masses (`the bewildered herd') are too dump and incompetent to really understand their own interests. Only a small elite, the decision makers, can understand the common interest. The bewildered herd must be tamed by, among other means, propaganda.
But who benefits? How get the decision makers into their position? The answer is very simple: by serving people with real power, by defending the interests of private power and the state-corporate nexus.
Noam Chomsky dissects brilliantly the propaganda machine with its use of disinformation, falsification of history, and marginalization of dissident opinion.
He gives perfect examples of propaganda, like the Creel commission in WWI, which turned a pacifist majority of the people into a warmongering crowd, or the battle against the `Vietnam syndrome' (`the sickly inhibitions against the use of military force'), or the use of fear of enemies in order to hide real domestic problems (health, education, homelessness, joblessness, crime, soaring criminal populations, jails, deterioration in the inner cities).
Ultimately, the bewildered herd will never be tamed completely. It will have to choose between a real free society and a self-imposed totalitarianism where it will be marginalized.
A brilliant essay by a superb free mind.
We need Noam Chomsky's loud and clear voice.
Some golden nuggets - worth buying, 08 Oct 2006
If you've studied a reasonable amount of NLP and body language before you'll probably find this book covers too much old ground without really going in to detail - for example the chapter on body language offers you nothing other than stating obvious facts such as a person's facial expressions can give you clues to what they're really thinking.
That said this book is very helpful in improving communication with others. Even if you've studied body language and NLP there's still information that's new with a fresh angle that I have never heard of before. In particular how we unintentionally present blocks to people and how to encourage responses from others. I've started implementing the few golden nuggets and have noticed some tangible results.
My recommendation is skip over the common knowledge background and extract the essense of the new material. Overall it's definately worth buying even if you're a reasonale practicioner - it could just be distilled better.
Reader new to the subject, 20 Nov 2002
Avoiding communication barriers, understanding different techniques of reflection and when to use them. How to be more assertive in ways that respect others and keep me healthy. I think I am very lucky to have found this book. It is improving the quality of my relationships and so changing my life.
I would like to find a video to present in groups I attend that would spark some interest in the comm skills described in this book. I so much want to open others' minds to what the book has to say.
The best book on communication &reflective listening barnone, 24 Aug 2001
I regularly coach groups on interpersonal communication and have to admit that this book, for me, was a real gem of a find. I have read many books on interpersonal communication ... and have generally been disappointed on the coverage of reflective listening and communication barriers ... Bolton's book ... was simple, easy to understand, easy to learn and follow ... and yet dealt with fundamental communication skills that you generally only see expert coaches or counsellors use. Wonderful!
YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK, 10 Jan 2001
This book is simple to understand, truthful and full of good communication skills. I have read many books on dealing with people but this is the best. If the Bible is THE book for the religous then this is the Bible for people who seek better relationships. You will never regret this purchase!
Essential for the non-assertive!, 19 Feb 2000
Bolton's book has many things which interested me, but particularly important was his formula for three part assertion messages. I found this good to use in situations where I needed to be assertive - but in the past had not been. In framing the messages I was able to detect and weed out the (unhelpful) influences of my parents. As a parent I found it very useful in establishing good communications with my children.
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Customer Reviews
A really excellent short exposition, 04 Jun 2008
Unlike many of Chomsky's other political books this one is somewhat easier to read and the points it gets across are lucidly put
It is also short and would make an excellent introduction to his work and ideas
Nothing much surprising in this book, 13 Nov 2007
Overall an interesting little book, but the topic is much too complex to adequately cover in such a small book/pamphlet.
In my opinion it is also lacking examples from Nazi Germany, which would much better highlight the achievements of propaganda in media.
Also, from a European perspective, where there are much broader and more independent sources of news reporting, US propaganda in media form is pretty much "old news".
Chomsky, 10 Feb 2007
This is a great place to start if you're new to Chomsky and political books. It is one of his most accessible books, with a lots of varied information to whet your appetite. You are left with a feeling of shock, but also a desire to go out and learn more, which this book points you in the right direction of. Well worth a read.
How is Internet going to impact the Media Control? , 15 Jan 2007
This is another book from Chomsky that makes you look at the American political life from a critical point of view. He has a certain style in writing his books; he makes an hypothesis and builds the book around it. The hypothesis of this book is that American democracy developed towards a system (which he calls "spectator democracy") during early 20th century in which there is an elite group that basically "figure things out" for the rest, i.e. "bewildered herd". For this system to work, the elite group engineer others' opinions by using propaganda or in other words by using public relations. As you would guess, once the elite group recognize the power they have, they start abusing the system for their own benefit but not for that of the public (the herd). He gives many examples, including First World War, labor union laws, Vietnam War and The Gulf War to prove his hypothesis.
What I found unsatisfactory is the lack of his ideas about how Internet is going to impact the propaganda tools that the elite group use. With only TV, newspapers and radio in place, engineering others' opinions were easier because it was enough to own or cooperate with few media channels. With Internet getting more available for the masses, it is a totally different ball game. An individual or a group gets the power to produce or share content to inform and influence others. So, his analysis fails to explain what role Internet will play in this whole argument of "media control".
Having said that, I respect Noam as an honest and smart intellectual and highly recommend this book to everyone who would like to understand how media can be and was used as an evil tool. His analysis is powerful yet not totally contemporary.
The bewildered herd must be tamed, 12 Sep 2006
Noam Chomsky explains perfectly how propaganda spectacularly achieved to turn `real' democracy, where the public participates meaningfully in state affairs, into `spectator' democracy, where the public is occasionally allowed to elect one or another member of a specialized class.
Spectator democracy is based on the assumption that the stupid masses (`the bewildered herd') are too dump and incompetent to really understand their own interests. Only a small elite, the decision makers, can understand the common interest. The bewildered herd must be tamed by, among other means, propaganda.
But who benefits? How get the decision makers into their position? The answer is very simple: by serving people with real power, by defending the interests of private power and the state-corporate nexus.
Noam Chomsky dissects brilliantly the propaganda machine with its use of disinformation, falsification of history, and marginalization of dissident opinion.
He gives perfect examples of propaganda, like the Creel commission in WWI, which turned a pacifist majority of the people into a warmongering crowd, or the battle against the `Vietnam syndrome' (`the sickly inhibitions against the use of military force'), or the use of fear of enemies in order to hide real domestic problems (health, education, homelessness, joblessness, crime, soaring criminal populations, jails, deterioration in the inner cities).
Ultimately, the bewildered herd will never be tamed completely. It will have to choose between a real free society and a self-imposed totalitarianism where it will be marginalized.
A brilliant essay by a superb free mind.
We need Noam Chomsky's loud and clear voice.
Some golden nuggets - worth buying, 08 Oct 2006
If you've studied a reasonable amount of NLP and body language before you'll probably find this book covers too much old ground without really going in to detail - for example the chapter on body language offers you nothing other than stating obvious facts such as a person's facial expressions can give you clues to what they're really thinking.
