The book "Something That Will Change Your Life" - explains how rank strivers like Benforado are corrupting character in an attempt to establish dependency on Govt and academic robot's like Benforado. The phrase "New Science" in his title is a red flag. New Science is a marketing term designed to attract people who are desperate to be 'in the know.' In 2005 Benforado wrote an article for the Baltimore Sun titled "The Conservative Hypocrisy."
And Benforado was a student of...WAIT FOR IT...Elizabeth Warren - Ms. Warren flips houses on the side, lives in a mansion, all the while proclaiming the evils of rich people.
This is my review posted on Amazon of Benforado's book Unfair
We should be careful to distinguish the Physical Sciences and Behavioral Sciences (Opinion Sciences) which they resemble only in pantomime. The astonishing success of the physical sciences, from molecular biology to astrophysics, is what gives the Opinion Scientists the arrogance to pretend they’re doing the same thing as authentic scientists. Experiments that furnish the data for the Opinion Science lack the test tubes, the microscopes, the particle accelerators that impress us regular Joes about traditional science. Opinion Science uses hard-to-define phenomena as thoughts, motives, mental impressions, emotional reactions, and so on.
Benforado is a professor trying to flex his superiority muscles and he does an incredibly transparent job of showing his lack of courage and independent thought by his attacks of those who wake everyday and have the courage to face danger, not to write opinions about what the courageous are doing wrong. Opinion Science and marketing have replaced reason, common sense, and natural instinct.
Apparently only Opinion Science will save us now!
The Physical Sciences has given us fantastic improvement and improved the the standard of living;—e.g., trauma repair, agriculture and engineering. But where the conscientious scientist fears to tread, or only goes with highly specified trepidation, marketers rush in and offer Godly salvation by scientistatically explaining the world in ways that benefit their organizations or causes. Ed Bernays perfected the spin that anything vaguely scientific will convince us to buy their explanation.
As Neil Postman said about the scientific view: “In the end, science does not provide the answers most of us require. Its story of our origins and our end is, to say the least, unsatisfactory. To the question, “How did it all begin?”, science answers, “Probably by an accident.” To the question, “How will it all end?”, science answers, “Probably by an accident.” For many people, the accidental life is not worth living."
For the past century or so, psychologists have considered themselves scientists whose methods and theories are the same as those of the biologist or physicist; true science relies on objective investigation – behavioral science however relies on emotion and opinion and can’t be objectively measured.
Opinion Science has us believing that there are no more bad people in the world; there are only mentally ill people. The “insanity defense” excuses bad behavior, excessive gratification, a lack of willpower , and tragedy. And worse yet, it not only gives people the green light to do whatever, it silences any criticism. So if the community is too afraid to be vocal and demand that people take personal responsibility – if there are no consequences, or worse, WORSE, if the consequences of their actions lead to consoling and sympathy, it further encourages behavior that creates disenchanted and broken spirits.
I was a paramedic - not a great one. Not a bad one. The great medics, I found, were those who worked constantly - at the busiest squads, who had the most experience. They relied on their experience and common sense.
The worst medics were the 'book smart' medics who attended the most prestigious schools. They were the worst. They couldn't put an IV in the anticube of a 17 year old bodybuilding champ. However, at least both the book smart and the street smart medic are actually on the battlefield.
Benforado is far from the battlefield. He is sitting enclosed in an office, sifting through studies, and like the Monday Morning Quarterback, thinks because he watches football and reads sports magazines, he knows exactly how the quarterback could have won the game.
If you're easily swayed by titles, I suppose you'll swoon over Unfair.
If you can think for yourself, judge life based on experiences not arm chair experts, then you can skip this and be much wiser for it.
