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A review by mirificmoxie
The Four: The Hidden DNA of Amazon, Apple, Facebook, and Google by Scott Galloway
3.0
3 Stars
*An interesting but disordered look at some of the top companies in the world*
The Four was on the list of recommended reading at my work. Since I try to keep up on reading related to my field, and in hope of having something other than the weather to discuss at company events, I am working my way through that list.
This book provides a brief background on each company, their current business areas, and the ways in which they are growing and what that means for consumers and the economy. It is informative, but it also lacks focus and effectiveness.
One problem is that Galloway doesn’t stick to one metaphor. He has the whole horsemen of the apocalypse thing. Then there is his overly reductive view about all purchases being driven by subconscious primal urges for survival and sex. There were other metaphors thrown in higgledy-piggledy. It all became too muddled. Mixed metaphors do not make a strong message. The author goes for sensationalism.
The book also isn’t balanced. Some sections were dry bombardments of facts. Other sections dissolved into tangential rants. Galloway includes anecdotal experiences. He also has no qualms about piling on the self-promotion.
Another problem is that Galloway doesn’t have much of a likeability factor. And he is upfront about that. When people start throwing around words like “irreverent” to describe someone that is usually code for “rude.” Galloway seems smart, but he also seems like a total jerk. And he was trying so hard to be cool and shocking. But really, it takes more than swear words to impress me.
Galloway did remind me a bit of a professor I had in college. That professor also liked to swear a lot to shock people and was known for going off on tangential rants. His lectures were always entertaining. I learned about the proper use of Yiddish swearwords and the origin of the middle finger hand gesture. I did not, however, learn much about the actual intended coursework: The History of American Slavery. Like that course, I’m not sure how much I actually learned from this book. I would have gotten more out of a calmer and more rational book rather than the sensationalism and self-promotion featured in this book.
I’m glad I read the book, but I can’t point to any particular epiphany or live-changing words of wisdom. I think everyone, regardless of their field, should be aware of just how much market share (of multiple markets) that these companies are controlling. Because what these companies do has a HUGE impact on global economy. And that impact is only going to grow as “The Four” continue to cannibalize markets. This is a decent book if you want an overview of these companies and how they are changing all commerce. But The Four seems more impactful as a consumer guild than as the advertised business/career guide book.
RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 3 Stars
Writing Style: 3 Stars
Level of Captivation: 4 Stars
Attention to Details: 3 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 3 Stars
Objectivity: 2 Stars
*An interesting but disordered look at some of the top companies in the world*
The Four was on the list of recommended reading at my work. Since I try to keep up on reading related to my field, and in hope of having something other than the weather to discuss at company events, I am working my way through that list.
This book provides a brief background on each company, their current business areas, and the ways in which they are growing and what that means for consumers and the economy. It is informative, but it also lacks focus and effectiveness.
One problem is that Galloway doesn’t stick to one metaphor. He has the whole horsemen of the apocalypse thing. Then there is his overly reductive view about all purchases being driven by subconscious primal urges for survival and sex. There were other metaphors thrown in higgledy-piggledy. It all became too muddled. Mixed metaphors do not make a strong message. The author goes for sensationalism.
The book also isn’t balanced. Some sections were dry bombardments of facts. Other sections dissolved into tangential rants. Galloway includes anecdotal experiences. He also has no qualms about piling on the self-promotion.
Another problem is that Galloway doesn’t have much of a likeability factor. And he is upfront about that. When people start throwing around words like “irreverent” to describe someone that is usually code for “rude.” Galloway seems smart, but he also seems like a total jerk. And he was trying so hard to be cool and shocking. But really, it takes more than swear words to impress me.
Galloway did remind me a bit of a professor I had in college. That professor also liked to swear a lot to shock people and was known for going off on tangential rants. His lectures were always entertaining. I learned about the proper use of Yiddish swearwords and the origin of the middle finger hand gesture. I did not, however, learn much about the actual intended coursework: The History of American Slavery. Like that course, I’m not sure how much I actually learned from this book. I would have gotten more out of a calmer and more rational book rather than the sensationalism and self-promotion featured in this book.
I’m glad I read the book, but I can’t point to any particular epiphany or live-changing words of wisdom. I think everyone, regardless of their field, should be aware of just how much market share (of multiple markets) that these companies are controlling. Because what these companies do has a HUGE impact on global economy. And that impact is only going to grow as “The Four” continue to cannibalize markets. This is a decent book if you want an overview of these companies and how they are changing all commerce. But The Four seems more impactful as a consumer guild than as the advertised business/career guide book.
RATING FACTORS:
Ease of Reading: 3 Stars
Writing Style: 3 Stars
Level of Captivation: 4 Stars
Attention to Details: 3 Stars
Plot Structure and Development: 3 Stars
Objectivity: 2 Stars