Comments on: Spent: Sex, Evolution, and Consumer Behavior http://www.liveatopia.com/124/spent-sex-evolution-and-consumer-behavior Sat, 28 Aug 2010 12:33:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: C. Van Youngman http://www.liveatopia.com/124/spent-sex-evolution-and-consumer-behavior#comment-494 C. Van Youngman Fri, 30 Jul 2010 10:24:16 +0000 http://www.liveatopia.com/124/spent-sex-evolution-and-consumer-behavior#comment-494 Finally, I understand my students, neighbors, friends and all the neanderthals who buy Hummers. Put's the icing on the "Mating Mind"'s cake. Rating: 4 / 5 Finally, I understand my students, neighbors, friends and all the neanderthals who buy Hummers. Put’s the icing on the “Mating Mind”’s cake.
Rating: 4 / 5

]]> By: kevin http://www.liveatopia.com/124/spent-sex-evolution-and-consumer-behavior#comment-493 kevin Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:40:05 +0000 http://www.liveatopia.com/124/spent-sex-evolution-and-consumer-behavior#comment-493 Basically, an extremely insecure professor of evolutionary psychology writes a book dedicated to explaining to all the other Open-Minded professors from other disciplines why they should stop glaring at him so much and shunning him at conferences, because evolutionary psychology professors aren't conservatives and are actually just as liberal as they are. <br /> <br />The book dedicates itself to proving this thesis by inserting random jokes about conservatives and libertarians into every fifth sentence so as to render the book unreadable ("Newt Gingrich is the same as Stalin! Wakka wakka! Is this thing on?"); promoting the author's theory that people who disagree with liberals do so because of the psychosis that would occur if they were to ever even consider leftist ideas (seriously - I am not making this up); writing multiple chapters about how one day everyone will stop buying cheap junk and instead spend their time creating hemp-based clothing if only the author talks to them about Fight Club and the Matrix often enough; and writing unsourced fantasies about how people in hunter-gatherer societies actually spent their times frolicking with bunnies, rather than raping and murdering everyone around them as pretty much everyone in the field of anthropology claims. Rating: 1 / 5 Basically, an extremely insecure professor of evolutionary psychology writes a book dedicated to explaining to all the other Open-Minded professors from other disciplines why they should stop glaring at him so much and shunning him at conferences, because evolutionary psychology professors aren’t conservatives and are actually just as liberal as they are.

The book dedicates itself to proving this thesis by inserting random jokes about conservatives and libertarians into every fifth sentence so as to render the book unreadable (“Newt Gingrich is the same as Stalin! Wakka wakka! Is this thing on?”); promoting the author’s theory that people who disagree with liberals do so because of the psychosis that would occur if they were to ever even consider leftist ideas (seriously – I am not making this up); writing multiple chapters about how one day everyone will stop buying cheap junk and instead spend their time creating hemp-based clothing if only the author talks to them about Fight Club and the Matrix often enough; and writing unsourced fantasies about how people in hunter-gatherer societies actually spent their times frolicking with bunnies, rather than raping and murdering everyone around them as pretty much everyone in the field of anthropology claims.
Rating: 1 / 5