That said this book is very helpful in improving communication with others. Even if you've studied body language and NLP there's still information that's new with a fresh angle that I have never heard of before. In particular how we unintentionally present blocks to people and how to encourage responses from others. I've started implementing the few golden nuggets and have noticed some tangible results.
My recommendation is skip over the common knowledge background and extract the essense of the new material. Overall it's definately worth buying even if you're a reasonale practicioner - it could just be distilled better.
Reader new to the subject, 20 Nov 2002
Avoiding communication barriers, understanding different techniques of reflection and when to use them. How to be more assertive in ways that respect others and keep me healthy. I think I am very lucky to have found this book. It is improving the quality of my relationships and so changing my life.
I would like to find a video to present in groups I attend that would spark some interest in the comm skills described in this book. I so much want to open others' minds to what the book has to say.
The best book on communication &reflective listening barnone, 24 Aug 2001
I regularly coach groups on interpersonal communication and have to admit that this book, for me, was a real gem of a find. I have read many books on interpersonal communication ... and have generally been disappointed on the coverage of reflective listening and communication barriers ... Bolton's book ... was simple, easy to understand, easy to learn and follow ... and yet dealt with fundamental communication skills that you generally only see expert coaches or counsellors use. Wonderful!
YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK, 10 Jan 2001
This book is simple to understand, truthful and full of good communication skills. I have read many books on dealing with people but this is the best. If the Bible is THE book for the religous then this is the Bible for people who seek better relationships. You will never regret this purchase!
Essential for the non-assertive!, 19 Feb 2000
Bolton's book has many things which interested me, but particularly important was his formula for three part assertion messages. I found this good to use in situations where I needed to be assertive - but in the past had not been. In framing the messages I was able to detect and weed out the (unhelpful) influences of my parents. As a parent I found it very useful in establishing good communications with my children.
A brilliant book that should be common sense, 18 Feb 2008
Every chapter of the book teaches you new things. You can pick up the book and read a few pages and feel slightly enlightened.
The book does an excellent job at teaching one how to look at conversations as a vehicle for getting things settles and solved, without hurting anyone, or not getting the full message across. Highly recommended!
When the stakes are high, 13 Jan 2008
This book was a most enjoyable read but left me with a touch of ambivalence. As a handbook for communicating more effectively, it's helpful but perhaps a bit simplistic.
"Crucial conversations" are defined as those in which opinions vary, the stakes are high, and emotions run strong. The book targets situations in business and personal life, and is extremely readable with its many illustrative dialogues from both sectors. An extensive vocabulary is introduced and I've had some of the terms floating like a ghostly subtext under my own conversations: Sucker's Choice; Safety; Salute and Stay Mute; Silence or Violence; Freeze Your Lover; Pool of Shared Meaning. It's all useful even if reductionist.
The techniques offered for effective negotiation are generally quite obvious, yet they bear repeating and codifying. They are, however, techniques, and as such they probably won't give earth-shaking results without an understanding of what's making people tick. Conversation and negotiation are so much more than technique.
CRUCIAL CONVERSATIONS is an ideal offering for the best-seller market and would be a great springboard for leadership development workshops.
My two picks for the best advice in this book:
(1) Stay focused on what you really want.
(2) If you give this book to a partner or business associate, don't take a yellow highlighter to the parts you think they need before you give it; better to work on your own side of the crucial conversations.
Linda Bulger, 2008
Mostly brilliant - sometimes boring, 31 Dec 2007
The best part of it is that it really helps, it doesn't read like your classic self-help book either. The analysis comes off as scientific and intelligent, not your average "I think it's like this" book. The downside is that it also gets a bit boring and lengthy at points - once you've gotten the point it often continues five more pages. Some points in the book I found hard to apply, but around 80% of the advice is directly applicable. It is full of examples - but they are served exactly the same way everytime : short and heavy handed. I'd rather see some more real-life examples with all the subleties we use in our language.
Very good, 23 Dec 2007
Very good book for succesful managers, but also for amateurs interested in improving their communication skills. Of course, for some professionals that one may be "just another one".
Tools to help both your business and your personal life, 01 Dec 2006
This is as close as mere mortals get to performing a Jedi mind-trick - on yourself... It's very instructional and practical and presented in a manner that's actually very easy to read. If you follow these concepts you will not have those unproductive conversations where people get emotional, angry or go silent and nothing really gets sorted. Instead, you will enter difficult conversations about touchy subjects confidently and emerge the other side getting what you want and leaving the other person equally satisfied they got what they wanted too - it may very well change your life.
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Product Description
We're living in a technological age, with septuagenarians on the net, students glued to mobiles, five-year olds able to programme the class video more effectively than their teacher and communication by fax and e-mail ubiquitous, a fact which John Seely has taken into account in The Oxford Guide to Writing and Speaking. Seely's book is intensely practical, concerned with the effective use of speech and writing in day-to-day business and academic life. Not only does Seely cover everything from the best way to write a job application to giving a presentation or chairing a meeting, but he also embraces modern technology, including in his opening section, Communicating in Everyday Life, simple guidelines for setting out faxes and e-mails. Rather than lamenting the widespread use of technology, Seely celebrates it, seeing in e-mails a return to the ancient tradition of communication by letter--it's just that ISDN lines and modems are faster than a runner and wax tablet, coach and horses or postman and bike. His chapters on the English language, its development, grammar, vocabulary and spelling are a very handy reference source for A/S and A2 Level (the old A Level) English Language students--and their teachers! And, for those students beyond A2 Level, grappling with unwieldy arts dissertations or a plethora of lab results, Seely offers practical advice on how to go about planning, researching, writing, drafting and revising reports, papers and essays. There is no longer any excuse for not meeting a coursework or business report deadline. --Amanda Cameron
Customer Reviews
A really excellent short exposition, 04 Jun 2008
Unlike many of Chomsky's other political books this one is somewhat easier to read and the points it gets across are lucidly put
It is also short and would make an excellent introduction to his work and ideas
Nothing much surprising in this book, 13 Nov 2007
Overall an interesting little book, but the topic is much too complex to adequately cover in such a small book/pamphlet.
In my opinion it is also lacking examples from Nazi Germany, which would much better highlight the achievements of propaganda in media.
Also, from a European perspective, where there are much broader and more independent sources of news reporting, US propaganda in media form is pretty much "old news".
Chomsky, 10 Feb 2007
This is a great place to start if you're new to Chomsky and political books. It is one of his most accessible books, with a lots of varied information to whet your appetite. You are left with a feeling of shock, but also a desire to go out and learn more, which this book points you in the right direction of. Well worth a read.
How is Internet going to impact the Media Control? , 15 Jan 2007
This is another book from Chomsky that makes you look at the American political life from a critical point of view. He has a certain style in writing his books; he makes an hypothesis and builds the book around it. The hypothesis of this book is that American democracy developed towards a system (which he calls "spectator democracy") during early 20th century in which there is an elite group that basically "figure things out" for the rest, i.e. "bewildered herd". For this system to work, the elite group engineer others' opinions by using propaganda or in other words by using public relations. As you would guess, once the elite group recognize the power they have, they start abusing the system for their own benefit but not for that of the public (the herd). He gives many examples, including First World War, labor union laws, Vietnam War and The Gulf War to prove his hypothesis.
