Americans are as safe, well fed, securely sheltered, long-lived, free, and healthy as any human beings who have ever lived on the planet. But we ar...
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Sep 07, 2008
Joseph
rated it: 
What would happen if you let Andy Rooney off his meds?
Grumble grumble....kids today and their blogging and the road rage and the short attention spans and the no religion and the sex and the drugs and who turned off Matlock blahdeblahzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
There is a book that needs to be written about the modern malaise and why we're so prosperous and yet so miserable. This is not that book. This book is not even six degrees of separation from that book. This is a jumb More...
Grumble grumble....kids today and their blogging and the road rage and the short attention spans and the no religion and the sex and the drugs and who turned off Matlock blahdeblahzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
There is a book that needs to be written about the modern malaise and why we're so prosperous and yet so miserable. This is not that book. This book is not even six degrees of separation from that book. This is a jumb More...
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Aug 28, 2008
Brian
rated it: 
The thesis of this book is that American culture is in the midst of a crisis brought on by narcissism, a crisis marked by belligerence, phoniness, and isolation. Why else would people yell into their cell phones in public places, or bellow obscenities at the ref while seated next to a kid at a football game? For this cultural crisis, author Dick Meyer blames the ethos of the sixties gone too far -- social liberation that has freed us too absolutely from the bonds of community and good manners.
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Sep 01, 2008
Stephanie
rated it: 
As I started reading this book I thought, wow! yeah, that's why I get so upset with Americans! Then I kept reading and felt guilty and upset with myself because I too have a lot of the annoying American habbits. Then about half way through the book I got really bored. So bored that every time I picked up the book and started reading I'd pass right out and have a good long nap. (Man, those were some good naps) I didn't finish this book before it was due back to the library. I couldn't renew
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Oct 28, 2008
Katie
rated it:
to be perfectly honest, I didn't finish this book ... I started reading it the day after attending the NLDS game where the Dodgers advanced to the NLCS and I could clearly see idiots outlined in Mr. Meyer's book by recalling my experience in the cheap seats the previous night. but after a few days I got annoyed at reading about how everyone in American sucks or thinks something else sucks so I stopped.
how I understood Mr/ Meyer's "solution" to America's problem, is to rese More...
how I understood Mr/ Meyer's "solution" to America's problem, is to rese More...
Apr 27, 2010
Phillip
rated it:
"Why We Hate Us" is a non-partisan diatribe about America's disgust with itself. Meyer's blames our rising "discontent" of our fellow countryman and culture primarily on the phoniness and lack of manners that he believes originated in the social movements of the sixties. While those movements provided many changes fundamental to our current decency, such as equal and civil rights for all citizens, it also wreaked havoc on some of the social customs that bound us within a co
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Oct 20, 2009
Rich
rated it: 
6 stars. 7, 8, 9. Excellent doubleplus good.
A cousin to Derb's We Are Doomed, less pessimistic but just as sobering about the modern world. Explains why "Real Simple" magazine isn't, why Bowling Alone is a real problem, and why David Byrne was prescient when he asked, "My god! What have I done?"
I imagine the book's critics, if any, point out that it's simply another "Life is the journey, not the destination" book, but even if that's true, More...
A cousin to Derb's We Are Doomed, less pessimistic but just as sobering about the modern world. Explains why "Real Simple" magazine isn't, why Bowling Alone is a real problem, and why David Byrne was prescient when he asked, "My god! What have I done?"
I imagine the book's critics, if any, point out that it's simply another "Life is the journey, not the destination" book, but even if that's true, More...
Feb 02, 2010
Ido
rated it:
This was an excellent book. Dick Meyer has tapped into a strong undercurrent of discontent within American society that most of us are not aware of but feel the effects of all the time. Americans are more interested in living their lives vicariously through reality-based TV shows and of buying bigger and bigger houses and bigger and bigger cars but they don't understand the angst which drives them to behave this way. Our communities are becoming less and less cohesive because we fail to make
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Oct 22, 2008
Ellen
rated it:
This started out well. It was interesting and engaging. The author made a lot of salient points. And then, well, I just completely lost interest. It struck me as an old man's rant that came down to the simple point, "Americans hate themselves, because they hate modern life." Great, thanks for the newsflash.
