How Mumbo-Jumbo Conquered the World: A Short History of Modern DelusionsPublicAffairs, 2005 M07 6 - 336 pages What characterizes our era? Cults, quacks, gurus, irrational panics, moral confusion and an epidemic of mumbo-jumbo, that's what. In How Mumbo-Jumbo Conquered the World, Francis Wheen brilliantly laments the extraordinary rise of superstition, relativism and emotional hysteria. From Middle Eastern fundamentalism to the rise of lotteries, astrology to mysticism, poststructuralism to the Third Way, Wheen shows that there has been a pervasive erosion of Enlightenment values, which have been displaced by nonsense. And no country has a more vivid parade of the bogus and bizarre than the one founded to embody Enlightenment values: the USA. In turn comic, indignant, outraged, and just plain baffled by the idiocy of it all, How Mumbo-Jumbo Conquered the World is a masterful depiction of the absurdity of our times and a plea that we might just think a little more and believe a little less. |
From inside the book
Results 1-5 of 42
Page
... Reality 75 5. The Catastrophists 113 6. With God on Our Side 153 7. Us and Them 161 8. The New Romantics 178 9. Forward to the Past 206 10. Voodoo Revisited 238 Notes 289 Index 306 Dare to Know The rapid progress true Science now makes.
... Reality 75 5. The Catastrophists 113 6. With God on Our Side 153 7. Us and Them 161 8. The New Romantics 178 9. Forward to the Past 206 10. Voodoo Revisited 238 Notes 289 Index 306 Dare to Know The rapid progress true Science now makes.
Page 7
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Page 19
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Page 51
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Page 66
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Sorry, this page's content is restricted.
Other editions - View all
How Mumbo-Jumbo Conquered the World: A Short History of Modern Delusions Francis Wheen Limited preview - 2005 |
How Mumbo-Jumbo Conquered the World: A Short History of Modern Delusions Francis Wheen Limited preview - 2005 |
How Mumbo-Jumbo Conquered the World: A Short History of Modern Delusions Francis Wheen Limited preview - 2012 |
Common terms and phrases
Al Gore Alan Sokal alien American Anthony Robbins appeared argued astrologers believe bestseller Bible Code Britain British pounds Bush capital Chopra Christian civilization Clinton conservative crash critics cultural decades Deepak Chopra defense democracy democratic described Diana earth economic Economist Enlightenment Enron fact Francis Wheen Friedman Fukuyama George global Gore Griffith Observatory Guardian guru H. L. Mencken human idea industry intellectual Islamic John Journal later leader liberal live London magazine Margaret Thatcher ment million British pounds modern moral Muslim Newsweek percent philosopher political politicians post-modernists President prime minister Princess Professor published reality reason religion religious reported right-wing Ronald Reagan seemed September social Sokal Soviet theory tion told Tony Blair trade traditional truth United University Wall Street Washington Post week Western Wheen wrote X-Files York