What I found unsatisfactory is the lack of his ideas about how Internet is going to impact the propaganda tools that the elite group use. With only TV, newspapers and radio in place, engineering others' opinions were easier because it was enough to own or cooperate with few media channels. With Internet getting more available for the masses, it is a totally different ball game. An individual or a group gets the power to produce or share content to inform and influence others. So, his analysis fails to explain what role Internet will play in this whole argument of "media control".
Having said that, I respect Noam as an honest and smart intellectual and highly recommend this book to everyone who would like to understand how media can be and was used as an evil tool. His analysis is powerful yet not totally contemporary.
The bewildered herd must be tamed, 12 Sep 2006
Noam Chomsky explains perfectly how propaganda spectacularly achieved to turn `real' democracy, where the public participates meaningfully in state affairs, into `spectator' democracy, where the public is occasionally allowed to elect one or another member of a specialized class.
Spectator democracy is based on the assumption that the stupid masses (`the bewildered herd') are too dump and incompetent to really understand their own interests. Only a small elite, the decision makers, can understand the common interest. The bewildered herd must be tamed by, among other means, propaganda.
But who benefits? How get the decision makers into their position? The answer is very simple: by serving people with real power, by defending the interests of private power and the state-corporate nexus.
Noam Chomsky dissects brilliantly the propaganda machine with its use of disinformation, falsification of history, and marginalization of dissident opinion.
He gives perfect examples of propaganda, like the Creel commission in WWI, which turned a pacifist majority of the people into a warmongering crowd, or the battle against the `Vietnam syndrome' (`the sickly inhibitions against the use of military force'), or the use of fear of enemies in order to hide real domestic problems (health, education, homelessness, joblessness, crime, soaring criminal populations, jails, deterioration in the inner cities).
Ultimately, the bewildered herd will never be tamed completely. It will have to choose between a real free society and a self-imposed totalitarianism where it will be marginalized.
A brilliant essay by a superb free mind.
We need Noam Chomsky's loud and clear voice.
Some golden nuggets - worth buying, 08 Oct 2006
If you've studied a reasonable amount of NLP and body language before you'll probably find this book covers too much old ground without really going in to detail - for example the chapter on body language offers you nothing other than stating obvious facts such as a person's facial expressions can give you clues to what they're really thinking.
That said this book is very helpful in improving communication with others. Even if you've studied body language and NLP there's still information that's new with a fresh angle that I have never heard of before. In particular how we unintentionally present blocks to people and how to encourage responses from others. I've started implementing the few golden nuggets and have noticed some tangible results.
My recommendation is skip over the common knowledge background and extract the essense of the new material. Overall it's definately worth buying even if you're a reasonale practicioner - it could just be distilled better.
Reader new to the subject, 20 Nov 2002
Avoiding communication barriers, understanding different techniques of reflection and when to use them. How to be more assertive in ways that respect others and keep me healthy. I think I am very lucky to have found this book. It is improving the quality of my relationships and so changing my life.
I would like to find a video to present in groups I attend that would spark some interest in the comm skills described in this book. I so much want to open others' minds to what the book has to say.
The best book on communication &reflective listening barnone, 24 Aug 2001
I regularly coach groups on interpersonal communication and have to admit that this book, for me, was a real gem of a find. I have read many books on interpersonal communication ... and have generally been disappointed on the coverage of reflective listening and communication barriers ... Bolton's book ... was simple, easy to understand, easy to learn and follow ... and yet dealt with fundamental communication skills that you generally only see expert coaches or counsellors use. Wonderful!
YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK, 10 Jan 2001
This book is simple to understand, truthful and full of good communication skills. I have read many books on dealing with people but this is the best. If the Bible is THE book for the religous then this is the Bible for people who seek better relationships. You will never regret this purchase!
Essential for the non-assertive!, 19 Feb 2000
Bolton's book has many things which interested me, but particularly important was his formula for three part assertion messages. I found this good to use in situations where I needed to be assertive - but in the past had not been. In framing the messages I was able to detect and weed out the (unhelpful) influences of my parents. As a parent I found it very useful in establishing good communications with my children.
A brilliant book that should be common sense, 18 Feb 2008
Every chapter of the book teaches you new things. You can pick up the book and read a few pages and feel slightly enlightened.
The book does an excellent job at teaching one how to look at conversations as a vehicle for getting things settles and solved, without hurting anyone, or not getting the full message across. Highly recommended!
When the stakes are high, 13 Jan 2008
This book was a most enjoyable read but left me with a touch of ambivalence. As a handbook for communicating more effectively, it's helpful but perhaps a bit simplistic.
"Crucial conversations" are defined as those in which opinions vary, the stakes are high, and emotions run strong. The book targets situations in business and personal life, and is extremely readable with its many illustrative dialogues from both sectors. An extensive vocabulary is introduced and I've had some of the terms floating like a ghostly subtext under my own conversations: Sucker's Choice; Safety; Salute and Stay Mute; Silence or Violence; Freeze Your Lover; Pool of Shared Meaning. It's all useful even if reductionist.
The techniques offered for effective negotiation are generally quite obvious, yet they bear repeating and codifying. They are, however, techniques, and as such they probably won't give earth-shaking results without an understanding of what's making people tick. Conversation and negotiation are so much more than technique.
CRUCIAL CONVERSATIONS is an ideal offering for the best-seller market and would be a great springboard for leadership development workshops.
My two picks for the best advice in this book:
(1) Stay focused on what you really want.
(2) If you give this book to a partner or business associate, don't take a yellow highlighter to the parts you think they need before you give it; better to work on your own side of the crucial conversations.
Linda Bulger, 2008
Mostly brilliant - sometimes boring, 31 Dec 2007
The best part of it is that it really helps, it doesn't read like your classic self-help book either. The analysis comes off as scientific and intelligent, not your average "I think it's like this" book. The downside is that it also gets a bit boring and lengthy at points - once you've gotten the point it often continues five more pages. Some points in the book I found hard to apply, but around 80% of the advice is directly applicable. It is full of examples - but they are served exactly the same way everytime : short and heavy handed. I'd rather see some more real-life examples with all the subleties we use in our language.
Very good, 23 Dec 2007
Very good book for succesful managers, but also for amateurs interested in improving their communication skills. Of course, for some professionals that one may be "just another one".
Tools to help both your business and your personal life, 01 Dec 2006
This is as close as mere mortals get to performing a Jedi mind-trick - on yourself... It's very instructional and practical and presented in a manner that's actually very easy to read. If you follow these concepts you will not have those unproductive conversations where people get emotional, angry or go silent and nothing really gets sorted. Instead, you will enter difficult conversations about touchy subjects confidently and emerge the other side getting what you want and leaving the other person equally satisfied they got what they wanted too - it may very well change your life.
First class, easy to use and thorough, 14 Jan 2008
This book crams a lot into its relatively few pages by focusing on key concepts and following its own advice on presentation.
It covers a range of needs from CVs, email and letters to presentations (my interest area).
