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summerbeecher's review against another edition
5.0
Very thought-provoking about how "bad" can be a negative and positive force in a variety of settings. I was particularly interested in the parenting implications, but there were so many other fascinating lessons about business, customer-service, politics, etc. Again this may be worthy of purchasing a hard copy!
miguelf's review against another edition
2.0
This book serves as a cross between a synopsis of long held psychological observations and a mix of some techno-optimist reflections pulled from folks like Steven Pinker: that negative, or “bad”, thoughts can be overwhelming and that in actuality the world is a much better place that we think it to be. A good number of examples are given in the first few sections to back up this thesis. Fair enough. It reads for the most part like a book that a corporate manager would hand out to their underlings to read and absorb as there are some tidbits about how being positive can serve one well in business sectors such as the service industry. It’s all pretty innocuous until it goes off the rails at the end and there’s a longish section about how the concern over nicotine addiction has been totally overblown – it’s just that pesky ‘negative’ thinking and that the harms of smoking are all in the tar. Wait, what?!? And then there’s the doubling down on the twisted observation made on GMO’s: while GMO’s might not be as harmful as their fiercest opponents make them out to be, the unthoughtful brushing asides of all concerns comes across as really petty in its expression here. And finally putting Georg Gilder on a pedestal is just wrong: most of his overrated predictions turned out to be bunk. Thankfully it’s not overlong.
avery_winters's review against another edition
2.0
I'm torn on the rating here. Part of me wants to add another star because it's an interesting topic but I question the validity of the information. First, the author used Pinker as a reference. Pinker is grossly over-simplistic and his abuse of data is abhorrent - though I'm not sure if it is intentional or just ignorance. In an ironic twist, he argued that vaping (in general and by teens) is far safer than smoking and should less be regulated (there's barely any regulation as is). This narrow look at data: chemicals in cigarettes are harmful; those chemicals aren't in vape products = vaping is better ignores the wider picture and creates a dichotomy where one isn't needed.
I think the book is worth a read, but more to provoke thought than to provide clear reliable data.
I think the book is worth a read, but more to provoke thought than to provide clear reliable data.
emjane95's review against another edition
4.0
This was a really interesting read - some really interesting studies are used, and this book covers a lot of ground around how negativity is powerful in the human psyche. I always love positive psychology - it was my favorite course in college! And an added surprise - Chapter 1 focuses on a case study that involves none other than my high school's football coach! Definitely recommend as an interesting and useful quick read.
jensteerswell's review against another edition
4.0
Okay, I did not realize this was self-help when I read the review, I thought it was going to be a much more academic treatment of the negativity effect. So, if you like self-help and are looking for advice on how to read the news or have a better relationship with your manager, this is an okay book for that. If you want to read about negativity bias, go for Daniel Kahneman.
alhaider's review against another edition
1.0
I trudged through this book for my work book club. I didn't find it particularly illuminating and there were a lot of gender arguments used in this book. There were also many "facts" that were not cited. There are better books out there - don't pick this one.
matthew_p's review
5.0
Definitely a good read while sheltering in place during a global pandemic considering the chapter that addresses ways to be resilient in the face of the negativity bias.
Overall I'd say this is a must-read for anyone who focuses too much on the negative, or has to work or live with someone who does. Insightful, and with very practical advice on how to master the psychology of negativity.
Overall I'd say this is a must-read for anyone who focuses too much on the negative, or has to work or live with someone who does. Insightful, and with very practical advice on how to master the psychology of negativity.
rpetrulo's review
4.0
This book was an incredible insight on how negativity affects all aspects of our lives. Everything from relationships to the war on Vapes. It certainly made me aware of how negativity impacts my life and responses to situations.
The book was written in an easy to understand and often times fun cadence that made it read less like a self help book and more like a discussion.
The book was written in an easy to understand and often times fun cadence that made it read less like a self help book and more like a discussion.
pixxietrixxie's review against another edition
4.0
This book makes me feel much better about my decisions to quit social media and stop watching network news. I try to limit my exposure to bad consciously.
gothicgoddess's review
1.0
Had some good insights initially, but I quit around page 130 when the authors claimed a study linking improved test scores to teacher bonuses showed we need more "stick than carrot" in education, totally ignoring all of the problems with this approach like cases of cheating, etc.