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scobo's review against another edition
2.0
There are some interesting ideas about what current things might be valued and discussed in five hundred years, but I didn't get much about why I should care about that now. I can't think of any reason to recommend this book.
cameronkc's review against another edition
4.0
I love Klosterman. He seems like a very insightful fellow and the type of person that would be great to speak with at a dinner party. He asks mostly interesting questions, skewed towards his expertise in music and media. He shines in the thought exercise asking some interesting future thought questions and probably spends too much time on TV and music. Thought provoking and interesting but for non Klosterman lovers it might not be enough of a payoff.
glowbird's review against another edition
3.0
Three stars because I am a big Chuck Klosterman fan. I've read all his (non-fiction) books and greatly enjoy his highbrow midwestern style. But this one...oh boy. At its best it's like listening to a very smart person discuss things they did not study in college while stoned out of their mind. At its worst it's...exactly the same. The reader will enjoy each chapter based on their interest in the cultural subject at hand, but really, reading it in total becomes a bizarre chore.
sofiamarielg's review against another edition
3.0
Klosterman has an interesting premise here, forcing us to think about how we and our culture will be represented in the future. While the book is entertaining, I think it’s not as accesible as some of his other works. It’s definitely meant for the specific type of culture-devouring reader who would enjoy debates such as which author will become known as the greatest of our time. Some chapters are certainly more enjoyable than others, but it depends on your preferences. Overall, it’s a well-written, compact brain muscle workout.
matthewwester's review against another edition
5.0
Definitely five stars for me. I loved every second of reading this book. The author looks at the present as if it were the distant past. This book persuasively argues how most of us are stuck in a delusion that the future will be a continuation of current mindsets (and that our cultural tastes are pretty much objective) when history has shown that's never how things turn out. Great book for anyone who likes thought experiments.
blackshirt's review against another edition
2.0
Summary
Humans make assumptions about reality. It can be useful or entertaining to question those assumptions.
Review
I didn't find this book particularly useful because I've encountered most of these ideas before. I enjoyed the prose and self-deprecation. The message is worthwhile. I got the most value from the first two chapters. The rest is Klosterman's application of this thinking tool to popular culture and current Western values.
Humans make assumptions about reality. It can be useful or entertaining to question those assumptions.
Review
I didn't find this book particularly useful because I've encountered most of these ideas before. I enjoyed the prose and self-deprecation. The message is worthwhile. I got the most value from the first two chapters. The rest is Klosterman's application of this thinking tool to popular culture and current Western values.
rocketiza's review against another edition
5.0
I've always really enjoyed Klosterman's thought experiments and thinking about how we think about things, and this book that was entirely the theme, so IT WAS AWESOME.
aga_acrobat's review against another edition
1.0
I liked the premise. I really did. But Chuck didn‘t take it anywhere. Not really. I mean maybe a bit for a walk or some lazy, half-assed ice-skating. But no, not really.
Hinting at depth whilst wading in the shallows. Mostly like that.
Hinting at depth whilst wading in the shallows. Mostly like that.