I found the whole approach on narrative style vs. others; reasons why we communicate and the easy guide to structuring material. As one who is involved in training this has added a lot to my repertoire of material.
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Customer Reviews
A really excellent short exposition, 04 Jun 2008
Unlike many of Chomsky's other political books this one is somewhat easier to read and the points it gets across are lucidly put
It is also short and would make an excellent introduction to his work and ideas
Nothing much surprising in this book, 13 Nov 2007
Overall an interesting little book, but the topic is much too complex to adequately cover in such a small book/pamphlet.
In my opinion it is also lacking examples from Nazi Germany, which would much better highlight the achievements of propaganda in media.
Also, from a European perspective, where there are much broader and more independent sources of news reporting, US propaganda in media form is pretty much "old news".
Chomsky, 10 Feb 2007
This is a great place to start if you're new to Chomsky and political books. It is one of his most accessible books, with a lots of varied information to whet your appetite. You are left with a feeling of shock, but also a desire to go out and learn more, which this book points you in the right direction of. Well worth a read.
How is Internet going to impact the Media Control? , 15 Jan 2007
This is another book from Chomsky that makes you look at the American political life from a critical point of view. He has a certain style in writing his books; he makes an hypothesis and builds the book around it. The hypothesis of this book is that American democracy developed towards a system (which he calls "spectator democracy") during early 20th century in which there is an elite group that basically "figure things out" for the rest, i.e. "bewildered herd". For this system to work, the elite group engineer others' opinions by using propaganda or in other words by using public relations. As you would guess, once the elite group recognize the power they have, they start abusing the system for their own benefit but not for that of the public (the herd). He gives many examples, including First World War, labor union laws, Vietnam War and The Gulf War to prove his hypothesis.
What I found unsatisfactory is the lack of his ideas about how Internet is going to impact the propaganda tools that the elite group use. With only TV, newspapers and radio in place, engineering others' opinions were easier because it was enough to own or cooperate with few media channels. With Internet getting more available for the masses, it is a totally different ball game. An individual or a group gets the power to produce or share content to inform and influence others. So, his analysis fails to explain what role Internet will play in this whole argument of "media control".
Having said that, I respect Noam as an honest and smart intellectual and highly recommend this book to everyone who would like to understand how media can be and was used as an evil tool. His analysis is powerful yet not totally contemporary.
The bewildered herd must be tamed, 12 Sep 2006
Noam Chomsky explains perfectly how propaganda spectacularly achieved to turn `real' democracy, where the public participates meaningfully in state affairs, into `spectator' democracy, where the public is occasionally allowed to elect one or another member of a specialized class.
Spectator democracy is based on the assumption that the stupid masses (`the bewildered herd') are too dump and incompetent to really understand their own interests. Only a small elite, the decision makers, can understand the common interest. The bewildered herd must be tamed by, among other means, propaganda.
But who benefits? How get the decision makers into their position? The answer is very simple: by serving people with real power, by defending the interests of private power and the state-corporate nexus.
Noam Chomsky dissects brilliantly the propaganda machine with its use of disinformation, falsification of history, and marginalization of dissident opinion.
He gives perfect examples of propaganda, like the Creel commission in WWI, which turned a pacifist majority of the people into a warmongering crowd, or the battle against the `Vietnam syndrome' (`the sickly inhibitions against the use of military force'), or the use of fear of enemies in order to hide real domestic problems (health, education, homelessness, joblessness, crime, soaring criminal populations, jails, deterioration in the inner cities).
Ultimately, the bewildered herd will never be tamed completely. It will have to choose between a real free society and a self-imposed totalitarianism where it will be marginalized.
A brilliant essay by a superb free mind.
We need Noam Chomsky's loud and clear voice.
Some golden nuggets - worth buying, 08 Oct 2006
If you've studied a reasonable amount of NLP and body language before you'll probably find this book covers too much old ground without really going in to detail - for example the chapter on body language offers you nothing other than stating obvious facts such as a person's facial expressions can give you clues to what they're really thinking.
That said this book is very helpful in improving communication with others. Even if you've studied body language and NLP there's still information that's new with a fresh angle that I have never heard of before. In particular how we unintentionally present blocks to people and how to encourage responses from others. I've started implementing the few golden nuggets and have noticed some tangible results.
My recommendation is skip over the common knowledge background and extract the essense of the new material. Overall it's definately worth buying even if you're a reasonale practicioner - it could just be distilled better.
Reader new to the subject, 20 Nov 2002
Avoiding communication barriers, understanding different techniques of reflection and when to use them. How to be more assertive in ways that respect others and keep me healthy. I think I am very lucky to have found this book. It is improving the quality of my relationships and so changing my life.
I would like to find a video to present in groups I attend that would spark some interest in the comm skills described in this book. I so much want to open others' minds to what the book has to say.
The best book on communication &reflective listening barnone, 24 Aug 2001
I regularly coach groups on interpersonal communication and have to admit that this book, for me, was a real gem of a find. I have read many books on interpersonal communication ... and have generally been disappointed on the coverage of reflective listening and communication barriers ... Bolton's book ... was simple, easy to understand, easy to learn and follow ... and yet dealt with fundamental communication skills that you generally only see expert coaches or counsellors use. Wonderful!
YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK, 10 Jan 2001
This book is simple to understand, truthful and full of good communication skills. I have read many books on dealing with people but this is the best. If the Bible is THE book for the religous then this is the Bible for people who seek better relationships. You will never regret this purchase!
Essential for the non-assertive!, 19 Feb 2000
Bolton's book has many things which interested me, but particularly important was his formula for three part assertion messages. I found this good to use in situations where I needed to be assertive - but in the past had not been. In framing the messages I was able to detect and weed out the (unhelpful) influences of my parents. As a parent I found it very useful in establishing good communications with my children.
A brilliant book that should be common sense, 18 Feb 2008
Every chapter of the book teaches you new things. You can pick up the book and read a few pages and feel slightly enlightened.
The book does an excellent job at teaching one how to look at conversations as a vehicle for getting things settles and solved, without hurting anyone, or not getting the full message across. Highly recommended!
When the stakes are high, 13 Jan 2008
This book was a most enjoyable read but left me with a touch of ambivalence. As a handbook for communicating more effectively, it's helpful but perhaps a bit simplistic.
"Crucial conversations" are defined as those in which opinions vary, the stakes are high, and emotions run strong. The book targets situations in business and personal life, and is extremely readable with its many illustrative dialogues from both sectors. An extensive vocabulary is introduced and I've had some of the terms floating like a ghostly subtext under my own conversations: Sucker's Choice; Safety; Salute and Stay Mute; Silence or Violence; Freeze Your Lover; Pool of Shared Meaning. It's all useful even if reductionist.
The techniques offered for effective negotiation are generally quite obvious, yet they bear repeating and codifying. They are, however, techniques, and as such they probably won't give earth-shaking results without an understanding of what's making people tick. Conversation and negotiation are so much more than technique.
CRUCIAL CONVERSATIONS is an ideal offering for the best-seller market and would be a great springboard for leadership development workshops.
My two picks for the best advice in this book:
(1) Stay focused on what you really want.
