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Genealogy Book Store > Genealogy books beginning with M
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Makers and Takers: Why conservatives work harder, feel happier, have closer families, take fewer drugs, give more generously, value honesty more, are less materialistic and |
Author: Peter Schweizer
Published: 2008-06-03 |
List price: $24.95
Our price: $16.47
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As of: January 06th, 2009 05:20:04 AM
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Customer comments on this selection.
 a right good book!
This is a breezy, eye-opening page-turner. Apparently my whole life I've been leaning left and never realized it! I guess it all happened in school; I was an educational by-product of the 70s. A living example of an inculcated indoctrinée. Until now.
Schweizer brilliantly grabs the reader's attention by reciting mainstream media's insidious and unchallenged commentary on (among other descriptors) "mean," selfish, greedy, gun-loving conservatives. Then the fun begins as he brilliantly begins to unravel the myths -- as gently and easily as if he were unraveling a knitted scarf, loop by loop. Revealing them as flat-out untruths (a term which Schweizer knows liberals know all too well).
As one example, Vanity Fair editor James Wolcott's contention that the interior "red" states are a depressing home to higher incarceration, suicide and illegitimate birth rates is immediately invalidated by Schweizer's deft observation that Wolcott's statistics are skewed (by the simple fact that the culpable blue counties within these red states had been overlooked). The book quietly and confidently revels in further observations such as this. (It's a shame the book was published before Florida Democrat Tim Mahoney could take his place in the corner beside Republican Mark Foley, who is mentioned in passing. Perhaps there'll be a sequel.). Schweizer knocks down one argument after another until the reader is absolutely convinced of the author's claims that conservatives ARE more generous, more productive, better informed, calmer, happier and more ethical than liberals. And nicer to their mothers. Liberals are, in fact, the jealous and sinister younger sibling of conservatives (I swear -- it didn't dawn on me what sinister actually meant until after I wrote this sentence!).
Schweizer provides no shortage of concrete examples to support every aspect of his thesis: that conservatives are the makers and liberals are the takers in our society. As a work, Schweizer's prose is clean, straightforward, intelligent, logical, well-researched and supported by copious documentation (despite at least one instance where I was disappointed not to find an actual endnote (the above Wolcott example)).
Are we in the midst of a counter counter-culture? Are we taking a right turn back to that fork in the road that led us astray?
Perhaps the time is right.
 Predictable for the Gullible
This book is mostly an ego stroke. It's factual studies are there merely to prove to you the title of the book - conservatives are better. Did you expect a different outcome? The author has devoted and entire book that will have you shaking your head in agreement. It's perfect right? Or is it just telling you what you presumed already? Now it is simply using studies to collaborate the point, as if you needed reassurance. No, this book really isn't worth the time. It dispels the "misconceptions" by creating a few of their own. This book has no positive or beneficial purpose. It works merely to divide people into labeled categories and provide better fodder for the constant bickering between the two. Nevermind that no two humans are alike, or that one person's view of being conservative is different than anothers. Nevermind the idea that we are all mosaics, not cookie-cutter zombies. The book might as well have been on eugenics, as it draws the best parallel. Skip this and find something better.
The Perfect Gift...
...for that friend or family member that "was born on third base and acts like he hit a triple."
Politically biased, but lots of great information
There is no question that Peter Schweizer is a conservative. Likewise, this book is aimed at an audience of conservatives. Schweizer's main theme is that liberals are "completely wrapped up with the notion of self". Liberals, according to Schweizer, also delight in proclaiming themselves smarter than conservatives and invent "studies" to prove it.
Well, Schweizer has his own study to rely on and it isn't one he invented. It is the General Social Survey conducted by the University of Chicago and the National Opinion Research Center.
So armed, Schweizer begins his comparison of liberals and conservstives. It boils down to "[m]odern liberal ideas consistently encourage bad habits and destructive behavioral tendencies".
It's good stuff as Schweizer holds forth on why liberals are more self-centered, less generous, less honest, angrier and less knowledgable than conservatives.
Obviously, it is not a book that left-wingers will enjoy.
But conservatives, independents and the intellectually curious will find "Makers and Takers" reasonably informative and very entertaining.
Jerry
 I was expecting more
Based on the jacket I thought this book would be like Millionaire Next Door but for politics. In Millionaire you find that the guy with the used car and jeans is a millionaire. In the book I was hoping for some defense of my positions. Like you'd find the guy with the short hair who votes Republican is actually the most generous and caring guy on the block. But that's not what this book is. It has moments when it is that. But, for the most part, it is just rehashing of some of the stupidest things said by people who, for the most part, aren't even in politics. For example, Al Franken tackling some college kid because he supports lower taxes, or whatever. Yeah, granted, Al Franken is outrageous. But what does that really say about the average Republican or Democrat? It says nothing. I suspect the truth is that the exact same percentage of caring and generous people exist on both sides of the aisle. They just have different ways of showing it.
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