A delightful little treatise on the semantics of the word and how it differs from other words used to describe mendacity. The author, a Princeton Professor, argues that there are key differences between a lie and bullshit. A liar and a truth-teller play on different sides of the same game. A liar must acknowledge that truth exists in order to defy it. A bullshitter, on the other hand, has no interest in the truth and is only interested in furthering his own agenda. He could just as likely tell a truth without knowing it as a lie. If and unnamed American president were to swear to the Canadian prime minister that something is true that he doesn't know for sure just to win an argument, then that president would be a bullshitter. That's a pretty poor example, though, as no American president would ever do such a thing.

Nuostabus filosofinis veikalas. Patariu perskaityti visiems savigalbos popieriukų skaitytojams - gal suvoksite, kokią šūdmalą, ar tiksliau tariant, oro pardavinėjimą skaitote ir kad tik švaistote savo brangų laiką bei paleidžiate jį vėjais.

Știți cine mănâncă rahat? Dacă nu știți, citiți cartea lui Frankfurt. Îmi permit totuși să numesc 3 categorii de indivizi care obișnuiesc să-l înfulece cu polonicul: oamenii politici, filozofii, influencerii. Și mai sunt destui. Rahatul e discursul care pare doar să transmită ceva, dar el e o înșiruire de vorbe goale: ”Trăiască lupta pentru pace!”, ”!Nu vom precupeți niciun efort”, ”Prin sânge, sudoare și lacrimi, vom construi un viitor fericit” etc.

Pfffft, where to begin!

I think this was a good little ruse for a "book"! I feel robbed! I thought this may be a deep, meaningful discussion on how society has descended into the nether regions of bullshit.

Instead it was pretty much Harry going through a dictionary and spouting a little rhetoric about the literal meaning of bullshit! Although he never really gets to any point other than the vague notion that bullshit is all around us, in society, so much so that we accept it more than we should! I accepted it far too readily in the form of this book!! It wasted half an hour of my life on a subject that I'm pretty well used to hearing!

Never mind!

الهراء .. موضوع مهم يتحدث عنه أستاذ الفلسفة الأخلاقية هاري فرانكفورت في هذا الكتاب القصير. فالهراء كلام بلا مضمون ولا معنى، مجرد كلام (مأخوذ خيره) يهدف لإقناع الآخرين بلا دليل حقيقي. الكذب يختلف عن الهراء. فالكاذب هدفه إخفاء الحقيقة، أما الهرار - إذا صح التعبير - فلا يهتم بصدق أو كذب ما يقوله بقدر سعيه لإقناع الطرف الآخر بما يقوله مع استخدام فنون الاحتيال والمغالطات المنطقية. وبطبيعة الحال تزداد وسائل التواصل وأدوات الإعلام في وقتنا الحاضر، ويزداد بالتأكيد كمية الهراء المقروء والمسموع والمرئي، هذه الوسائل رغم أهميتها صارت تفتح الباب على مصراعيه لكل من هب ودب لكي يفتي وينصح في مسائل العلوم الدينية والدنيوية، فالكل صار طبيب والكل صار مصلح اجتماعي والكل صار متخصص في علوم الطاقة والكل يفهم في السياسية وهكذا (انشر تؤجر). لأنه ببساطة الكل لديه الفرصة للتحدث بما يشاء لمن يشاء (مع محظورات وخطوط حمراء محددة بالطبع) وبالتالي صار السعي إلى المعرفة الحقيقة صعبا لأنها مخفية وراء كم هائل من المعلومات الزائفة أي الهراء. كان التحدي في السابق هو الحصول على المعلومة نظرا لندرة الكتب وقلة مصادر الإعلام، أما الآن فالتحدي هو النبش عن المعلومة الموثوقة وسط أكوام هائلة من الهراء والإشاعات والمعلومات المغلوطة. والتحدي الأكبر أن الإنسان يتعرض لسيل متواصل من الرسائل والتغريدات والمشاركات التافهة التي تصل إليه رغما عنه، فمادام مشتركا في برنامج من برامج التواصل فإن موجات الهراء ستصله لا محالة.