(2) If you give this book to a partner or business associate, don't take a yellow highlighter to the parts you think they need before you give it; better to work on your own side of the crucial conversations.
Linda Bulger, 2008
Mostly brilliant - sometimes boring, 31 Dec 2007
The best part of it is that it really helps, it doesn't read like your classic self-help book either. The analysis comes off as scientific and intelligent, not your average "I think it's like this" book. The downside is that it also gets a bit boring and lengthy at points - once you've gotten the point it often continues five more pages. Some points in the book I found hard to apply, but around 80% of the advice is directly applicable. It is full of examples - but they are served exactly the same way everytime : short and heavy handed. I'd rather see some more real-life examples with all the subleties we use in our language.
Very good, 23 Dec 2007
Very good book for succesful managers, but also for amateurs interested in improving their communication skills. Of course, for some professionals that one may be "just another one".
Tools to help both your business and your personal life, 01 Dec 2006
This is as close as mere mortals get to performing a Jedi mind-trick - on yourself... It's very instructional and practical and presented in a manner that's actually very easy to read. If you follow these concepts you will not have those unproductive conversations where people get emotional, angry or go silent and nothing really gets sorted. Instead, you will enter difficult conversations about touchy subjects confidently and emerge the other side getting what you want and leaving the other person equally satisfied they got what they wanted too - it may very well change your life.
First class, easy to use and thorough, 14 Jan 2008
This book crams a lot into its relatively few pages by focusing on key concepts and following its own advice on presentation.
It covers a range of needs from CVs, email and letters to presentations (my interest area).
I found the whole approach on narrative style vs. others; reasons why we communicate and the easy guide to structuring material. As one who is involved in training this has added a lot to my repertoire of material.
a waste of paper, 21 Sep 2007
I don't understand how this book was published. It is literally just a bunch of obvious, random questions. A 10 year old could have 'written' this.
A-W-S-O-M-E!, 22 Aug 2007
Another new bestseller which I love and recommend - How to be a Super Hot Woman: 339 Tips to Make Every Man Fall in Love with You and Every Woman Envy You
by Mandy Simons
Both books ROCK!!!
Stocking filler, 19 Jul 2006
This book is a good stocking filler - guaranteed to hold your interest for half an hour or so. I was expecting something more substantial than *just* a list of questions to be honest. But as I say, a good stocking filler.
What a fabulous way to really get to know people!!, 19 Apr 1999
Just got back from Carnival singles cruise. There were ten people seated for dinner and know one knew each other. Someone brought the book and started asking questions from the book. Before dinner was over we all knew personal, intimate things about each other. I admitted to things I never told anyone before. It was a lot of fun!!
Lots of fun at parties!!!!, 25 Jan 1999
I took the the book to a party and we had an incredible amount of fun asking those "forbidden questions" in the last chapter of book of Fabulous Questions. My friends loved the conversation it generated and several of them have already gone out and purchased their own copy.
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Customer Reviews
A really excellent short exposition, 04 Jun 2008
Unlike many of Chomsky's other political books this one is somewhat easier to read and the points it gets across are lucidly put
It is also short and would make an excellent introduction to his work and ideas Nothing much surprising in this book, 13 Nov 2007
Overall an interesting little book, but the topic is much too complex to adequately cover in such a small book/pamphlet.
In my opinion it is also lacking examples from Nazi Germany, which would much better highlight the achievements of propaganda in media.
Also, from a European perspective, where there are much broader and more independent sources of news reporting, US propaganda in media form is pretty much "old news". Chomsky, 10 Feb 2007
This is a great place to start if you're new to Chomsky and political books. It is one of his most accessible books, with a lots of varied information to whet your appetite. You are left with a feeling of shock, but also a desire to go out and learn more, which this book points you in the right direction of. Well worth a read.
How is Internet going to impact the Media Control? , 15 Jan 2007
This is another book from Chomsky that makes you look at the American political life from a critical point of view. He has a certain style in writing his books; he makes an hypothesis and builds the book around it. The hypothesis of this book is that American democracy developed towards a system (which he calls "spectator democracy") during early 20th century in which there is an elite group that basically "figure things out" for the rest, i.e. "bewildered herd". For this system to work, the elite group engineer others' opinions by using propaganda or in other words by using public relations. As you would guess, once the elite group recognize the power they have, they start abusing the system for their own benefit but not for that of the public (the herd). He gives many examples, including First World War, labor union laws, Vietnam War and The Gulf War to prove his hypothesis.
What I found unsatisfactory is the lack of his ideas about how Internet is going to impact the propaganda tools that the elite group use. With only TV, newspapers and radio in place, engineering others' opinions were easier because it was enough to own or cooperate with few media channels. With Internet getting more available for the masses, it is a totally different ball game. An individual or a group gets the power to produce or share content to inform and influence others. So, his analysis fails to explain what role Internet will play in this whole argument of "media control".
Having said that, I respect Noam as an honest and smart intellectual and highly recommend this book to everyone who would like to understand how media can be and was used as an evil tool. His analysis is powerful yet not totally contemporary. The bewildered herd must be tamed, 12 Sep 2006
Noam Chomsky explains perfectly how propaganda spectacularly achieved to turn `real' democracy, where the public participates meaningfully in state affairs, into `spectator' democracy, where the public is occasionally allowed to elect one or another member of a specialized class.
Spectator democracy is based on the assumption that the stupid masses (`the bewildered herd') are too dump and incompetent to really understand their own interests. Only a small elite, the decision makers, can understand the common interest. The bewildered herd must be tamed by, among other means, propaganda.
But who benefits? How get the decision makers into their position? The answer is very simple: by serving people with real power, by defending the interests of private power and the state-corporate nexus.
Noam Chomsky dissects brilliantly the propaganda machine with its use of disinformation, falsification of history, and marginalization of dissident opinion.
He gives perfect examples of propaganda, like the Creel commission in WWI, which turned a pacifist majority of the people into a warmongering crowd, or the battle against the `Vietnam syndrome' (`the sickly inhibitions against the use of military force'), or the use of fear of enemies in order to hide real domestic problems (health, education, homelessness, joblessness, crime, soaring criminal populations, jails, deterioration in the inner cities).
Ultimately, the bewildered herd will never be tamed completely. It will have to choose between a real free society and a self-imposed totalitarianism where it will be marginalized.
A brilliant essay by a superb free mind.
We need Noam Chomsky's loud and clear voice.
Some golden nuggets - worth buying, 08 Oct 2006
If you've studied a reasonable amount of NLP and body language before you'll probably find this book covers too much old ground without really going in to detail - for example the chapter on body language offers you nothing other than stating obvious facts such as a person's facial expressions can give you clues to what they're really thinking.
That said this book is very helpful in improving communication with others. Even if you've studied body language and NLP there's still information that's new with a fresh angle that I have never heard of before. In particular how we unintentionally present blocks to people and how to encourage responses from others. I've started implementing the few golden nuggets and have noticed some tangible results.
