‘How mumbo-jumbo conquered the world’, by Francis Wheen has attracted some rave reviews. I have a rule that I can buy only two books a month, dictated by my finances. However, intellectual curiosity got the better of me and I decided to buy this book, even though that would exceed my monthly quota.
Though a minnow like me should be wary of criticising the intellectual outpourings of those who know better, I cannot agree with some of the praise that has been heaped on this book. Sure, it contains some useful apercus on the influence of pseudo-science and airy-fairy bunkum. It rightly sniggers at the self help books that are filled with truisms and bromides. Apart filling the pockets of the writers, these serve no useful purpose.
Yet the author’s hyperactive pen strikes at too much. You may disagree with monetarism, but it is a perfectly arguable position to have. And is the left’s critique of US foreign policy so unreasonable as to be in the same league as the balderdash that is the marriage of business and mysticism.
I would have preferred a book on the rise of pseudo-science and its use by politicians, business leaders and the public. At times the book does this, for example when it describes the Blairs’ predilection for weird rituals. It also lays bare the baser financial motives behind the rise of mumbo-jumbo, particularly in the mystification of the pursuit of profit. Yet, for me, the book failed because it gave the impression that anything the author did not agree with amounted to mumbo-jumbo.
No comments:
Post a Comment