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Aug 13, 2008
I saw an interview with the author, but since it was on The Colbert Report, and Colbert just interrupts.. I don't really know what it's about. But I'm intruiged. I just hope it's not as snobby as Cult of the Amatuer.
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Aug 02, 2011
Heidi
rated it:
I was hoping for something a little more prescriptive, but the author didn't recommend doing anything to fix the objectionable parts of our culture that I haven't already been doing for ten years now. However, most people don't take control of what images they consume, and could probably use the wake-up call this book provides so they will do something about it other than complain. Don't bother reading the book if you don't hate the rude and boorish behavior that permeates public life, since y
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Aug 12, 2009
Kevin
rated it:
Took me ages to read this as I would get through maybe a few pages before I would have to stop and think about what I had just read. Some of the ideas and the implications of what I had just read would take me the rest of the night to thoroughly work out in my head and apply to personal experience. A lot of the book reads like common sense but at the same time it's stuff that is a helpful reminder. It's also nice to have the author articulate nagging things that are on the tip of my tongue but t
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Aug 08, 2008
Each of us has had this type of “what has happened to this country” conversation – and Meyer’s does a good job at putting it all together and with laying out suggestions to get us back on track. The challenge - just like any other road to recovery you gotta really really want to change before you’re able to take that first step. "Dick Meyer has done the impossible — he diagnoses the self-loathing, moral confusion and ennui that infect supersized America without hectoring us and badgering us
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Apr 11, 2011
Cameron
rated it:
Fascinating. Some excellent points about being a responsible citizen; the best parts of this reminded me of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (which Meyer quotes not infrequently), with its focus on quality and depth over breadth. It runs out of steam at a few points and the final chapter feels like a jumbled mess of advice in comparison, but it's hard to argue with some of his observations about the absurdities of modern American life.
Jul 04, 2011
Lauren
rated it:
Like others, I thought the premise of the book was interesting and was looking forward to reading it. However, like others, I couldn't finish it. I usually give books until page 100 to make a decision on - this one didn't even make it to page 50 before I was flipping through the book wondering if the whole thing was going to be the same as what I just read.
Unfortunately, rather than make a statement and then expound on it further with studies, interviews, etc., Dick Meyer just makes a More...
Unfortunately, rather than make a statement and then expound on it further with studies, interviews, etc., Dick Meyer just makes a More...
Dec 21, 2008
Sally
rated it:
If you regularly respond to newsman and pundits that you hear on the telly, hurling epitaphs and wondering if everyone has gone quite mad -this is the book for you! A really well-written book that makes a lot of sense in this senseless world. May not make things any better, but it was refreshing to read something that was fresh, honest and made some sense for a change.
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Jan 20, 2011
Larry
rated it:
Shorter Dick Meyer: American culture sucks! Everyone is overloading their minds with drivel and pointless junk! Ringtones are stupid! Politics is vapid! We're entertaining ourselves to death and bowling alone and talking past each other! I hope I die soon because it's getting worse and worse! Good luck kids, you'll need it!
There, you don't need to read the book now.
There, you don't need to read the book now.
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Feb 03, 2009
Chantelle
rated it:
OK don't get me wrong on this one, I loved the idea of it-- a book about how we don't trust our government and why and how we can make it better but I just couldn't get through it. I'm not used to book without plots and I got bored very easily with this book. Furthermore, I cannot read about politics as hard as I try.
Nov 30, 2009
Hillery
rated it:
Interesting book about why we hate us (our culture). His thought---our increased balkanization resulting from the turmoil of the 60s and the increased diversity of the US coupled with a lot of the alienation, and plain rudeness, that all our technology has allowed to flourish. Thought-provoking.