My recommendation is skip over the common knowledge background and extract the essense of the new material. Overall it's definately worth buying even if you're a reasonale practicioner - it could just be distilled better. Reader new to the subject, 20 Nov 2002
Avoiding communication barriers, understanding different techniques of reflection and when to use them. How to be more assertive in ways that respect others and keep me healthy. I think I am very lucky to have found this book. It is improving the quality of my relationships and so changing my life. I would like to find a video to present in groups I attend that would spark some interest in the comm skills described in this book. I so much want to open others' minds to what the book has to say. The best book on communication &reflective listening barnone, 24 Aug 2001
I regularly coach groups on interpersonal communication and have to admit that this book, for me, was a real gem of a find. I have read many books on interpersonal communication ... and have generally been disappointed on the coverage of reflective listening and communication barriers ... Bolton's book ... was simple, easy to understand, easy to learn and follow ... and yet dealt with fundamental communication skills that you generally only see expert coaches or counsellors use. Wonderful! YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK, 10 Jan 2001
This book is simple to understand, truthful and full of good communication skills. I have read many books on dealing with people but this is the best. If the Bible is THE book for the religous then this is the Bible for people who seek better relationships. You will never regret this purchase! Essential for the non-assertive!, 19 Feb 2000
Bolton's book has many things which interested me, but particularly important was his formula for three part assertion messages. I found this good to use in situations where I needed to be assertive - but in the past had not been. In framing the messages I was able to detect and weed out the (unhelpful) influences of my parents. As a parent I found it very useful in establishing good communications with my children. A brilliant book that should be common sense, 18 Feb 2008
Every chapter of the book teaches you new things. You can pick up the book and read a few pages and feel slightly enlightened.
The book does an excellent job at teaching one how to look at conversations as a vehicle for getting things settles and solved, without hurting anyone, or not getting the full message across. Highly recommended! When the stakes are high, 13 Jan 2008
This book was a most enjoyable read but left me with a touch of ambivalence. As a handbook for communicating more effectively, it's helpful but perhaps a bit simplistic.
"Crucial conversations" are defined as those in which opinions vary, the stakes are high, and emotions run strong. The book targets situations in business and personal life, and is extremely readable with its many illustrative dialogues from both sectors. An extensive vocabulary is introduced and I've had some of the terms floating like a ghostly subtext under my own conversations: Sucker's Choice; Safety; Salute and Stay Mute; Silence or Violence; Freeze Your Lover; Pool of Shared Meaning. It's all useful even if reductionist.
The techniques offered for effective negotiation are generally quite obvious, yet they bear repeating and codifying. They are, however, techniques, and as such they probably won't give earth-shaking results without an understanding of what's making people tick. Conversation and negotiation are so much more than technique.
CRUCIAL CONVERSATIONS is an ideal offering for the best-seller market and would be a great springboard for leadership development workshops.
My two picks for the best advice in this book:
(1) Stay focused on what you really want.
(2) If you give this book to a partner or business associate, don't take a yellow highlighter to the parts you think they need before you give it; better to work on your own side of the crucial conversations.
Linda Bulger, 2008 Mostly brilliant - sometimes boring, 31 Dec 2007
The best part of it is that it really helps, it doesn't read like your classic self-help book either. The analysis comes off as scientific and intelligent, not your average "I think it's like this" book. The downside is that it also gets a bit boring and lengthy at points - once you've gotten the point it often continues five more pages. Some points in the book I found hard to apply, but around 80% of the advice is directly applicable. It is full of examples - but they are served exactly the same way everytime : short and heavy handed. I'd rather see some more real-life examples with all the subleties we use in our language. Very good, 23 Dec 2007
Very good book for succesful managers, but also for amateurs interested in improving their communication skills. Of course, for some professionals that one may be "just another one". Tools to help both your business and your personal life, 01 Dec 2006
This is as close as mere mortals get to performing a Jedi mind-trick - on yourself... It's very instructional and practical and presented in a manner that's actually very easy to read. If you follow these concepts you will not have those unproductive conversations where people get emotional, angry or go silent and nothing really gets sorted. Instead, you will enter difficult conversations about touchy subjects confidently and emerge the other side getting what you want and leaving the other person equally satisfied they got what they wanted too - it may very well change your life. First class, easy to use and thorough, 14 Jan 2008
This book crams a lot into its relatively few pages by focusing on key concepts and following its own advice on presentation.
It covers a range of needs from CVs, email and letters to presentations (my interest area).
I found the whole approach on narrative style vs. others; reasons why we communicate and the easy guide to structuring material. As one who is involved in training this has added a lot to my repertoire of material. a waste of paper, 21 Sep 2007
I don't understand how this book was published. It is literally just a bunch of obvious, random questions. A 10 year old could have 'written' this. A-W-S-O-M-E!, 22 Aug 2007
Another new bestseller which I love and recommend - How to be a Super Hot Woman: 339 Tips to Make Every Man Fall in Love with You and Every Woman Envy You
by Mandy Simons
Both books ROCK!!! Stocking filler, 19 Jul 2006
This book is a good stocking filler - guaranteed to hold your interest for half an hour or so. I was expecting something more substantial than *just* a list of questions to be honest. But as I say, a good stocking filler. What a fabulous way to really get to know people!!, 19 Apr 1999
Just got back from Carnival singles cruise. There were ten people seated for dinner and know one knew each other. Someone brought the book and started asking questions from the book. Before dinner was over we all knew personal, intimate things about each other. I admitted to things I never told anyone before. It was a lot of fun!! Lots of fun at parties!!!!, 25 Jan 1999
I took the the book to a party and we had an incredible amount of fun asking those "forbidden questions" in the last chapter of book of Fabulous Questions. My friends loved the conversation it generated and several of them have already gone out and purchased their own copy. Beautiful illustrations and ideas, 27 Nov 1999
I am very impressed by the book's quality. Beautiful examples nicely explained, the layout and colour of the book itself all reflecting the author's ideas quite well. I like this book more than just as my study material. More than I knew ..., 27 Mar 1999
I put his work to use. I make a lot of charts and tables, and I am more satisfied now that I put his advise to work on a project I'm on. But beyond that, I'm looking for every opportunity to use this advise. The stuff I used to produce looks like it needs a revision. worth it for one example alone..., 19 Mar 1998
... though there are plenty others in the book that are fascinating. I flipped open the book just now and arrived at a discussion of whether Maya Ying Lin's Vietnam Memorial should have had the names ordered by date of death or alphabetically. As there were over 600 Smiths who died in Vietnam and 16 James Joneses, an alphabetical listing would have given the memorial the flavor of a telephone directory. Tufte persuasively argues and demonstrates how graphic design and information presentation affects thinking, decision-making, and emotion.
