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What Would Machiavelli Do? The Ends Justify the Meanness

What Would Machiavelli Do? The Ends Justify the Meanness

List Price: $14.95
Your Price: $10.47
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Badly Written.
Review: Stanley Bing seems to be successful businessman giving hard-nosed, realistic advise about the business world, but one thing he is not is a writer. In fact, the writing is quite poor in this book and would be an insult to anyone with a high school reading level. On top of that, Mr. Bing quotes mass murders like Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin to "prove" his point even more.
Mr. Bing feels any kind of morals or ethics need to be thrown away for the sake of making money and being successful. Yes, that has happened in the past, but look what happened to those people. They either ended up in jail or died. But if you ask Mr. Bing, that still doesn't matter because they made lots of money!!
Mr. Bing, since you are such a tough guy, let me ask you a question. Have you fought in any wars?

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Lame
Review: Stanley Bing may be a successful business man, but he does not give good business advice. Most of the things he says in this book are juvenile and too general. He feels that everything needs to be sacrificed in order to be successful in this world; giving up things like morals and values. This may be true in the real world, but it does not come without deadly conquences.
... Does Mr. Bing actually think one should go that far in order to be successful. Destroying your life and others'? Judging from this book he thinks so. Don't worry if you've made your life a complete mess, just as long as you are rich and powerful. Thats all that matters.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Oversimplifies Machiavelli, and is really a Business book
Review: This is a pretty good book for people starting out with Machiavelli. It oversimplifies stuff way to much, and you can tell Stanley Bing really hasent studied machiavelli. But it is written very easy to read, and has valid points, especially about paranoia. It is mostly a business book which i didnt know. But it can also be read as an everyday life book. There are very good quotes in it. Overall, i reccomend it for average people.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: My boss just read this book
Review: I have not read this book yet, but am ordering it now. About a month ago my boss mentioned that he just read this book and how it re-affirmed every notion he had about how to manage. Ever since then he has been on an absolute rampage. He seems to be at war with his own department and the rest of the company. I think it has set him off the deep end. I guess my only defense is to become a little Machiavelli too. What happens when everyone reads this book?

UPDATE:
I bought the book but after about 50 pages it seemed too inane to finish. However, my boss has just been informed he is being demoted and transferred out of my department. Too bad.

I think this was the result of taking this book at face value and putting its suggestions into practice. Either you are born a Machiavelli or you are not. After all, Machiavelli never had to read a book on how to be Machiavelli.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Hardy Har Har
Review: I picked up this book due to a recomondation from a friend and almost gagged at how inane it is. The tittle of this book should really be described as "How to be jerk" Because that's all he does is point out the nefarious dealings of some of socities most cuthroat business people and politicians. But whereas other authors have pointed out the subtlety of the Machiavellan maneouvers, Bing describes his subjects as if they were wearing a set of horns and everyone should be able to spot them a mile away. Maybe its' a bit different down in the US. I live in Canada and believe me no business leader or politician (unless he/she was at THE top) could carry on in this way without getting fired.

Yes the business world is horrible but there are other much more effective books on the shennanigans of corporate climbing than this.

If it wasn't for Bings snarky remarks perhaps I would be able take this book a bit more seriously. You would be far better of reading from the source (Machiavelli) than trying to take any of Bings advice.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Hand book for the corporate ladder climber
Review: This book takes the essesnce of "The Prince" and breaks it down into easy to understand lessons, complete with everyday examples. The orginal work is anticdotes of Italian princes, this book uses people like Donald Trump, Madonna...etc. People who know how to get what they want. If you are tired of WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) get this book for a refreshing perspective on how to manage your every day life.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Average book
Review: This is not a bad book. But it should not be taken too seriously for REAL macchiavelian people.

As expected, reading Macchiavelli's "The Prince" is surely much more useful than reading this interpretation... and it's free (try searching for the English text on Google)!

This book is similar to self-help books: they can't really help you, because they teach you HOW, not WHY. By doing so, such books have very limited application, as real life is always significantly different from book scenarios.

Reading about Games Theory, Social Psichology and Cognitive Science will surely take you farther on the task of manipulating people and taking advantage on them.

(by the way, Bing himself doesn't seem to believe his advice, as he made it clear on the last chapter. The last chapter spoils all the book).

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: All too real. A relaxing read.
Review: Take it for what it is worth...It is worth a read. There are many truths buried in these pages. You can't help thinking about your fellow managers and bosses and how they fit into the context of this book. If you take on the business world with any zeal you will find this book all too real. Business is battle. Only the strong will survive. If you aren't even strong enough to read this book and take it for what it is worth you won't make it. Enjoy.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I bought this as a joke gift for a colleague, but found it less than amusing.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: A horrible little book
Review: What a horrible, distasteful little book Mr. Bing has written. Machiavellian politics and strategies are fascinating and important, but Bing's approach has resulted in a grubby little book that leaves a nasty aftertaste. I tossed my new copy in the trash the same day it arrived. The first time I have ever done that with any book. There are far better offerings out there. You will regret buying this one.


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