Groupthink

A Study in Self Delusion

By: Christopher Booker

Narrated by: Ric Jerrom

Length: 10 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

In Groupthink, his final book, the late, eminent journalist and best-selling author Christopher Booker seeks to identify the hidden key to understanding much that is disturbing about the world today.

With reference to the ideas of a Yale professor who first identified the theory and to the writings of George Orwell from whose ‘newspeak’ the word was adapted, Booker sheds new light on the remarkable – and worrying – effects of ‘groupthink’ and its influence on our society.

Booker defines the three rules of groupthink: the adoption of a common view or belief not based on objective reality; the establishment of a consensus of right-minded people, an ‘in group’; and the need to treat the views of anyone who questions the belief as wholly unacceptable. He shows how various interest groups, journalists and even governments in the 21st century have subscribed to this way of thinking, with deeply disturbing results.

As Booker shows, such behaviour has led to a culture of fear, heralded by countless examples throughout history, from Revolutionary Russia to Napoleonic France and Hitler’s Germany. In the present moment it has caused countless errors in judgment and the division of society into highly polarised, oppositional factions. From the behaviour of the controversial Rhodes Must Fall movement to the sacking of James Damore of Google, society’s attitudes towards gender equality, the Iraq war and the ‘European Dream’, careers and lives have been lost as those in the ‘in-group’ police society with their new form of puritanism.

As Booker argues, only by examining its underlying causes can we understand the sinister power of groupthink which permeates all aspects of our lives.

©2018 Christopher Booker (P)2019 Audible, Ltd

Not what I expected

I was expecting a balanced discussion (study) of how group think permeates society. While I liked the examples I felt they were eventually biased towards Booker’s own opinion dissolving the study idea. Perhaps it was the narrator who certainly applied ample tone, inflection and pitch to make various points.

I liked the examples but felt something was missing. It wasn’t what it was expecting

Read the One Star Reviews for Groupthink

This book would be difficult, but very enlightening for those who view political correctness, climate change, feminism, transphilia or victim sanctity as sacred cows. For them, I'd recommend the original Janis book "Groupthink" from Yale publishing which will conform to your mental model of the world.

One half of the contempt and 2D out group derogation (oppressor bigot, science denier, transphobe, racist!) that is a key feature of our times is evident in the 1 star reviews. That contempt and dehumanization of the other is literally what this book is about. I would very much like to write a corollary book or essay for those people explaining the phenomena. It would be met with 1 star reviews and derogation of it's own. (globalist, soy boy, SJW!, Satanist, TDS, pedophile, etc.)

The concept of Groupthink is a critical concept for us to understand and this book is a classic but some will know automatically to reject it based on their ingroup affiliation with the 1 star reviews. Unfortunately, this may be the people who need it most.

I can't recommend this book enough to both sides, realizing it'll be impossible subject matter for a small minority who do not wish for this kind of scrutiny of their sacred values.

Speaker cadence is a bit hard to follow

The contents of the book are insightful. The way the speaker talks is a bit hard to follow, though I can't put my finger on why. It's not an accent issue but more of a slightly odd cadence. Good voice, weird delivery.

Facile journalistic fatuity

Yet another highly opinionated journalist in way over his in each of the areas he addresses. Superficial groupthink analyses applied with idiological biases.

Devolves into right-wing belly-aching.

The preface and the introduction started off well giving cogent definitions of groupthink. However, the chapters center around liberal phenomena and railing against them. For instance, an example of groupthink would be the rapid advances in gay rights, and then two specific, detailed examples of how after the right to gay adoption was won, gay parents were guilt of child abuse or murder. So it's the type of disingenuous, politicized arguments for conservatism rather than a focus on analysis of groupthink in a more constructive way. If you are socially conservative or far right, this might appeal to you. But after the very beginning it's not particularly useful for the concept of groupthink--it's really more of a right-wing rant, unfortunately.

Right Wing Propaganda

This book is a hypocritical piece of garbage. Tries to spin group think ideas to push its own hateful agenda.

Disappointed

An extremely biased book, it would be an excellent example for several if not all informal fallacies.