DISAPPOINTING, 21 Dec 1997
The book is expensive,thin, and misses the point. The illustrations for the book are never labelled, so you have no idea where the text refers to the illos! How can a book by a "designer" be that bad?! Some of the examples of good or innovative design is excellent but it says more about the "other" designers and not this book's author. Some of the obscure older examples of information design is rather good but if you want a good book on design, this is not it. Perhaps it will be a source of inspiration... The book is a confusing and artsy fartsy sort of a book typical of the mindset of artists and designers. They're so wrapped up in their personal aesthetics. It's not practical and it does not help to illuminate the history and development or practice of good design when conveying information. The idea that good design in the case of the space shuttle explosion could of been prevented thru good information design is rather silly. The reason why the space shuttle disaster was not prevented has as much to do with management issues (ie not listening to engineers that issue warnings in memos) and hubris of the NASA agency and confidence as well as political pressures from Congress that wished to ax the agency's funding led to the disaster and NOT the fact some graph wasn't well prepared. If you want good design, just go buy an issue of ID or other expensive design magazine or journal or better yet, go to a university library. I don't understand why other reviewers here gush over Tufte. The production values for this book are excellent. If you are interested in this book, please review it first. You may be disappointed and you may end up loving it.
Simply THE bible for every designer in the information age!!, 05 Jun 1997
Ed Tufte has created an essential resource for every software designer and developer that imparts the RELIGION of good design, while avoiding the typical lists of "do's" and "don'ts" that are so pervasive in design texts. Tufte offers incredible examples of his design concepts and the publication itself is a tangible example of extraordinary design.
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Customer Reviews
A really excellent short exposition, 04 Jun 2008
Unlike many of Chomsky's other political books this one is somewhat easier to read and the points it gets across are lucidly put
It is also short and would make an excellent introduction to his work and ideas Nothing much surprising in this book, 13 Nov 2007
Overall an interesting little book, but the topic is much too complex to adequately cover in such a small book/pamphlet.
In my opinion it is also lacking examples from Nazi Germany, which would much better highlight the achievements of propaganda in media.
Also, from a European perspective, where there are much broader and more independent sources of news reporting, US propaganda in media form is pretty much "old news". Chomsky, 10 Feb 2007
This is a great place to start if you're new to Chomsky and political books. It is one of his most accessible books, with a lots of varied information to whet your appetite. You are left with a feeling of shock, but also a desire to go out and learn more, which this book points you in the right direction of. Well worth a read.
How is Internet going to impact the Media Control? , 15 Jan 2007
This is another book from Chomsky that makes you look at the American political life from a critical point of view. He has a certain style in writing his books; he makes an hypothesis and builds the book around it. The hypothesis of this book is that American democracy developed towards a system (which he calls "spectator democracy") during early 20th century in which there is an elite group that basically "figure things out" for the rest, i.e. "bewildered herd". For this system to work, the elite group engineer others' opinions by using propaganda or in other words by using public relations. As you would guess, once the elite group recognize the power they have, they start abusing the system for their own benefit but not for that of the public (the herd). He gives many examples, including First World War, labor union laws, Vietnam War and The Gulf War to prove his hypothesis.
What I found unsatisfactory is the lack of his ideas about how Internet is going to impact the propaganda tools that the elite group use. With only TV, newspapers and radio in place, engineering others' opinions were easier because it was enough to own or cooperate with few media channels. With Internet getting more available for the masses, it is a totally different ball game. An individual or a group gets the power to produce or share content to inform and influence others. So, his analysis fails to explain what role Internet will play in this whole argument of "media control".
Having said that, I respect Noam as an honest and smart intellectual and highly recommend this book to everyone who would like to understand how media can be and was used as an evil tool. His analysis is powerful yet not totally contemporary. The bewildered herd must be tamed, 12 Sep 2006
Noam Chomsky explains perfectly how propaganda spectacularly achieved to turn `real' democracy, where the public participates meaningfully in state affairs, into `spectator' democracy, where the public is occasionally allowed to elect one or another member of a specialized class.
Spectator democracy is based on the assumption that the stupid masses (`the bewildered herd') are too dump and incompetent to really understand their own interests. Only a small elite, the decision makers, can understand the common interest. The bewildered herd must be tamed by, among other means, propaganda.
But who benefits? How get the decision makers into their position? The answer is very simple: by serving people with real power, by defending the interests of private power and the state-corporate nexus.
Noam Chomsky dissects brilliantly the propaganda machine with its use of disinformation, falsification of history, and marginalization of dissident opinion.
He gives perfect examples of propaganda, like the Creel commission in WWI, which turned a pacifist majority of the people into a warmongering crowd, or the battle against the `Vietnam syndrome' (`the sickly inhibitions against the use of military force'), or the use of fear of enemies in order to hide real domestic problems (health, education, homelessness, joblessness, crime, soaring criminal populations, jails, deterioration in the inner cities).
Ultimately, the bewildered herd will never be tamed completely. It will have to choose between a real free society and a self-imposed totalitarianism where it will be marginalized.
A brilliant essay by a superb free mind.
We need Noam Chomsky's loud and clear voice.
Some golden nuggets - worth buying, 08 Oct 2006
If you've studied a reasonable amount of NLP and body language before you'll probably find this book covers too much old ground without really going in to detail - for example the chapter on body language offers you nothing other than stating obvious facts such as a person's facial expressions can give you clues to what they're really thinking.
That said this book is very helpful in improving communication with others. Even if you've studied body language and NLP there's still information that's new with a fresh angle that I have never heard of before. In particular how we unintentionally present blocks to people and how to encourage responses from others. I've started implementing the few golden nuggets and have noticed some tangible results.
My recommendation is skip over the common knowledge background and extract the essense of the new material. Overall it's definately worth buying even if you're a reasonale practicioner - it could just be distilled better. Reader new to the subject, 20 Nov 2002
Avoiding communication barriers, understanding different techniques of reflection and when to use them. How to be more assertive in ways that respect others and keep me healthy. I think I am very lucky to have found this book. It is improving the quality of my relationships and so changing my life. I would like to find a video to present in groups I attend that would spark some interest in the comm skills described in this book. I so much want to open others' minds to what the book has to say. The best book on communication &reflective listening barnone, 24 Aug 2001
I regularly coach groups on interpersonal communication and have to admit that this book, for me, was a real gem of a find. I have read many books on interpersonal communication ... and have generally been disappointed on the coverage of reflective listening and communication barriers ... Bolton's book ... was simple, easy to understand, easy to learn and follow ... and yet dealt with fundamental communication skills that you generally only see expert coaches or counsellors use. Wonderful! YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK, 10 Jan 2001
This book is simple to understand, truthful and full of good communication skills. I have read many books on dealing with people but this is the best. If the Bible is THE book for the religous then this is the Bible for people who seek better relationships. You will never regret this purchase! Essential for the non-assertive!, 19 Feb 2000
Bolton's book has many things which interested me, but particularly important was his formula for three part assertion messages. I found this good to use in situations where I needed to be assertive - but in the past had not been. In framing the messages I was able to detect and weed out the (unhelpful) influences of my parents. As a parent I found it very useful in establishing good communications with my children. A brilliant book that should be common sense, 18 Feb 2008
Every chapter of the book teaches you new things. You can pick up the book and read a few pages and feel slightly enlightened.
The book does an excellent job at teaching one how to look at conversations as a vehicle for getting things settles and solved, without hurting anyone, or not getting the full message across. Highly recommended! When the stakes are high, 13 Jan 2008
This book was a most enjoyable read but left me with a touch of ambivalence. As a handbook for communicating more effectively, it's helpful but perhaps a bit simplistic.
