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Summary of Calling Bullshit 

4.6 . 1046 reviews

Short summary

Despite being very skeptical of those around us, we tend to believe anything the media tells us. Conspiracy theories, headline stories, statistics, you name it, we instantly believe it. But how many of those are actually true? We are living in a world of fake news. Everywhere we turn, there is a tremendous amount of misinformation, yet we fail to see it for what it is. This makes it extremely difficult to know what is true and what is nothing but manipulation. Carl T. Bergstrom and Jevin D. West, two highly experienced science professors at the University of Washington, are tired of seeing people fall foul of data that leaves a lot to be desired. Their book, Calling Bullshit: The Art of Skepticism in a Data-Driven World, teaches how to look beyond the so-called truth and question everything. “The world is awash with bullshit, and we’re drowning in it.” ~ Carl T. Bergstrom & Jevin D. West

Table of content

  • Summary of Calling Bullshit
  • About the author
  • What is Calling Bullshit about?
  • Who should read Calling Bullshit
  • Topics in Calling Bullshit
first key point

We all need to open our eyes to the many underhanded uses of bullshit

Listen the first key point
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You may think you live in a world of truth. But if you dig deeper, you'll see that many of the things you assume to be accurate are actually nothing short of an illusion. For sure, that can leave you feeling a little nervous. After all, how are you supposed to identify the truth from the lies? But, by learning how to call out bullshit, you'll feel far more assured in the reality of the world we live in.

Carl T. Bergstrom & Jevin D. West see bullshit everywhere. But, they've identified the reason why and where it comes from. All of this helps them decipher the truth from the lies, and they want to share their advice for you to do the same thing.

They see the calling out of bullshit as a priority because it can affect democracy. Fake news can easily cause people to sway their vote or think a certain way about a political candidate. Understanding bullshit helps you to separate all of this.
Misinformation can be a dangerous form of manipulation that flies under the radar unless you know how to spot it.
You might think that the world of bullshit we live in is something pretty new, but it's been around since the dawn of time. People have always manipulated others into thinking a certain way or doing a particular thing. The only difference now is that we have the Internet to help spread misinformation much faster and far wider.

Bullshit also comes in many forms. It can be using fancy language to describe something to the point where it sounds far better than it is; “garbage disposal unit” is one good example; it actually means trash can. Dressing things up in statistics and graphs is another. Salacious headlines and clickbait advertising takes it to another level.

The truth is that you can't always rely upon the information around you to be genuine. In this summary, you will learn how data can be skewed to look a certain way, the drivers behind it, and how you can protect yourself against bullshit. Your ability to spot misinformation relies on it.
second key point

Paltering is designed to mislead without being called a liar

Lying is something we all know we shouldn't do, but many people do it anyway. However, you can be called out when you lie, which leads to losing friends, credibility, and people simply not trusting you. Being caught in a lie in the marketing world, politics, or any other industry that requires you to reach out to others, can be catastrophic.
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third key point

The Internet and social media cause a whole lot of bullshit

fourth key point

Sometimes, numbers and statistics can tie your mind up in knots

fifth key point

If you think you can trust graphs and pie charts, you're wrong

sixth key point

We need to learn how to be more skeptical and less accepting of what we see & hear

seventh key point

Conclusion

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What is Calling Bullshit about?

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Do you find yourself staring at your computer for long minutes, unaware of time slipping by? Do you enter a room and suddenly cannot remember why you stepped in the first place? Is it a herculean task for you to sit through ten pages of a book without reaching for your phone? If yes, your focus needs some work and fast.

Actually, yours is not a unique situation. Many adults like you have issues concentrating on a given task. However, in this fast-paced world of ours, you can’t afford to be not focused at all times. Thankfully, this article comes to your rescue! With the tips and tricks from Hyperfocus by Chris Bailey, you will get in the top percent of folks who have mastered the art of concentration.