Human Diversity

The Biology of Gender, Race, and Class

By: Charles Murray

Narrated by: David Baker

Length: 14 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's Summary

All people are equal but, as Human Diversity explores, all groups of people are not the same - a fascinating investigation of the genetics and neuroscience of human differences.

The thesis of Human Diversity is that advances in genetics and neuroscience are overthrowing an intellectual orthodoxy that has ruled the social sciences for decades. The core of the orthodoxy consists of three dogmas: 

• Gender is a social construct.
   
• Race is a social construct.
   
• Class is a function of privilege.  

The problem is that all three dogmas are half-truths. They have stifled progress in understanding the rich texture that biology adds to our understanding of the social, political, and economic worlds we live in. 

It is not a story to be feared. "There are no monsters in the closet," Murray writes, "no dread doors we must fear opening." But it is a story that needs telling. Human Diversity does so without sensationalism, drawing on the most authoritative scientific findings, celebrating both our many differences and our common humanity.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2020 Charles Murray (P)2020 Twelve

Critic Reviews

"[An] incisive, alarming, and hugely frustrating book about the state of American society." (Bloomberg Businessweek)

Purchase the Kindle version not the audio book

The PDF file helps but HUMAN DIVERSITY is still not appropriate for an audio book. I have a major issue with how to rate this audio book because the Kindle version is outstanding, but the audio version is really inappropriate. If you are going to get the audio book download the PDF and follow it as the audio book is listened to. Finally, unless you have a sound background in math and statistics listen to the appendices first.

Sleep inducing

So Charles Murray interviews are much more interesting than his writing. The book regurgitates endless numbers, which OK I get you want people to understand that there is data underneath your opinion, but this doesn't make for a great audio book experience. Plus the guy reading it doesn't seem to breathe anything extra into the book with his performance, but he can probably only do so much.

Accessible Science

Objectivity is a lost art. This book brings it back. As the author indicates, his work may not be palatable to the mainstream politically sensitive.

Comprehensive and impressive work

This is a text that requires, in many cases, the printed material in order to better follow the concepts, esp the statistical constructs, explaining the differences between the gender outcomes. Overall, however, a superb work blending many scientific disciplines so the non-scientist, non-researcher can follow the discussion and arguments made in these fields. Some may walk away frustrated because their camp's beliefs of and about gender identity and equality were not made 100 percent absolute by the data, to date, in the areas covered by the author. Nevertheless, the author in my opinion, made Herculean efforts to present and discuss both sides of the arguments made regarding the male-female calculus of things using evidence gathered through research and rigorous statistical examination. And on it goes, the never ending battle between the TWO genders and their MANY respective agendas.

Nothing new

If you are familiar with Charles Murray‘s work you won’t find much new here. Some of the biology is interesting, but it is a long slog.

A really fascinating topic but it suffers

This is not light listening. And it suffers from the use of a lot of references to the PDF. If you have that desire. Then great. Listening in a car, on the way to work? Not so much.

The topic itself is fascinating. I think reading Pinker's "The Blank Slate", Richard Dawkin's "The Selfish Gene" would be good books to read first. That will help get your head around what Murray is talking about and might make the science less dense.
As the author states, there are no bombshells in this book. If you are an ideologue you will probably not be happy. Science tends not to validate anybody's opinions. Though people are free to jump to their own conclusions, as foolhardy as that jump usually is.

If you've never studied statistics, don't bother.

Sections of this book were slow. Although there is plenty of detail supporting it's concepts, it is very technical and without prior study in this field or in the field of statistics, most readers will be lost. However if it makes sense to you, it is extremely enlightening. The only other negative thing I would mention is that in an audible format you will miss out on about 20% of the content as there are are charts, graphs, etc which are referenced frequently.

I ha e learn a lot and expand my understanding.

excellent book, must be read to understand better the human nature and the challenges we have ahead.