Book, you better be glad you are short and I borrowed you from the library, because how do people spend money on you?

During my youth, the consulting company I worked for sent me as an "expert" to a chemical plant - a process about which I had only the vaguest idea.

The job was generic and relatively straightforward, and did not require any special expertise: I concluded my two week visit successfully. Imagine my horror when, during the concluding meeting, the Head of Engineering said: "Mr. Varma, from your vast expertise, can you give some advice about a problem in operations?"

My knees turned weak and heart started doing double-time: however, hiding my nervousness, I nodded.

He continued. "Our reactor is facing solid deposition. The agitator inside the reactor was placed two metres above the bottom - to combat this problem, we reduced the clearance to a metre. The deposition has decreased, and we are able to live with it. However, we'd like to know whether we can lower it further. Can you advise?"

I looked at the ceiling for a moment, and scratched my chin. The whole production team was staring expectantly at me.

To gain time, I asked:"How much was the gap initially?"

"Two metres."

"Hmm... and how much now?"

"A metre."

"And you say the deposition has decreased, and you can live with it."

"Yes."

"Well..." I said, scratching my chin and trying to look knowledgeable: "You've left it very narrow, but it seems to be OK. Don't reduce it any further, however."

"Oh no!" The Head of Engineering and the production team heaved a collective sigh of relief.

The expert had spoken.

----------------------------

Now, thanks to Harry Frankfurt, I know that what I did could be called "bullshitting" - not exactly lying, nor telling the truth, but speaking with scant regard to whether whatever I am saying is true or false - to create a certain impression of oneself on an audience.

Of course, I have the defence that I was trying to save my life (well, reputation, anyway). What justification do our politicians have, when they do it daily on the TV (other than entertainment value), I wonder.

----------------------------
12/05/2016

Well, what do you know! Our estimable Prime Minister is also showing his capabilities in this art...

Prime Minister Modi compares Kerala to Somalia

Story behind the picture that provoked PM Modi’s Somalia jibe in Kerala

Pretentious poop. Bullshit, if you will.

یه سوال جالب که برام پیش اومد با خوندن این کتاب، معادل فارسی برای عنوان این کتاب بود.
Bullshit
این کلمه توی زبان انگلیسی معادل های زیر رو داره به طور مثال:
humbug, claptrap, hokum, drivel, buncombe, imposture, quackery ...
توی فارسی چی داریم معادل این ها؟ چرند مثلا، چرت و پرت، مزخرف و چیزای دیگه ...

این کتاب یک مقاله کوتا در خصوص تعریف این کلمه هست و کسایی که کارشون بولشت گفتن هست. مثلا اومده به طور مفصل بولشت گفتن رو با دروغ گفتن مقایسه کرده و ازین نظر خیلی جالب توجه. شاهکار کتاب برای من این بخشش بود:

از نظر اخلاقی، کسی که بولشت می گه نسبت به یک دروغ گور دشمن جدی تری برای حقیقت محسوب می شه. کسی که دروغ می گه، توجه داره که سری حقایقی وجود دارن و از یک سری راه و روشهایی می شه به اون حقایق رسید. کسی که دروغ می گه در باطن خودش می دونه یک تفاوتی بین ادعایی که می کنه و حقیقت در اون خصوص وجود د��ره. اما کسی که به درست یا غلط بودن یک گزاره ای کاری نداره می تونه دو حالت داشته باشه:
یک اینکه شخصی که بولشت میگه از هرگونه تلاشی چه برای گفتن حقیقت و یا فریب دادن دست می کشه. یعنی کلا هیچ ادعای در مورد حقایق نداره.
مورد دیگه اینه که طرف تلاش می کنه یک سری ادعاهایی در مورد اینکه مسائل چه جوری هستن مطرح کنه که در نهایت چیزی جز بولشت نمی تونن باشن :))

This very short book is a philosophical essay on the nature of bullshit. The main question that Frankfurt appears to be answering is, "Is lying always bullshit and is bullshit always lying?". The answer appears to be no and no. Frankfurt's distinction between the two is essentially this: The liar is conscious of the difference between the lie and the truth. In order to deceive you must have a grasp on where the truth lies. The bullshitter is not interested in the truth. He loses all connection between the truth and the lie.

