Isaac's review of Reefer Madness: Sex, Drugs, and Cheap Labor in the American Black Market
Reefer Madness: Sex, Drugs, and Cheap Labor in the American Black Market
by Eric Schlosser
This book is fun in the way that 'Freakonomics' is fun, discussing business practices that more conservative economists will completely stay away from despite the obvious fact that they help drive the economy in a big way. If you think libertarians are right on for inciting a radically de-regulated take on capitalism, you will love this book. The drugs section is probably the saddest, documenting the story of a down and out midwesterner sentenced to maximum security prison for his limited involvement in a large marijuana deal. Although it is nowhere officially documented, marijuana is estimated to be as high as the third biggest cash crop for small time midwestern farmers. I found that out from this book. The pornography section is pretty fascinating too, since it looks at 30 years of the industry's history through the rise and sort of fall of this guy whose genius at doing illegal business without getting prosecuted for it is truly amazing. It all starts with him hand deliveri...more
This book is fun in the way that 'Freakonomics' is fun, discussing business practices that more conservative economists will completely stay away from despite the obvious fact that they help drive the economy in a big way. If you think libertarians are right on for inciting a radically de-regulated take on capitalism, you will love this book. The drugs section is probably the saddest, documenting the story of a down and out midwesterner sentenced to maximum security prison for his limited involvement in a large marijuana deal. Although it is nowhere officially documented, marijuana is estimated to be as high as the third biggest cash crop for small time midwestern farmers. I found that out from this book. The pornography section is pretty fascinating too, since it looks at 30 years of the industry's history through the rise and sort of fall of this guy whose genius at doing illegal business without getting prosecuted for it is truly amazing. It all starts with him hand delivering dirty photos at the corner store, moves on to a covert warehouse operation in Cleveland, and expands to become a network of production and distribution companies all owned by phantom businesses whose money is laundered through international banks and filtered back to the kingpin through yet other holdings without his name appearing on a single document. In other words, it's the American dream story retold in a way that no-one claimed to approve of but still helped support. I'm sure the movie will come out about this guy someday. Anyway, this book is well written and much more naughty than Fast Food Nation (which is also really good). Libertarians dig in!...less
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