Books › On Bullshit
On Bullshit
First published 2005 · 112 pages
A deadpan, razor-sharp philosophical dissection of why people talk without caring about the truth.
What it feels like
Reading this tiny, potent essay feels like sitting in a wood-paneled study with a brilliant, slightly weary professor who has finally decided to apply rigorous analytical philosophy to everyday conversational garbage. The prose is delightfully deadpan, treating a vulgar concept with the utmost academic seriousness, which creates a quiet, wry humor throughout. Despite its brevity, the pace is brisk yet deliberate, asking you to pause and untangle the subtle distinctions between lying, humbug, and pure nonsense. It begins as an amusing linguistic exercise but slowly shifts into a sobering critique of modern culture's apathy toward objective reality. It is a perfect palate cleanser for anyone exhausted by political spin, corporate jargon, and the endless noise of modern media.
- Mood
- intellectual
- clarifying
- cynical
- contemplative
- Tone
- deadpan
- analytical
- wry
- precise
- academic
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- the erosion of meaning · intellectual honesty · mechanics of deception · apathy toward facts · linguistic precision
- The writing
- Academic yet accessible, characterized by a deadpan precision that treats a vulgar concept with utmost philosophical seriousness.
- The arc
- Moves from amused curiosity at a novel philosophical premise to a sobering realization about the cultural danger of disregarding truth.
- Who it's for
- Readers who appreciate dry humor, linguistic precision, and rigorous philosophical inquiries into everyday cultural phenomena.
Content notes
- profanity
About the book
A moral philosopher tries to nail down bullshit by distinguishing it from related concepts such as lying and humbug.
Description from Open Library.
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