The Assault on Reason

Specifications:

Gore, Al. The Assault on Reason, 2007, Penguin Press, New York.

Reading

I read this book from about July 1, 2008 to July 7, 2008. The book is from my personal library.

Review

This book has a definite political bend. It is written by Al Gore, former presidential candidate, and, at times shows some very anti-Bush rhetoric.

The general gist of the book is that the political problems of the country are caused by the fact that people are getting their news from Television rather than newspapers. I agree with this statement, but not with the reason. He sites that television does not give people the opportunity to respond to the news stories, like newspapers do. The problem that I have is that I don't think that newspaper gives all that much opportunity to respond to the stories.

Television causes problems because it tends to limit stories to short snippets. Also, it controls which stories people see. These facts can cause the problems the books talks about.

The book also mentions Internet as a possible solution. I think it is. however, I don't think Al Gore is aware of how much the change has already taken place, even in 2007. Two stories, one from about 2002, and one from this year (2008).

In about 2002 there was a bad storm in Kansas City, and the electricity was off at my house for three days. It was also off at the high school for the same three days. As luck would have it, my daughter Connie became sick so she was unable to go to school when school started up again. About 10:00 I was talking with Connie, when she told me she was glad she didn't have to go to school. She had already received reports from the school via Internet the school was actually quite cold.

I was talking with Connie, now in College, shortly after reading this book. I mentioned that I thought Al Gore underestimated the influence of Internet on the news. She was working in Topeka, and living in Lawrence for the summer, so she car pools to work. She mentioned that at the end of the day, her car pool mates discuss the news of the day that they have heard on the Internet already.

The points of these stories is that the Internet is already making this book obsolete.

Another idea that was in the back of my mind while reading this is that Al Gore used to be a newspaper reporter. How much of the triad against television is sour grapes. That is, how many of the problems are real, and how many are because he has a vested interest in the success of newspapers.

I think I could recommend this book, because it does have some good points, but I cannot give it a wholehearted recommendation.