Today I present the summary of a book:
Book summary:
Title: Behaving Badly
- New Morality in Politics, Sex, and Business
Author: Eden Collinsworth
About the Author - Ms.Collinsworth has been helping the Chinese business people on western deportment. She is also the author of "I stand corrected: How Teaching Western Manners in China Became its own unforgettable lesson".
She chose this topic because she seems sure that the culture in China resides comfortably in what the west considers moral ambiguity. At the same time she feels the shame in the west has become less and less when it comes to money
This book is a collection of true anecdotes that explore new and emerging trends in morality and their self-justification.
Part one:
"Wherein I Begin with the Definition of the Word": The author moved from China to England and sold her apartment in US to find a perfect place to start. She decided mailing people for their stories and interviewing them was better than researching in a library.
"According to a Convicted Murderer, It Has to Do with Character": A convicted murdered talks about learning morality in prison and it has to do with character. He seems to say it comes between impulse and action.
"A Neuroscientist Explains the Evolutionary Origins of Morality": This chapter tries explaining the role of natural selection where there are certain genetic traits that win over others.She discusses the "selfish gene theory" and "reciprocal altruism" theory where the motivation to get along with others comes from selfish expectations.
"A Brief History of Mankind's Attempts to Rein in Bad Behavior": The author makes the observation religions are more convinced of their own version of the moral truth and it becomes particularly noteworthy when they pronounce something incredible and ludicrous.
The next set of chapters describes a scorecard for morality.
"The Editor of the Financial Times Provides a Cost-Benefit Analysis of Principles": Business is rife with examples where cheating improves bottomline. Morality becomes beside the point in the institutional making, spending and the accumulation of money. Moral calculation even involves cost-benefit of the scenario where a perpetrator is caught and the fines are paid but the outlook improves.
"Instructions on How Not To Cheat": The author has heard that you can't impose a moral standard on people who don't wish to be moral. Nash's game thory is explained to her as where the participants will view any premise as a system with a framework of fixed points and variables that can be manipulated to achieve a specific result and they will try to maximize personal benefit and minimize risk.
"Pros and Cons of Doing the Right Thing": This chapter focuses on whistleblowers and why they do it. She argues that morality sustains itself only as long as we are determined to do the right thing. In particular she brings up an example of a westerner who challenges the unconditional loyalty in Japan that cloaks gross embezzlement.
"The Law: Tools of Control, or Instruments of enlightenment": This section focuses on the difference between law and justice. She brings up examples where we try to outwit the law and yet we maintain an inner higher standard where even if we don't break the law, we don't engage in it. Ethics on the other hand is what an organization decides to hold itself to. The author asserts that ethics is local and regional.
"The Political Function of Ethics": This section focuses on why the politics have no relation to morals. She uses mass shootings as an example. She also brings examples of "Make America Great Again" and from international politics.
The next set of chapters discusses Sex as a moral provocateur
"Monogamy (Not So Much Anymore)": These are easy reading examples of where the notion of marriage and till death do us apart has been adapted to suit one's needs. She talks about research in marital infidelity.
"The Screen as a Siren": Much of the examples the author mentions here go to show that technology has created a hyper-sexualized culture. She brings up cases where free pornography has proliferated or where certain people were aware of the codes of conduct but could not live up to them.
"Immoral women: Or just those having a better time": She brings up several stories of international divas and what they uphold or the impact they are having even in the face of the perception they are held to.
The next section focuses on taking the bother out of morality:
"Celebrities as Standard-bearers": This is probably the most riveting section of the book where she talks about the matriarch in the Kardashians family taking a sex tape and starting a multi-million dollar business that would have otherwise been forgotten
"Reality Redefined": This section talks about the role of artificial intelligence to go through an indulgence in sense gratification of all sorts. Some examples are in fact revealing in how we take new experiences as something not to be judged for.
"The Web Wonders What's So Great About The Truth": She talks about extensive research in how new technology has been changing the way we think and process information. She talks about neurological tools that enable us to remain moral. Self-control is one. Empathy is another. The author admits to a guarded reservation in thinking of the internet as something to futher measured intelligence.
"Ethically Sanitized Warfare": This talks about the morality in drone attacks - in particular, the argument that some lives are not as important as others and where as well as how they are decided.
"Immorality's Black Sun": This talks about some of the survivors and perpetrators of the Holocaust. The author returns to New York to some of them.
The next section talks about "The Future, or Something Like It":
"The Moral Vagaries Of Making Babies": This chapter cites some examples of the "edgy variations" on an alternative lifestyle particularly with regard to creating and even raising a family.
"Mapping a post-gay culture": This chapter explores the church's unwillingness to recognize sex, gender, current events and social power leading it to retreat on several fronts.
"Is it Progress If We Barter With Ethics": This is a discussion on population and food. Some examples include FDA condoning of techniques to enable DNA to be altered and edited.
"Programming Morality in Robots": This section focuses on how robots and software can detect moods and how our responses alter and play with moods.
"So Who Exactly Gets To Set The New Rules": This section introduces us to singularity and cosmism. The former is the notion to further human abilities in a man-machine unified way. The latter is the theory of human evolution where concepts of truth, reality, freedom and happiness will be deeply revised.
"WhereIn I Conclude By Looking Forward": This section talks about the next generation's perspective and not just that of the author.
"Epilogue": The book concludes with a take on modern day news, views and events.