]]> By: someguy2004 http://www.liveatopia.com/124/spent-sex-evolution-and-consumer-behavior#comment-492 someguy2004 Fri, 30 Jul 2010 06:15:44 +0000 http://www.liveatopia.com/124/spent-sex-evolution-and-consumer-behavior#comment-492 This work would best be called "Introduction to Evolutionary Psychology and Why It Explains Evertyhing." While it provides a good overview of the principles of evolutionary psychology the book is misleading in that the focus on consumer culture and "consumer narcissism," as the author aptly calls it, seems to be almost incidental, and primarily for the purpose of explaining the principles of evolutionary psychology. The book becomes quite tedious when one quickly begins to appreciate that the author, despite his refutation that he is a reductionist, believes and exposes the point of view that 100% of all human behavior is determined by the need to signal one's fitness to potential mates, allies, and competitors or the need for "private pleasure." Some of his examples fly in the face of common sense and well researched topics, such as his cursory and inaccurate analysis of narcissism and narcissistic personality disorder. The author does a great job of explaining evolutionary psychology and illuminating the rather obvious elements of consumer culture that are based on superficiality and image (which he again roots in evolutionary psychology), however the work lacks depth in its analysis. Clearly this is a book with the aims of becoming a mass pop-culture phenomenon such Gladwell's Blink and other lightweight works for popular consumption. I for one expected more and thus was disappointed. In addition, I was also frustrated by the author's repeated entreatings that the reader drink the cool-aid regarding evolutionary psychology being essentially a theory of everything. The author clearly suffers from the myopia that seems common to all fanatics, especially Darwinian ones. To believe that all human behavior and endeavor is based purely in the need for and/or the evolutionary roots of survival and procreation is reductionist and simplistic by definition. It is also all to reminiscint of Freud, the most recent theorist to make such a bold claim that all human behavior was determined by two basic drives (the so-called sex and death impulses.) Incidentally, this is all the more ironic because the author early in the book dismisses Freudian ideas as simplistic. <br /> Rating: 2 / 5 This work would best be called “Introduction to Evolutionary Psychology and Why It Explains Evertyhing.” While it provides a good overview of the principles of evolutionary psychology the book is misleading in that the focus on consumer culture and “consumer narcissism,” as the author aptly calls it, seems to be almost incidental, and primarily for the purpose of explaining the principles of evolutionary psychology. The book becomes quite tedious when one quickly begins to appreciate that the author, despite his refutation that he is a reductionist, believes and exposes the point of view that 100% of all human behavior is determined by the need to signal one’s fitness to potential mates, allies, and competitors or the need for “private pleasure.” Some of his examples fly in the face of common sense and well researched topics, such as his cursory and inaccurate analysis of narcissism and narcissistic personality disorder. The author does a great job of explaining evolutionary psychology and illuminating the rather obvious elements of consumer culture that are based on superficiality and image (which he again roots in evolutionary psychology), however the work lacks depth in its analysis. Clearly this is a book with the aims of becoming a mass pop-culture phenomenon such Gladwell’s Blink and other lightweight works for popular consumption. I for one expected more and thus was disappointed. In addition, I was also frustrated by the author’s repeated entreatings that the reader drink the cool-aid regarding evolutionary psychology being essentially a theory of everything. The author clearly suffers from the myopia that seems common to all fanatics, especially Darwinian ones. To believe that all human behavior and endeavor is based purely in the need for and/or the evolutionary roots of survival and procreation is reductionist and simplistic by definition. It is also all to reminiscint of Freud, the most recent theorist to make such a bold claim that all human behavior was determined by two basic drives (the so-called sex and death impulses.) Incidentally, this is all the more ironic because the author early in the book dismisses Freudian ideas as simplistic.

Rating: 2 / 5

]]> By: Jonathan Hearn http://www.liveatopia.com/124/spent-sex-evolution-and-consumer-behavior#comment-491 Jonathan Hearn Fri, 30 Jul 2010 05:57:07 +0000 http://www.liveatopia.com/124/spent-sex-evolution-and-consumer-behavior#comment-491 This books does say it how it is. I do find it a bit judgmental but the underlying truth rings true. Rating: 3 / 5 This books does say it how it is. I do find it a bit judgmental but the underlying truth rings true.
Rating: 3 / 5

]]> By: James Beall http://www.liveatopia.com/124/spent-sex-evolution-and-consumer-behavior#comment-490 James Beall Fri, 30 Jul 2010 05:56:45 +0000 http://www.liveatopia.com/124/spent-sex-evolution-and-consumer-behavior#comment-490 I believe an earlier commenter nailed the author with the description insecure. The author embodies every liberal professor stereotype. He insures that throughout the book you know he is a liberal by his constant attempt to belittle those who might consider themselves the slightest bit a Republican or belonging to an established religion. The one exception being the relatively new Green/environmentalist religion. <br /> <br />His fantasy world towards the end where if he were in charge as sort of a benevolent dictator towards the end of the book was a hilarious romp where his constant display of ignorance of why the world doesn't work the way he wants is highly apparent. This is truly where his insecurities shine through. <br /> <br />The positives: He points you in the right direction to find actual research studies that might provide you with enlightenment (see the bibliography at the end). <br />I had great fun trying to find all the places in the book where he tries to show his liberal bona fides by critiquing Conservatives, Republicans, and believers in established religions. <br />I bought the book used so he doesn't get any of my money. <br /> <br />The negatives: The lack of footnotes. Chapters are based on his summarizing other peoples research and ideas interjected with his thoughts and ideas. <br />His apparent silo mentality regarding evolutionary psychobabble and lack of knowledge regarding other academic disciplines and their research into consumer behavior. <br /> Rating: 1 / 5 I believe an earlier commenter nailed the author with the description insecure. The author embodies every liberal professor stereotype. He insures that throughout the book you know he is a liberal by his constant attempt to belittle those who might consider themselves the slightest bit a Republican or belonging to an established religion. The one exception being the relatively new Green/environmentalist religion.

His fantasy world towards the end where if he were in charge as sort of a benevolent dictator towards the end of the book was a hilarious romp where his constant display of ignorance of why the world doesn’t work the way he wants is highly apparent. This is truly where his insecurities shine through.

The positives: He points you in the right direction to find actual research studies that might provide you with enlightenment (see the bibliography at the end).

I had great fun trying to find all the places in the book where he tries to show his liberal bona fides by critiquing Conservatives, Republicans, and believers in established religions.

I bought the book used so he doesn’t get any of my money.

The negatives: The lack of footnotes. Chapters are based on his summarizing other peoples research and ideas interjected with his thoughts and ideas.

His apparent silo mentality regarding evolutionary psychobabble and lack of knowledge regarding other academic disciplines and their research into consumer behavior.

Rating: 1 / 5

]]>