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Title: The Death of Common Sense by Phillip K. Howard, Philip K. Howard ISBN: 1-57511-007-5 Publisher: Publishing Mills Pub. Date: June, 1996 Format: Audio Cassette Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.14 (44 reviews)
Rating: 3
Summary: A quick read
Comment: I got this book based on the recommendation found in Jaques Barzun's, From Dawn to Decadence. Barzun referred to it in the context of the stifling and dehumanizing effect of bureacractic society on people.
While I enjoyed the book I felt the author too often relied upon annecdotes that roused the readers indignation. I was hoping for a more developed exploration of the psychology and philosophy behind the bureaucratic impulse and of the effect it has on culture. Both concepts were addressed upon but never fully developed to my satisfaction.
Still, if there is no such exploration available in print this book could start you on your own thoughtful journey...
The book is made up of four parts:
Legalism -- The idea that we can create a perfect society through perfect laws. This reminded me of the Pharisees of the bible and their desire to achieve righteousness through laws. It didn't work. In fact it annoyed the God they were trying to impress.
Process -- The idea that a correct set of procedures and unswerving adherance to them can eliminate human error (or corrupt behavior). This reminds me of the Priest of the bible who thought they were O.K. as long as they stuck with the ritual forms of worship regardless of their internal motivations.
Rights -- The idea that personal wants and needs should be elevated to the level of rights. We accept the desire not to made fun of because we are fat as a right which when violated is discrimination. In doing so we undermine the importance of essential human rights -- the right to self determination, freedom etc.
Personal Responsibility -- Offered as the antidote (along with a necessary willingness to accept error, risk etc.)
I have found the concepts in the book also apply to the corporate workplace. However, that could be simply the reacton of American business to the legal environment. The line is somewhat blurred to me.
Rating: 1
Summary: Common sense is over rated
Comment: Sorry folks, after reading this book, I must say, "common sense" is over rated, since in appealing to "common sense" we have already formed a general concept of what it means to think.
Rating: 4
Summary: A great book that describes how the Law hurts
Comment: Finally, someone that i agree with, on the ways the law hurts more than does help the citizens in america. Phillip K. Howard illustrates the way the American law is creating more enemies with-in the country than agreeing with what democracy is really about. This book is food for thought, and he makes the evidence more obious. By really getting a point out that "The people's right" is more of a fine print in the constitution. I agree with him how, if people are trying to help other or, themselves, you have to go through a major process in order to do so. How Nuns tried to build a shelter for Homelesss people on a abandoned burned building, but yet couldn't due to new renovation laws that required elevators for any new or renovated building. Homeless don't care for elevators, but warm place to sleep. How in 1993 kids couldn't display artwork on the walls of there school, due to fire hazards, and it is against the law to do so. Where it came up in a holloween presentation. Whatr's worse is how our taxes are paying for a mojor part of cost that the government shouldn't spend on.
What is more interesting in this book is how the government can make situations worse, like the father of eight who turned for the government for help when his kids came out positive for lead poisoning, they told him to paint over it. Yet The city inspectors came in and red tag the house, fined him $1700, and if he didn't strip the house and repaint it, he would be fine more than $8,000. This book is really great for those who know, or have a feeling that the laws here in the USA, are far worse than actually read. Also it is a great book who think that the Law here is the best amd that there is no corruption with the government, or anything wrong with the Government.
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Title: The Collapse of the Common Good : How America's Lawsuit Culture Undermines Our Freedom by Philip K. Howard ISBN: 034543871X Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 29 January, 2002 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
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Title: The Case Against Lawyers by Catherine Crier ISBN: 0767905040 Publisher: Broadway Pub. Date: 08 October, 2002 List Price(USD): $23.95 |
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Title: The Rule of Lawyers: How the New Litigation Elite Threatens America's Rule of Law by Walter K. Olson ISBN: 0312280858 Publisher: Truman Talley Books Pub. Date: 21 January, 2003 List Price(USD): $25.95 |
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Title: Lost Rights: The Destruction of American Liberty by James Bovard ISBN: 0312123337 Publisher: St. Martin's Press Pub. Date: September, 1995 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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Title: The Tyranny of Good Intentions : How Prosecutors and Bureaucrats Are Trampling the Constitution in the Name ofJustice by Paul Craig Roberts, Lawrence M. Stratton ISBN: 076152553X Publisher: Prima Lifestyles Pub. Date: 18 May, 2000 List Price(USD): $24.95 |
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