Page Count: 77,817
Expected Completion Date: Sep 4th, 2094
Book Page Count: 207
Title: Griftopia: Bubble Machines, Vampire Squids, and the Long Con That is Breaking America
Author: Matt Taibbi
From the start I'm going to admit to a few things concerning Matt Taibbi:
1. I believe most of what he says is true, I'll explain why shrotly
2. I cannot or will not factually check everything in the book, because of this I will not say what he says is true (this is different from above where I said I believe, this vs. it is absolute truth)
And here we go with the review....
This book is hilarious, scary, frustrating, complicated, and aggressive in almost every page. That's right, virtually every page of the book made me laugh, scream (either to myself or to my wife), or scratch my head in confusion -- sometimes all at the same time. Matt Taibbi is a brilliant writer to say the least, if even half of what he writes is true, he's a brilliant journalist as well. Mr. Taibbi's writing style is off the wall, his use of language, especially profanity, keeps a dry subject (finance) entertaining while his points are always clear, concise and enlightening.
As I have said I won't vouch for what is said but what I will say is that, our system is probably just as fucked as Matt Taibbi claims to to be. An incestuous relationship between top level management in the banking sector and top level management in government is frightening and appalling. The legislation that results in interactions between these top level individuals results in what we see, a highly complicated, highly dysfunctional smörgåsbord of crap that ultimately doesn't protect us citizens from the one thing that government should legitimately protect us from -- flat out lies made in order to steal from the public. The back room deals are disgusting, the unwillingness of even the most idealistic president to intervene, all result in a continuous trend down the drain.
Mr. Tabbai leaves no one out in his criticism -- well, almost, but I'll get back to that in just a second. The right, middle and left are all equally attacked. "Obamacare" (not my favorite term, but he uses it, so I will as well) is shown to be a total farce, the banking sector in total shambles, and our entire economy perpetually on the point of collapse by bubbles made by irresponsible people (both in government and in the private sector). The entire chapter dedicated to Allan Greenspan is probably the most entertaining to read, literally showing contradiction after contradiction spoken by a man who is so egotistical he places himself on a pedastool next to God.
Now my one complaint about the book. Personal responsibility by the 99% is almost completely stripped. The only time Taibbi really criticizes the masses is in the last chapter when he complains about our ADHD when it comes to politics, today we yell against them, tomorrow we scream in their favor. Now, to say that the American public isn't responsible at all for the 2007 collapse is irresponsible and I really wish Taibbi had addressed this. Americans wanted homes, President Clinton pushed on their behalf, it was done. A decade long boom began, lots of people moved to middle class, some moved to upper class, everyone was happy. The problem is that we rarely ask "how" or "why" something is possible. For instance, "how does suburban living contribute to degradation of our planet" instead we say "we want a clean planet" and "we want to live in the suburbs", never connecting the dots and seeing the inherit contradiction in these two demands. Our unwillingness to sacrifice coupled with our never ending desire for the "American Dream" (I'd call it something else, but to each their own), leaves us wanting crooks to make money for us and then when the shit hits the fan, we cry foul.
Overall a great read, I'd recommend it to anyone and everyone
From the start I'm going to admit to a few things concerning Matt Taibbi:
1. I believe most of what he says is true, I'll explain why shrotly
2. I cannot or will not factually check everything in the book, because of this I will not say what he says is true (this is different from above where I said I believe, this vs. it is absolute truth)
And here we go with the review....
This book is hilarious, scary, frustrating, complicated, and aggressive in almost every page. That's right, virtually every page of the book made me laugh, scream (either to myself or to my wife), or scratch my head in confusion -- sometimes all at the same time. Matt Taibbi is a brilliant writer to say the least, if even half of what he writes is true, he's a brilliant journalist as well. Mr. Taibbi's writing style is off the wall, his use of language, especially profanity, keeps a dry subject (finance) entertaining while his points are always clear, concise and enlightening.
As I have said I won't vouch for what is said but what I will say is that, our system is probably just as fucked as Matt Taibbi claims to to be. An incestuous relationship between top level management in the banking sector and top level management in government is frightening and appalling. The legislation that results in interactions between these top level individuals results in what we see, a highly complicated, highly dysfunctional smörgåsbord of crap that ultimately doesn't protect us citizens from the one thing that government should legitimately protect us from -- flat out lies made in order to steal from the public. The back room deals are disgusting, the unwillingness of even the most idealistic president to intervene, all result in a continuous trend down the drain.
Mr. Tabbai leaves no one out in his criticism -- well, almost, but I'll get back to that in just a second. The right, middle and left are all equally attacked. "Obamacare" (not my favorite term, but he uses it, so I will as well) is shown to be a total farce, the banking sector in total shambles, and our entire economy perpetually on the point of collapse by bubbles made by irresponsible people (both in government and in the private sector). The entire chapter dedicated to Allan Greenspan is probably the most entertaining to read, literally showing contradiction after contradiction spoken by a man who is so egotistical he places himself on a pedastool next to God.
Now my one complaint about the book. Personal responsibility by the 99% is almost completely stripped. The only time Taibbi really criticizes the masses is in the last chapter when he complains about our ADHD when it comes to politics, today we yell against them, tomorrow we scream in their favor. Now, to say that the American public isn't responsible at all for the 2007 collapse is irresponsible and I really wish Taibbi had addressed this. Americans wanted homes, President Clinton pushed on their behalf, it was done. A decade long boom began, lots of people moved to middle class, some moved to upper class, everyone was happy. The problem is that we rarely ask "how" or "why" something is possible. For instance, "how does suburban living contribute to degradation of our planet" instead we say "we want a clean planet" and "we want to live in the suburbs", never connecting the dots and seeing the inherit contradiction in these two demands. Our unwillingness to sacrifice coupled with our never ending desire for the "American Dream" (I'd call it something else, but to each their own), leaves us wanting crooks to make money for us and then when the shit hits the fan, we cry foul.
Overall a great read, I'd recommend it to anyone and everyone
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