Book summary:
Title: Behaving Badly
- New Morality in Politics, Sex, and Business
Author: Eden Collinsworth
About the Author - Ms.Collinsworth has been helping the Chinese business people on western deportment. She is also the author of "I stand corrected: How Teaching Western Manners in China Became its own unforgettable lesson".
She chose this topic because she seems sure that the culture in China resides comfortably in what the west considers moral ambiguity. At the same time she feels the shame in the west has become less and less when it comes to money
This book is a collection of true anecdotes that explore new and emerging trends in morality and their self-justification.
Part one:
"Wherein I Begin with the Definition of the Word": The author moved from China to England and sold her apartment in US to find a perfect place to start. She decided mailing people for their stories and interviewing them was better than researching in a library.
"According to a Convicted Murderer, It Has to Do with Character": A convicted murdered talks about learning morality in prison and it has to do with character. He seems to say it comes between impulse and action.
"A Neuroscientist Explains the Evolutionary Origins of Morality": This chapter tries explaining the role of natural selection where there are certain genetic traits that win over others.She discusses the "selfish gene theory" and "reciprocal altruism" theory where the motivation to get along with others comes from selfish expectations.
"A Brief History of Mankind's Attempts to Rein in Bad Behavior": The author makes the observation religions are more convinced of their own version of the moral truth and it becomes particularly noteworthy when they pronounce something incredible and ludicrous.
The next set of chapters describes a scorecard for morality.
"The Editor of the Financial Times Provides a Cost-Benefit Analysis of Principles": Business is rife with examples where cheating improves bottomline. Morality becomes beside the point in the institutional making, spending and the accumulation of money. Moral calculation even involves cost-benefit of the scenario where a perpetrator is caught and the fines are paid but the outlook improves.
"Instructions on How Not To Cheat": The author has heard that you can't impose a moral standard on people who don't wish to be moral. Nash's game thory is explained to her as where the participants will view any premise as a system with a framework of fixed points and variables that can be manipulated to achieve a specific result and they will try to maximize personal benefit and minimize risk.
"Pros and Cons of Doing the Right Thing": This chapter focuses on whistleblowers and why they do it. She argues that morality sustains itself only as long as we are determined to do the right thing. In particular she brings up an example of a westerner who challenges the unconditional loyalty in Japan that cloaks gross embezzlement.
"The Law: Tools of Control, or Instruments of enlightenment": This section focuses on the difference between law and justice. She brings up examples where we try to outwit the law and yet we maintain an inner higher standard where even if we don't break the law, we don't engage in it. Ethics on the other hand is what an organization decides to hold itself to. The author asserts that ethics is local and regional.
"The Political Function of Ethics": This section focuses on why the politics have no relation to morals. She uses mass shootings as an example. She also brings examples of "Make America Great Again" and from international politics.
The next set of chapters discusses Sex as a moral provocateur
"Monogamy (Not So Much Anymore)": These are easy reading examples of where the notion of marriage and till death do us apart has been adapted to suit one's needs. She talks about research in marital infidelity.
"The Screen as a Siren": Much of the examples the author mentions here go to show that technology has created a hyper-sexualized culture. She brings up cases where free pornography has proliferated or where certain people were aware of the codes of conduct but could not live up to them.
"Immoral women: Or just those having a better time": She brings up several stories of international divas and what they uphold or the impact they are having even in the face of the perception they are held to.
The next section focuses on taking the bother out of morality:
"Celebrities as Standard-bearers": This is probably the most riveting section of the book where she talks about the matriarch in the Kardashians family taking a sex tape and starting a multi-million dollar business that would have otherwise been forgotten
"Reality Redefined": This section talks about the role of artificial intelligence to go through an indulgence in sense gratification of all sorts. Some examples are in fact revealing in how we take new experiences as something not to be judged for.
"The Web Wonders What's So Great About The Truth": She talks about extensive research in how new technology has been changing the way we think and process information. She talks about neurological tools that enable us to remain moral. Self-control is one. Empathy is another. The author admits to a guarded reservation in thinking of the internet as something to futher measured intelligence.
"Ethically Sanitized Warfare": This talks about the morality in drone attacks - in particular, the argument that some lives are not as important as others and where as well as how they are decided.
"Immorality's Black Sun": This talks about some of the survivors and perpetrators of the Holocaust. The author returns to New York to some of them.
The next section talks about "The Future, or Something Like It":
"The Moral Vagaries Of Making Babies": This chapter cites some examples of the "edgy variations" on an alternative lifestyle particularly with regard to creating and even raising a family.
"Mapping a post-gay culture": This chapter explores the church's unwillingness to recognize sex, gender, current events and social power leading it to retreat on several fronts.
"Is it Progress If We Barter With Ethics": This is a discussion on population and food. Some examples include FDA condoning of techniques to enable DNA to be altered and edited.
"Programming Morality in Robots": This section focuses on how robots and software can detect moods and how our responses alter and play with moods.
"So Who Exactly Gets To Set The New Rules": This section introduces us to singularity and cosmism. The former is the notion to further human abilities in a man-machine unified way. The latter is the theory of human evolution where concepts of truth, reality, freedom and happiness will be deeply revised.
"WhereIn I Conclude By Looking Forward": This section talks about the next generation's perspective and not just that of the author.
"Epilogue": The book concludes with a take on modern day news, views and events.
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