"Crucial conversations" are defined as those in which opinions vary, the stakes are high, and emotions run strong. The book targets situations in business and personal life, and is extremely readable with its many illustrative dialogues from both sectors. An extensive vocabulary is introduced and I've had some of the terms floating like a ghostly subtext under my own conversations: Sucker's Choice; Safety; Salute and Stay Mute; Silence or Violence; Freeze Your Lover; Pool of Shared Meaning. It's all useful even if reductionist.
The techniques offered for effective negotiation are generally quite obvious, yet they bear repeating and codifying. They are, however, techniques, and as such they probably won't give earth-shaking results without an understanding of what's making people tick. Conversation and negotiation are so much more than technique.
CRUCIAL CONVERSATIONS is an ideal offering for the best-seller market and would be a great springboard for leadership development workshops.
My two picks for the best advice in this book:
(1) Stay focused on what you really want.
(2) If you give this book to a partner or business associate, don't take a yellow highlighter to the parts you think they need before you give it; better to work on your own side of the crucial conversations.
Linda Bulger, 2008 Mostly brilliant - sometimes boring, 31 Dec 2007
The best part of it is that it really helps, it doesn't read like your classic self-help book either. The analysis comes off as scientific and intelligent, not your average "I think it's like this" book. The downside is that it also gets a bit boring and lengthy at points - once you've gotten the point it often continues five more pages. Some points in the book I found hard to apply, but around 80% of the advice is directly applicable. It is full of examples - but they are served exactly the same way everytime : short and heavy handed. I'd rather see some more real-life examples with all the subleties we use in our language. Very good, 23 Dec 2007
Very good book for succesful managers, but also for amateurs interested in improving their communication skills. Of course, for some professionals that one may be "just another one". Tools to help both your business and your personal life, 01 Dec 2006
This is as close as mere mortals get to performing a Jedi mind-trick - on yourself... It's very instructional and practical and presented in a manner that's actually very easy to read. If you follow these concepts you will not have those unproductive conversations where people get emotional, angry or go silent and nothing really gets sorted. Instead, you will enter difficult conversations about touchy subjects confidently and emerge the other side getting what you want and leaving the other person equally satisfied they got what they wanted too - it may very well change your life. First class, easy to use and thorough, 14 Jan 2008
This book crams a lot into its relatively few pages by focusing on key concepts and following its own advice on presentation.
It covers a range of needs from CVs, email and letters to presentations (my interest area).
I found the whole approach on narrative style vs. others; reasons why we communicate and the easy guide to structuring material. As one who is involved in training this has added a lot to my repertoire of material. a waste of paper, 21 Sep 2007
I don't understand how this book was published. It is literally just a bunch of obvious, random questions. A 10 year old could have 'written' this. A-W-S-O-M-E!, 22 Aug 2007
Another new bestseller which I love and recommend - How to be a Super Hot Woman: 339 Tips to Make Every Man Fall in Love with You and Every Woman Envy You
by Mandy Simons
Both books ROCK!!! Stocking filler, 19 Jul 2006
This book is a good stocking filler - guaranteed to hold your interest for half an hour or so. I was expecting something more substantial than *just* a list of questions to be honest. But as I say, a good stocking filler. What a fabulous way to really get to know people!!, 19 Apr 1999
Just got back from Carnival singles cruise. There were ten people seated for dinner and know one knew each other. Someone brought the book and started asking questions from the book. Before dinner was over we all knew personal, intimate things about each other. I admitted to things I never told anyone before. It was a lot of fun!! Lots of fun at parties!!!!, 25 Jan 1999
I took the the book to a party and we had an incredible amount of fun asking those "forbidden questions" in the last chapter of book of Fabulous Questions. My friends loved the conversation it generated and several of them have already gone out and purchased their own copy. Beautiful illustrations and ideas, 27 Nov 1999
I am very impressed by the book's quality. Beautiful examples nicely explained, the layout and colour of the book itself all reflecting the author's ideas quite well. I like this book more than just as my study material. More than I knew ..., 27 Mar 1999
I put his work to use. I make a lot of charts and tables, and I am more satisfied now that I put his advise to work on a project I'm on. But beyond that, I'm looking for every opportunity to use this advise. The stuff I used to produce looks like it needs a revision. worth it for one example alone..., 19 Mar 1998
... though there are plenty others in the book that are fascinating. I flipped open the book just now and arrived at a discussion of whether Maya Ying Lin's Vietnam Memorial should have had the names ordered by date of death or alphabetically. As there were over 600 Smiths who died in Vietnam and 16 James Joneses, an alphabetical listing would have given the memorial the flavor of a telephone directory. Tufte persuasively argues and demonstrates how graphic design and information presentation affects thinking, decision-making, and emotion.
DISAPPOINTING, 21 Dec 1997
The book is expensive,thin, and misses the point. The illustrations for the book are never labelled, so you have no idea where the text refers to the illos! How can a book by a "designer" be that bad?! Some of the examples of good or innovative design is excellent but it says more about the "other" designers and not this book's author. Some of the obscure older examples of information design is rather good but if you want a good book on design, this is not it. Perhaps it will be a source of inspiration... The book is a confusing and artsy fartsy sort of a book typical of the mindset of artists and designers. They're so wrapped up in their personal aesthetics. It's not practical and it does not help to illuminate the history and development or practice of good design when conveying information. The idea that good design in the case of the space shuttle explosion could of been prevented thru good information design is rather silly. The reason why the space shuttle disaster was not prevented has as much to do with management issues (ie not listening to engineers that issue warnings in memos) and hubris of the NASA agency and confidence as well as political pressures from Congress that wished to ax the agency's funding led to the disaster and NOT the fact some graph wasn't well prepared. If you want good design, just go buy an issue of ID or other expensive design magazine or journal or better yet, go to a university library. I don't understand why other reviewers here gush over Tufte. The production values for this book are excellent. If you are interested in this book, please review it first. You may be disappointed and you may end up loving it.
Simply THE bible for every designer in the information age!!, 05 Jun 1997
Ed Tufte has created an essential resource for every software designer and developer that imparts the RELIGION of good design, while avoiding the typical lists of "do's" and "don'ts" that are so pervasive in design texts. Tufte offers incredible examples of his design concepts and the publication itself is a tangible example of extraordinary design.
the best introduction to "the construction of meaning", 18 Sep 2003
This book is one of the six textbooks used in the D318 course at the Open University (Media, Culture and Identity). It is also the best introduction to "signifying practices", the "construction of meaning", the "formation of social knowledge or meaning". Stuart Hall did a great job. The book has the rare and unusual quality of 1) making you terribly interested in the debates presented 2) creating the "thirst" to read more and thus build a fairly large and very representative bibliography. I have thus far read some 8 titles which are suggested in the reference lists at the end of each of the 6 chapters.
The breadth, the intelligence, the detail, the quality of the debates presented all show that if you take the D318 course from the Open University you will most probably become a lot more qualified than if you attend traditional universities anywhere in the world. Absolutely amazing quality. superb and highly recommended.
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