One of the most interesting things about our culture now is the development of our language. Each of us has at some point morphed the language we have used, be it to hide what we were trying to say or soften the actual words for proper company. There are many words that have an interesting history that only a diachronic linguist would salivate over, but none as captivating to us as the word bullshit.

We have all used it, excessively at times, to describe a varied number of things. It is possibly humanity's favorite word after fuck. Harry G. Frankfurt goes the extra mile to theorize how the word developed and how it has been used over time. He claims upfront that he is no literary surveyist, but touching on several titles as well as heavily depends on the Oxford English Dictionary for reference, he makes a good fun argument on the origins of a word that is heavily used. His argument – we tend to morph our words to stop others from taking us seriously. In many times this is true, but we all know the person who is the exception to the rule. Yet, for an argument that spans 65 pages, the book itself does the same – play light on an actual ‘study’ so that it isn’t taken too seriously.

Reading more like a long essay rather than an actual book, you can read through this miniature title in one sitting. Yet, being a book about bullshit, and if it is one of the books that you have listed to read, just do so for the sake of the title and hype. It didn’t contain much that was not know, such as variations of bullshit and the like, but just compiled them between two covers.

My recommendation: read it for the sake of being able to say ‘I have read it.’ In reality the only use of this book is as a great gag gift for an English major or writer of any sort.

A very quick read. The book is a mere 67 pages and the pages are very small. It's a pocket book.

Well, I have to say it was a fun read but hardly worth buying. I would have rather bought another of the many books I have lined up and would like to own. Worth reading, but don't pay for it. You could read it in the bookstore in about 20-30 minutes. I read it while waiting for the bus tonight. I now know the difference between lying and bullshitting and really don't care all that much. I still look forward to reading more substantial works of Frankfurt's though. I like his style. I hear Reasons of Love and On Truth are rather good. Shoulda bought one of those instead.

On Bullshit, by Harry G. Frankfurt is an in depth (maybe?) philosophical examination of bullshit. Its definition, use, and relation to the world and humanity are examined in detail. Frankfurt looks at the definitions and concepts of lying, humbug, bull session, and so on, to compare various forms of "hot air" to bullshit. He examines our need as humans to seem knowledgeable on various subjects, and therefore "bluff our way through" to try and seem knowledgeable to others. Why do we do this? Frankfurt tries to differentiate bullshit from lies, where lies are deliberate attempts to hide a fact, and bullshit is less concerned with truth or fiction. Bullshit can be seen as an attempt to explore subjects intellectually, by teasing out definitions, and "muddling through" the idea in question by exploring the known and unknown of the particular topic or concept. It can also be a way to try and deceive others into thinking one knows more about a subject than they actually do.

Frankfurt's short little book is illuminating and humorous. In an age where we need to sell ourselves at job interviews or on a date, or where we enjoy sitting down and "shooting the shit" with our friends both on and offline, where politicians flaunt facts and figures with no value, and where marketers and PR firms white wash their products for our consumption, Frankfurt's little treatise is interesting and highly relevant. It is also very humorous, and not necessarily meant to be taken seriously. It is, as much is, a load of hot air, and I personally enjoyed it immensely.

Frankfurt capitalizes on the potential for absurdity inherant in 'philosophical' texts. What philosophy sometimes comes down to, or rather, what critiqing it comes down to, is how well you can dissect what someone is actually saying, moving past all of the bullshit of language. The language used in this book is so dense at times that you might find it to be bullshit. The funny thing is, that's the point. He uses the language against itself. He describes how something can be bullshit if it sounds legit. More to the point, he proves that what may sound like bullshit is actually truth. Dig.