Nov 09, 2008
Joseph
rated it:
I saw this author on The Colbert Report and thought his premise for the book was intriguing: everyone in American society hates some aspect of our culture, whether it is the lack of shame, the loss of civility and personal communication, or the increasing debauchery in our media, but no one will take ownership of American culture. In a sense, we have all become counter-culturists. But as I read the book, I got tired of the complaining, negative tone. I'm sure at some point he presents his soluti
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Feb 16, 2009
Wellington
rated it:
What a great eye-catching title! Dutifully I slogged my way through the book hoping to find some answer. Mostly I agree with a lot of the answers Mr. Meyer offered. He just took a long winding road to get there.
Jul 08, 2011
Chuck
rated it: 
Thought I put this up awhile ago no matter.
Well done book though should be shorter. The first half was great but then it really slowed down. Insightful and surprisingly practical in spots.
Well done book though should be shorter. The first half was great but then it really slowed down. Insightful and surprisingly practical in spots.
Mar 31, 2010
Randi
rated it:
Meyer makes some good points about the state of current American culture and why we are, seemingly, at odds with one another. I skipped a few sections due to the repetative nature of the narrative, but overall liked the book and would recommend it.
Jul 03, 2010
Abby
rated it:
Why We Hate Us brought my life into perspective. Usually with these kinds of epiphany, I find myself trying to minimize these traits. However, I feel I am unable to make myself more authentic or stop from starting an argument when opportunity arises. Meyer offers a remedy to make us belittle our hatefulness. To sum it up in one sentence, he says “strive to make thoughtful choices using a sound moral temperament.” I guess acknowledging my hatefulness is a start.
Read more at
Par More...
Read more at
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Aug 03, 2009
Rhett
rated it:
I greatly enjoyed this book. It's true that the book offers little in the way of solutions but then, most Americans would have trouble even describing the problem.
Dec 08, 2008
Dawn
rated it:
This is an argument that is one that I make regularly, yet somehow the book never came together for me. A lot of what is wrong, but very little on the things that can make it better.
Dec 18, 2008
Maren
rated it:
I admit it, I timed out on this book. While the author did have some provocative thoughts here and there, the cynicism and negativity that he was complaining about was so pervasive that the book became unbearable. Talk about literary irony... I'm starting to understand why the one reviewer (?) compared Meyer to Andy Rooney off his meds--I couldn't even make it to the supposed "solution" to remedy why we hate us at the end. Nothing was safe from his acerbic tongue and I was left thi
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Oct 15, 2008
James
rated it:
Right now, Americans suffer from loathing of both ourselves and our culture. Dick Meyer, formerly with CBS News and now with NPR, analyzes this esteem issue. He reaches some conclusions that, while not exactly shocking or groundbreaking, are interesting in the way Meyer puts various observations - a plethora of choice, technological change, the "me generation" problems of the 1960's and '70's, the distrust of government, politics and corporations - together. Since he is a journalist
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Aug 22, 2008
Gregory
rated it:
I used to think that I was just cantankerous and old before my time, but this book beautifully articulates and explains why I (WE) am consistently discontented with the world around me. It has also opened my eyes to some of the problems that I have that I have always suspected were problems, but could not figure out exactly why or how. This is a very wise book by a very wise man - a man who understands that our lives, our characters, and our society need to achieve a respectful balance. Dick
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Dec 01, 2010
Sara
rated it:
I found this to be an interesting read and a refreshing critique of American society that for once did not get bogged down in defending a political view (i.e. explaining why "everyone else" is wrong) but did not dance around tough issues, either.
I would recommend checking it out.
(Full disclosure--I did not finish this book because it was due back at the library and was on hold. However, I would like to in the future.)
I would recommend checking it out.
(Full disclosure--I did not finish this book because it was due back at the library and was on hold. However, I would like to in the future.)
Apr 30, 2009
Stetnie
rated it:
I never actually finished this, because I got so lost in it, and started to dislike the tone of the book. I did agree with a very few points of what I did read, but not enough to finish it.
