Book Review: Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity by John Stossel - Page 2

The dominant similarity among the chapters in the book is that these 12 topics are all areas where Myths, Lies, and Downright Stupidity are prevalent. Each chapter examines several interesting myths, and there were far too many for me to choose just a few favorites. Among those I enjoyed the most were discussions of how mouthwash often makes our breath worse, why antibacterial soap does little to help your health (viruses are usually a greater threat than bacteria and how you wash your hands is more important than what you use), and how laptop computers can reduce male fertility. In addition, the discussion of why premium dog food appeals to people but is not better for your dog was interesting if a little gross; dogs love udders and other byproducts which humans find to be repulsive.

While most of the scientifically-challenged myths mentioned above will probably not create much controversy among this book's readers, Stossel's willingness to challenge commonly held beliefs in such areas as economics, politics, the environment, and government regulation will undoubtedly outrage many of those individuals whose "special interests" are being skewered. An example of these myths and his "truths" is that a higher minimum wage helps workers, to which he retorts that it "helps some workers, but hurts more."

Even more controversial is a topic frequently in today's headlines and a source of heated political debate: the belief that outsourcing is a "crisis" which takes jobs from Americans. To which he replies "outsourcing creates American jobs." However, his most biting criticisms are reserved for his associates in the press and most acerbically for the politicians who want to both control our lives and perpetuate their power while claiming to be our friends.

I was already familiar with the facts in his discussion of the lies perpetuated in the Congressional Record (which is in reality a non-record), the falsehoods in which would be investigated by Congress if anyone else published it. I still enjoyed his examples. Most telling, however, was his discussion of the myth that the average politician will fulfill his election-year term-limit pledge. The single anecdote that best demonstrates how they view themselves and their relationship to the voters who elected them was the quote by a Congressman (you'll have to read the book to find out who uttered it) who — 16 months after explaining why he wanted to be a citizen legislator rather than a lifetime politician — informed his constituents, according to a newspaper article, that "he'd been talking with the Lord, who had absolved him of his pledge."

Article Author: Casey Lunkley

Casey is a blogger from New York, NY who's interested in a wide array from subjects, from music, movies, politics, the Supreme Court, and more.

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