This is the basic revelation in Frankfurt's essay although it is much more fun reading his ideas on this than mine. He does an admirable job in setting up his points and giving a working definition to lying and bullshit. Surprisingly easy to read, this is well worth the 20 minutes you will need to read it. I will also call your attention to the last four words of this essay. While not technically a spoiler I will avoid quoting them in order to give you the pleasure of reading them and discovering that Frankfurt has hit upon a major truth.

Revisited Frankfurt’s On Bullshit for the new year while painting a landscape of Broadway in NYC.

This tiny book does its job in a blip of a moment. The hardback itself is small and filled with a few hours of reading depending on your speed.

Or, enjoy the pleasure of listening. Bought on Audible for a few dollars on sale a year or so ago.

With the speed set at 2x faster enjoy the firm blunt to the point descriptions and associations humbug, bullshit, and lies bear witness to in similarity and difference is what stuck out this time.

In the midst of caucus and primary season found this a humorous way to reflect on candidates. And, rhetorically entire process this year.

What stood out, not all politicians lie and most bullshit. Rare is a humbug but the vibe they shoot to the masses creates a mindset of delusions and division. Landing on the consumer. If they’re not in tune with the incoming crap and able to sift with intelligence. Rather than reaction.

The difference between lies and BS is mindset and intention. Read the book or shuffle to the previous review below for context.

Reading this book was a comical way of playing pin the term on the politician. Then, consider their positions and begin sizing up the decision to be made in November.

In another way, pinned the phrase on various circumstances and people of applicable to gain a new sense of clarity. This includes myself.

The exercise is meaningful in that my life is constantly improving.

In 2023 a crescendo occurred that opened a review of life the last few years and how goals were impacted. Consider what if any responsibility is mine, and how much was outside of my control.

In 2024 my interest is introspection and a return to great joy absent whoha or shenanigans as my son puts it, aka BS.

Most events were outside my control. Like, Covid changing the trajectory of my book signing and speaking author goals. Derecho at 140 mph wind ripping a house apart I’d recently purchased. Being Power of Attorney for a family member that went south due to the government ineptness, nefarious people, and places stealing among other issues major happenstances meanwhile remaining calm took a toll over 18 months. Major injury to my rotator cup wondering if I’d ever play guitar for children again to write or even draw and paint for the art to the illustrations.

This became overwhelming. Translated into big old bull crap. And, humbug. Though, never into lies.

What I really liked about the read this time is how it occurred. While painting something that gives me great joy. Reminds me of love and gratitude. Happiness.

I was able to see the context in a new way. Created mental pins with the three words. Easily targets the areas applicable. Creating a personal summary in simplistic relatable terms.

Now, applying the information to boosting my 2024 goals and happiness.

I have three primary focuses the first part of the year.

In order to tackle this and be on track it’s imperative not to submit to BS. Creating the focus required meanwhile enjoying the journey.

Playing pin the name - humbug, lie or BS on the noun: person, place, or thing is an enjoyable way to own my choices and have fun in the process.

What surprises me a little about myself, I could see these and sometimes allowed the who-ha because I added an external value to the circumstance. Like, I made this decision to commit and stuck with it even though the things outside my control were causing harm to my well being. Not anymore. The past few years squeezed that type of thinking out of my being.

Now, focused on building toward the dream of traveling as an author visiting readers near and far. Sharing these experiences with others to support their goals to do similar.

I’ve been working on this for many years. Now, I’m much better at weeding the proverbial BS. Making for a happier healthier me.

When someone reminded me of my previous review read it. Thought this time would like to share the impact of application.

Maybe you would enjoy pin the phrase on the noun, too

I didn't expect to get such a kick out of this tongue in cheek little treatise. Definitely a must read for today's news cycle, that's for sure!