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Przepędźcie guru, którzy radzą, jak żyć i inne eseje
„Przepędźcie guru, którzy radzą, jak żyć” to tytuł jednego z rozdziałów najnowszej książki Tomasza Witkowskiego będącej zbiorem błyskotliwych esejów filozoficzno-publicystycznych, w których autor demaskuje obiegowe prawdy dotyczące rzeczywistości i kultury, w której żyjemy. Szczególnie dużo uwagi poświęca problematyce umierania i kwestiom etycznym z tym związanym, a także narzędziom krytycznego myślenia i kulturowym uproszczeniom kształtującym nasze spostrzeganie rzeczywistości.
Roy F. Baumaister w swojej przedmowie zwraca się do czytelniczek i czytelników z taką oto refleksją: „Ta książka to potężny cios wymierzony w wygodne przekonanie, że kultura polega na budowaniu wspólnej, prawdziwej wizji świata. Błędy, uprzedzenia i zniekształcenia królują niepodzielnie w myśleniu indywidualnym i zbiorowym. Wielu ludzi prosperuje wśród innych nie poprzez doskonalenie zbiorowego rozumienia prawdy, ale właśnie dzięki promowaniu i rozpowszechnianiu fałszywych informacji”.
W przeciwieństwie do wielu krytyków społecznych dokonujących drobiazgowych analiz, Witkowski dzieląc się swoimi przemyśleniami, zabiera czytelnika w malowniczą podróż, podczas której dowiemy się dlaczego orły wychowane w kurniku nie potrafią latać, kiedy Hermann Göring poznał zło, co współczesnych mężczyzn łączy z aligatorami i jak w XXI wieku doprowadzić do krucjaty dziecięcej.
Książka ukazała się wcześniej w języku angielskim (pod tytułem „Fades, Fakes, and Frauds. Exploding Myths in Culture, Science, and Psychology”) oraz została przetłumaczona na język koreański.
Roy F. Baumaister w swojej przedmowie zwraca się do czytelniczek i czytelników z taką oto refleksją: „Ta książka to potężny cios wymierzony w wygodne przekonanie, że kultura polega na budowaniu wspólnej, prawdziwej wizji świata. Błędy, uprzedzenia i zniekształcenia królują niepodzielnie w myśleniu indywidualnym i zbiorowym. Wielu ludzi prosperuje wśród innych nie poprzez doskonalenie zbiorowego rozumienia prawdy, ale właśnie dzięki promowaniu i rozpowszechnianiu fałszywych informacji”.
W przeciwieństwie do wielu krytyków społecznych dokonujących drobiazgowych analiz, Witkowski dzieląc się swoimi przemyśleniami, zabiera czytelnika w malowniczą podróż, podczas której dowiemy się dlaczego orły wychowane w kurniku nie potrafią latać, kiedy Hermann Göring poznał zło, co współczesnych mężczyzn łączy z aligatorami i jak w XXI wieku doprowadzić do krucjaty dziecięcej.
Książka ukazała się wcześniej w języku angielskim (pod tytułem „Fades, Fakes, and Frauds. Exploding Myths in Culture, Science, and Psychology”) oraz została przetłumaczona na język koreański.
- GenresNonfiction
298 pages, Paperback
Published July 17, 2024
5 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
Tomasz Witkowski
27 books62 followersDr Tomasz Witkowski is a psychologist and science writer. He is the founder of the Polish Skeptics Club and specializes in debunking pseudoscience, particularly in the field of psychology, psychotherapy, and diagnosis. He is the author of numerous books dozens of scientific papers and over 100 popular articles (some of them are published in Skeptical Inquirer). As an expert in science-pseudoscience issues, he is frequently called by the media to comment on frauds and abuses witnessed in psychology, psychotherapy and other areas of scientific activity. In 2010 awarded as a Rationalist of the Year in Poland.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
September 20, 2022
It is Dr. Tomasz Witkowski's “Fads, Fakes, and Frauds. Exploding Myths in Culture, Science and Psychology ”. Why do I call it "therapeutic"? For two reasons. Let me start by saying that it has restored my faith that after a hard COVID-19 one and a half years ago and problems with concentration, I will be able to focus my attention and enjoy reading (I read Witkowski's previous books in one or two days). And the book "Fads, Fakes, and Frauds" is captivating, well-written, and deals with topics - about which in a moment - that will not leave the reader indifferent. This is the first book I have read since my illness - cover to cover and with great interest.
I called the book "therapeutic" for me, mainly because it was sobering and cleansing for me. I realized how many statements I put on faith, how I thoughtlessly form my beliefs and gulped down the ready-made food offered to me by contemporary culture, and how naively trusting I am in what authorities say. Reading "Fads, Fakes, and Frauds" brought me some discoveries. I will only name four. First of all: understanding how fashionable the slogan "Everyone is different!", Apart from its importance for promoting tolerance, contributes nothing to scientific research and understanding of human functioning. Second: recognizing how, in modern culture, claiming to be a victim leads to the expectation of special treatment, and how a therapeutic culture produces victims. Third, the recognition of the decisive influence of cultural entanglement in traditional beliefs is blocking the scientific consideration of empowering people to choose a dignified death in situations of terminal illness and/or threat of chronic suffering. And fourth: discovering how valuable is "addition by subtraction", that is, cleaning science from what is inappropriate, out of date, and compromised. And there are more reasons for reflection in the book. Each essay is such a reason.
What do I like in Witkowski's book? The way he writes. I read his essays like detective stories: I recognize the (scientific!) evidence that takes the blindfold off my eyes and I can see the facts. I greatly appreciate the fact that he always annotates his texts with references to scientific literature and research results. But Witkowski's book is something more: its reading awakens critical thinking and reflection. That is why reading is not only passionate but also useful. I highly recommend it!
I called the book "therapeutic" for me, mainly because it was sobering and cleansing for me. I realized how many statements I put on faith, how I thoughtlessly form my beliefs and gulped down the ready-made food offered to me by contemporary culture, and how naively trusting I am in what authorities say. Reading "Fads, Fakes, and Frauds" brought me some discoveries. I will only name four. First of all: understanding how fashionable the slogan "Everyone is different!", Apart from its importance for promoting tolerance, contributes nothing to scientific research and understanding of human functioning. Second: recognizing how, in modern culture, claiming to be a victim leads to the expectation of special treatment, and how a therapeutic culture produces victims. Third, the recognition of the decisive influence of cultural entanglement in traditional beliefs is blocking the scientific consideration of empowering people to choose a dignified death in situations of terminal illness and/or threat of chronic suffering. And fourth: discovering how valuable is "addition by subtraction", that is, cleaning science from what is inappropriate, out of date, and compromised. And there are more reasons for reflection in the book. Each essay is such a reason.
What do I like in Witkowski's book? The way he writes. I read his essays like detective stories: I recognize the (scientific!) evidence that takes the blindfold off my eyes and I can see the facts. I greatly appreciate the fact that he always annotates his texts with references to scientific literature and research results. But Witkowski's book is something more: its reading awakens critical thinking and reflection. That is why reading is not only passionate but also useful. I highly recommend it!
March 19, 2023
Interesting ideas; needs editing and fact-checking
Recommend this book for critical thinkers and skeptics. Interesting heterodox thinking and citations. However, could use editing: many misspelled names and ungrammatical sentences. So make sure to fact check and take the ideas with a grain of salt
Recommend this book for critical thinkers and skeptics. Interesting heterodox thinking and citations. However, could use editing: many misspelled names and ungrammatical sentences. So make sure to fact check and take the ideas with a grain of salt
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews