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Overly narrow readings of statistics result in muddled and confused conclusions

Revisado: 01-04-24

The cited statistics are interesting, but usually interpreted without regards to the bigger picture (a 13% deconversion rate may sound small, but when until very recently allmost everybody was Christian and stayed Christian, this is just the thin end of the wedge) and often contradict the spelled out conclusions (if fewer people are religious and religiosity is declining even among the religious, then this hardly supports the claim that religion isn't in decline).

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Selective storytelling

Revisado: 09-05-18

Rather than being "a powerful corrective to parochialism", The Silk Roads advances just another form of parochialism.

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A conservative perspective on Donald Trump

Revisado: 10-17-17

I found it revealing how Donald Trump is viewed from a conservative perspective and how conservatives justify supporting him. However this is far from an honest and accurate history of how Donald Trump became US president.

It narrates the story from the perspective of its final outcome, the election of Donald Trump as the 45th president, while neglecting the chance events that played a crucial role in this story. It therefore reads like this outcome was always predestined to happen. This of course is consistent with the conservative outlook of the author.

It also papers over the racism and misogyny of Donald Trump. It doesn't even mention two of the most important aspects of Donald Trump's campaign to become president: his role in the Birther conspiracy theory and his bragging about sexually assaulting women.

The author is probably right that the Christian conservatives now 'own' Donald Trump, but he doesn't explore the consequences if this.

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Emotional rant without any supporting arguments

Revisado: 03-01-15

What disappointed you about Debt?

I make a point of listening to people I might disagree with. Even if I don't agree with their conclusion, they often provide new perspectives on the subject and arguments I haven't considered yet.

From this book however I come away empty handed. Some of the points he tries to make may have merit, but you won't be able to learn this from his book. What bugs me most is his habit of setting up a premise with one meaning of a word and then using a different meaning of the same word in his conclusion. This is either a carelessness I find hard to excuse or even worse a dishonest attempt to trick the reader.

The only explanation for the many positive reviews I have, is that It is very emotional and may speak to people who have already bought into the theory of the author, but I doubt it will be useful to anybody else.

Would you ever listen to anything by David Graeber again?

No.

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