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Jeanette's Reviews > Black Rednecks and White Liberals
Black Rednecks and White Liberals
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It's beyond my ability to relate to the review readers the hefty substance of this book.
The research and the source material alone are treasures, but the encapsulation of these subject (chapter headings) all combined and with threads in the dozens that entwine each other! Beyond my ability to sufficiently describe. How different cultures have formed over centuries and movements and have keep their original cultures in stronger flavors than the original populations that stayed "put". That alone was some of the most intriguing proofs of empirical data I've read in twenty years.
It's just exceptional in the fact data alone- but the mix of cause and effect and his observations of results long term- not only the most clear intelligence but the least bias of direction in these fields of multi-cultural mix effects and progressions. Quite beyond the prediction, into the data of "after".
But as fabulous as this book was in the clear "eyes" and historical context of the fact/data history and the interpreted to "causes" history- the last chapter was the one that I consider priceless. Especially within the time frame in which it was written. Because he's a true prophet.
"History Versus Visions" is the best prose length I've ever read upon history and the recording of the past itself. And how when we revise it and "take sides" it is no longer history. Not because of objectivity but primarily for the faults of omission. And the implications of fault, blame or honest differences- his explanations are correct, masterful. Please read this chapter if nothing else.
How could he have had a thick enough skin to have written all of these studies and conclusions when he did? What a intellect. My summation of about 1/2 of the conclusions he has defined here! Not an explanation, but just my reaction of awe. Honesty coupled with immense strength, courage and a logic of analysis that is genius perfection.
The chapters upon the "Real History of Slavery", "Are Jews Generic", and "Germans and History" were, for my reading them, entire books within themselves. And they took that long to read too.
With that second, I have always noted the reactions to "middle men" (bankers, tax collectors, shop keepers, merchants) in present day cultures, myself. Because most, if not all, of my ancestors were "middle men" and also in great numbers migrant over generations by the fact.
Lastly, when I read some of these reviews for this book now after I have read it? Amazing that any reader could begin to assume that Thomas Sowell has reached conclusions before assembling the factors towards it. All of his thought processes are exactly the opposite.
So many common day Western world "assumptions" upon culture and society "help" are absolutely just that, assumptions. Growth in educational aptitudes and innovative completions, better living conditions over generations of health/art/literature/longevity and much else that results in "better" needs to be very much reevaluated in this century, IMHO, in that criteria light.
The research and the source material alone are treasures, but the encapsulation of these subject (chapter headings) all combined and with threads in the dozens that entwine each other! Beyond my ability to sufficiently describe. How different cultures have formed over centuries and movements and have keep their original cultures in stronger flavors than the original populations that stayed "put". That alone was some of the most intriguing proofs of empirical data I've read in twenty years.
It's just exceptional in the fact data alone- but the mix of cause and effect and his observations of results long term- not only the most clear intelligence but the least bias of direction in these fields of multi-cultural mix effects and progressions. Quite beyond the prediction, into the data of "after".
But as fabulous as this book was in the clear "eyes" and historical context of the fact/data history and the interpreted to "causes" history- the last chapter was the one that I consider priceless. Especially within the time frame in which it was written. Because he's a true prophet.
"History Versus Visions" is the best prose length I've ever read upon history and the recording of the past itself. And how when we revise it and "take sides" it is no longer history. Not because of objectivity but primarily for the faults of omission. And the implications of fault, blame or honest differences- his explanations are correct, masterful. Please read this chapter if nothing else.
How could he have had a thick enough skin to have written all of these studies and conclusions when he did? What a intellect. My summation of about 1/2 of the conclusions he has defined here! Not an explanation, but just my reaction of awe. Honesty coupled with immense strength, courage and a logic of analysis that is genius perfection.
The chapters upon the "Real History of Slavery", "Are Jews Generic", and "Germans and History" were, for my reading them, entire books within themselves. And they took that long to read too.
With that second, I have always noted the reactions to "middle men" (bankers, tax collectors, shop keepers, merchants) in present day cultures, myself. Because most, if not all, of my ancestors were "middle men" and also in great numbers migrant over generations by the fact.
Lastly, when I read some of these reviews for this book now after I have read it? Amazing that any reader could begin to assume that Thomas Sowell has reached conclusions before assembling the factors towards it. All of his thought processes are exactly the opposite.
So many common day Western world "assumptions" upon culture and society "help" are absolutely just that, assumptions. Growth in educational aptitudes and innovative completions, better living conditions over generations of health/art/literature/longevity and much else that results in "better" needs to be very much reevaluated in this century, IMHO, in that criteria light.
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Reading Progress
June 22, 2018
– Shelved as:
to-read
June 22, 2018
– Shelved
June 27, 2018
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Started Reading
June 29, 2018
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14.78%
"There's more empirical evidence of cultural and values that have been measured in 10 pages of this book than in any 100 pages of other books I've read on similar subject matter. Sowell is one of the most measured and particular thinker I've ever read. Not only in economics. This taught me more in the first 50 pages about Celtic and English locations of emigrant origin than 20 other books total."
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55
July 7, 2018
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Finished Reading
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Thanks, Heidi.Although I didn't and couldn't begin to encompass all that he encounters here in this book, and studies within its own subjects. Like cognition. Human brain cognition. He's spot on for that field of study as well. What he says here about "stereotype" and human cognition to practical applications for aspects of "stereotype", for instance.
Amazing. A true Renaissance man. His genius flies across the boards.
And foremost with that last chapter, he saw the harm in the Zinn type of recording of history taught within the "eyes" that it holds and distorts. And the results it would cause in feelings and definition- beyond harmful. His data flows by 100 streams into a massive river for the closest definitive core of what propaganda does in this way by "approved" association of this distorted historical context loaded with omission and interpretation. And it has come full circle now in its contempt result (but also holding more anger), just as he observed it would.
I forgot to add something else that was superlative and also rare. Not only in print but in every logistic of practical applications and culture that I could name/by long lists. And that is GEOGRAPHY.Thomas Sowell does comparisons of the populations of Eastern vs. Western Europe over millennia here. And the most pervasive and culture clutching factors of change and mix all occurred because of GEOGRAPHY. Especially within Russian culture/sensitivities and all those nations that became their USSR acclimation territories. And also within the Balkans.
My other favorite books of all "importance" listed for the last few decades have held their feet in geography too. "Structure is for Function" is not just a scientific principle of base prime. Grossly misunderstood and predominantly overlooked and under-learned have been the essentials of identity that occur for realities of cultural perception due to geography. The present younger generations don't know land mass designations/types/fall outs or physical geography of country function or identity to work either. Nor the geography placements to function or access by country or language group proximity. They know almost nothing about how geography determines so much or the fact of all its implications to homo sapiens culture. Not only in the present.
Another great review of a great
book!