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What Should We Be Worried About? Real Scenarios That Keep Scientists Up at Night by John Brockman
bioniclib's review against another edition
2.0
This book scratches my pursuit of pensiveness itch. But in the end, it had too much negativity.
This was a book chosen by the Guys Book Group I run. I’d not have chosen it myself. But that’s what makes the group great; I read a lot of books I wouldn’t have even heard of. I wasn’t able to actually finish it but I read a goodly number of the 150 or so 3-4 page essays. Being the written words of scientists some of them were more accessible than others. Many of them annoyed me by front-loading of their essay with things we shouldn’t be worried about. For me, it was a bit of thumbing their nose at the question. There were a number of answers that made me think though.
The devaluations of words due to the quick-to-print nature of the internet hit home. I’m often struggling to write these reviews to be something other than “twas good” or “twas poppycock”. The internet is all about quantity over quality. So words are cheap. (p. 90)
The viewing Democracy as perhaps not suitable for the future was interesting. To steal from Voltaire’s Candide, I’m seen Democracy’s status as the best of all possible governments to be a bit of a farce. Does Democracy work in a globalized society? I’m not so sure. (p.100)
Dovetailing off that, society has grown so much that we may have to redefine what, exactly, crime is. Too often the little crimes of the unjustly treated are seen as a worse threat to our way of life than those crimes of the white collared. It’s changing the joke, he (and it’s so often a he) who has the gold makes the rule into not so much of a joke. (p. 250)
In spite of the low rating, I would actually recommend this book. I would simply recommend you not read it cover to cover. Peruse the table of contents and read the ones that strike your fancy. But don’t read too many, it’ll ruin your day.
This was a book chosen by the Guys Book Group I run. I’d not have chosen it myself. But that’s what makes the group great; I read a lot of books I wouldn’t have even heard of. I wasn’t able to actually finish it but I read a goodly number of the 150 or so 3-4 page essays. Being the written words of scientists some of them were more accessible than others. Many of them annoyed me by front-loading of their essay with things we shouldn’t be worried about. For me, it was a bit of thumbing their nose at the question. There were a number of answers that made me think though.
The devaluations of words due to the quick-to-print nature of the internet hit home. I’m often struggling to write these reviews to be something other than “twas good” or “twas poppycock”. The internet is all about quantity over quality. So words are cheap. (p. 90)
The viewing Democracy as perhaps not suitable for the future was interesting. To steal from Voltaire’s Candide, I’m seen Democracy’s status as the best of all possible governments to be a bit of a farce. Does Democracy work in a globalized society? I’m not so sure. (p.100)
Dovetailing off that, society has grown so much that we may have to redefine what, exactly, crime is. Too often the little crimes of the unjustly treated are seen as a worse threat to our way of life than those crimes of the white collared. It’s changing the joke, he (and it’s so often a he) who has the gold makes the rule into not so much of a joke. (p. 250)
In spite of the low rating, I would actually recommend this book. I would simply recommend you not read it cover to cover. Peruse the table of contents and read the ones that strike your fancy. But don’t read too many, it’ll ruin your day.
blairconrad's review against another edition
3.0
About 150 2–5 page essays about what we should be worried about. Many of these were eye-opening. And by that token, depressing. Some not so much. I thought Brockman did a very good job arranging the essays so they flowed from point to point smoothly. In the end, though, I felt a little left hanging. Especially where essays conflicted, I wanted a more in-depth treatment. Still, not a bad survey course, if you will.
rinnyssance's review against another edition
2.0
For those who aren't familiar with Edge.com, annually they ask their very smart members a profound question and prompt them to write essays with their answers. Every year there is a one to two page response to the answer. Some better than others, some related to one another, some completely left field. Some you might agree with, some you may've never even heard of. All about the same in profundity or mundane babble annually. Some years they are published on Edge's website and others they are compiled, edited and published in a book. I don't know why, but it happens. This question, a very good one, happens to be one that was published as a book.
It's not that I don't like edge.com's effort to show us what smart people think. It's not even that I don't like the concept of the book or the question per se. It's just that a lot of the essays aren't worth reading. This book would have been much better if just a few contributors were posted and wrote a proper in-depth report on what we should be worried about. All the essays are just dangling opinions, prompting you to look up more for yourself. Some even babbled on for a page until the final paragraph let you know the premise of their argument. It's just a waste of reading time and energy.
You will definitely learn some new things reading this book, but you'll learn them on your own. There's no way that you'll truly enjoy this book if you want to learn something or leave feeling like you've enriched yourself. All this book does is give you more work to do.
It's not that I don't like edge.com's effort to show us what smart people think. It's not even that I don't like the concept of the book or the question per se. It's just that a lot of the essays aren't worth reading. This book would have been much better if just a few contributors were posted and wrote a proper in-depth report on what we should be worried about. All the essays are just dangling opinions, prompting you to look up more for yourself. Some even babbled on for a page until the final paragraph let you know the premise of their argument. It's just a waste of reading time and energy.
You will definitely learn some new things reading this book, but you'll learn them on your own. There's no way that you'll truly enjoy this book if you want to learn something or leave feeling like you've enriched yourself. All this book does is give you more work to do.
mazza57's review against another edition
3.0
This is a collection of answers to the edge question of 2013. Some of them are very readable some - the scientists use too many long words in too many long sentences. Some suggest worrying is a pointless exercise because ultimately we cannot change things. Two scientist might debate different sides of the same issue such as Artificial intelligence. Ultimately I think i will just keep on worryong about the usual things.
mcallan0627's review against another edition
5.0
I really enjoyed this book. It was divided into 150 short sections, which made it easy to read in spurts over time. Although I skipped around 15% of the articles due a lack of understanding of the subject area (i.e., theoretical mathematics, physics), overall I found it incredibly interesting and learned a ton, in areas I both knew a lot about and knew basically nothing about.
kittarlin's review against another edition
2.0
Short pieces on what experts think is worrying, and what they think isn't. Decided I didn't need to know that badly, thanks. I'll just keep worrying about the things I already worry about. More is really unnecessary.
ariel_bloomer's review against another edition
informative
tense
fast-paced
3.25
This was a quick read and a good option at a time when I don’t have a lot of focus, as it’s many short essays/long answers to a prompt.
It was strange to read now in 2022 as some of the “things to worry about” regarding vaccine-hesitancy and infectious disease, and Putin going to war to claw back a former Soviet state have now come to pass.
It was strange to read now in 2022 as some of the “things to worry about” regarding vaccine-hesitancy and infectious disease, and Putin going to war to claw back a former Soviet state have now come to pass.
choicelight's review against another edition
2.0
I really thought this would be far more fact driven and far less opinion driven. Quite disappointed.