Our communality is our individuality

Even in the wake of the likely most even, unevenness is the most even universal reality that confronts us everywhere and anywhere we turn bar non. perhaps our very existence and being is a direct consequence of it. As we are individually are products of our unique and proprietary heritage we as well write our unique and individual legacy that detriment our Individual identity . The fundamental basis of our diversity is this individual identity and this have been made clear many times over by this book by an unlikely confluence of evolutionary, genetic ,epigenetic and sociologic and geographic points of views. To effectively understand our diversity all known or most known diverse fields of the sciences were closely looked at unlike any time before and the synergy marvels in the arguments and pros.

Revolutionary insights

As someone living in Sweden, where the ideas Murray takes argues against dominates society entirely, the notions of this book was at first quite hard to take in. Race in particular, as something more than a mere social construct.

Murray disproved my prior positions deeply though. As a University student in Engineering I have access to much of the research drawn up in the book. For which this book was a true goldmine. Be it gender, Intelligence or Race the book proves it's point clearly.

I would recommend to buy this book as a physical book or an e-book though. It can be difficult to follow the exact research and the consequences yourself in this format. It is technicaly heavy, though important to the point I recommend anyone to read it.

This doesn't work as an audio book.

This doesn't work as an audio book.
I deeply regret buying it. The narrator is just reading aloud statistics that will mean nothing to most people.
I can't get an exchange or refund and it's another reason I'm giving up on Audible.

Moderate and nuanced

The author has written a very timely and useful book. Whether his conclusions are sound or not the book is a worthy contribution to the debate around nature and nurture in politics. It is sometimes hard to follow as an audiobook due to the technical jargon and statistical data.

Sensitive and thorough

A comprehensive overview of the state of genetic research and its implications for social sciences from my favourite social scientist.

Perhaps more data-heavy than is best suited to audiobooks (I found myself pausing and making notes), but the narrator was engaging and I enjoyed it nonetheless.

Giving this 5 stars because I'd like to see more of Murray's work on Audible.

Intelligence Essentials 101

We are in the age of Genomics, genes are winning the argument over environment as what makes us who we are. Not least because our environments are becoming more similar. Intelligence is becoming more concentrated in the ruling classes, with social, economic and educational segregation. We like people like us.

Current definitions of intelligence are narrow, personality definition shallow, and genders too easily limited to stereotypes. It is impossible to ignore this research because it works for the mass of humanity and this opens up its box of tricks. This research represents the future, and it is vital to understand its basis. This book provides that understanding

Nonetheless the cultivation of a particular form of intelligence throughout the upper reaches of society may not be best for the human race long term. It is increasingly hard to overthrow current paradigms from Big Pharma to economic models. Not least because it limits our ability to adapt to future changes. It does not allow a route for "genius" as opposed to" excellence" even to exist let alone flourish. If you are unhappy with the current direction of research and thinking - know your enemy and understand his / her weapons. Charles Murray does not entirely side with the direction this research is leading the human race. I have ordered a hard copy of this book on the strength of this listen. The references are too important and the framework worthy of further study. This is a guide to modern genomics weapons systems of Aldous Huxley's Brave New World and you want a human future, we all need to familiar with its direction of travel.

The humanity of the author shines through.

Charles Murray gives an authoritative and balanced survey of this topic. If you respect the scientific method and like assertion to be backed up by evidence, you will like this book. It is quite dense in parts, so people will have to put in a little effort in places.

Great Book

Great book that covers human behaviour through genetics. Interesting read. Highly recommended to anyone who is interested in biology and genetics

Detailed, brilliantly researched and honest.

Whilst the detail of the narrative can be challenging sometimes, this is a fabulous book that dissects the facts about race, gender, genes, environment and good old-fashioned luck brilliantly. I liked it so much I shall be buying it in hardback. Good job Charles Murray.

A glimpse into the future

Eye opening and intriguing from start to finish. Great references and examples throughout. highly recommended.

Excellent treatment of the topic

It's exactly as described: a no nonsense exploration of real differences in gender, race & class.