Rating: Summary: "To err is human, to cover it up is weasel" "FFT-FFT" Review: When I picked up The Way of the Weasel, I thought I could breeze through it during a week f lunch breaks. The text is fast-moving and witty and is complemented by Dilbert comic strips. Actually, this 350-page book is jam-packed and took me three times as long to read than I anticipated. Adams describes the many types and behaviors of weasels who are basically people who lie, cheat, and fudge to get the most benefit out of the least amount of work. In other words, weasels are every character in the Dilbert comic strip and nearly everyone in the capitalist system. But, as Adams maintains, weasels are the "motor oil for society." Without weasels, capitalism-not to mention human relations-would not work. We need people to feed us lies and misinformation or no one would buy all our defective merchandise, engage in thankless friendships, participate in government, etc. (345-46). Of course, his book concentrates on the business aspects of weaseldom. The book is divided into 27 chapters, the longest of which are the first few. Some of the main chapters include Avoiding Work the Weasel Way, Getting Your Way at Work, and Manager Weasels. Many of the later chapters are short, miscellaneous observations on everything from airline service to televangelists to anti-itch creams that don't work. It seems sometimes as though Adams steers his subject in ways that help him include certain comic strips. Although many of Adams' ideas are tongue-in-cheek and over-the-top, lots of his witty comments hit very close to home, especially if you work in the business field. My favorite topics include weaselmath (pg. 48), meetings ("the person who is the least competent usually does the most talking," pg. 80), being creative with price quotes, and, because I work in retail, retail weasels ("There are two types of retail weasels: unscrupulous (i.e. paid on commission); lazy (i.e. paid by the hour)," pg. 204-so true). I also enjoyed the chapter Weasels are from Venus ("There are two types of women: the ones who are currently in discomfort, and the ones who are actively seeking it," pg. 248). Plus, emails from people who either are weasels or who work with weasels are included throughout the book. The book, while funny and witty, does drag on. After page 200, one is sure to get the point. The last chapters are disorganized and seem to be "filler" material. Adams' arrogant tone is also annoying at times. Still, it is a fun book for fans of the comic strip or those who like light humor on a variety of topics, particularly business.
Rating: Summary: "To err is human, to cover it up is weasel" "FFT-FFT" Review: When I picked up The Way of the Weasel, I thought I could breeze through it during a week f lunch breaks. The text is fast-moving and witty and is complemented by Dilbert comic strips. Actually, this 350-page book is jam-packed and took me three times as long to read than I anticipated. Adams describes the many types and behaviors of weasels who are basically people who lie, cheat, and fudge to get the most benefit out of the least amount of work. In other words, weasels are every character in the Dilbert comic strip and nearly everyone in the capitalist system. But, as Adams maintains, weasels are the "motor oil for society." Without weasels, capitalism-not to mention human relations-would not work. We need people to feed us lies and misinformation or no one would buy all our defective merchandise, engage in thankless friendships, participate in government, etc. (345-46). Of course, his book concentrates on the business aspects of weaseldom. The book is divided into 27 chapters, the longest of which are the first few. Some of the main chapters include Avoiding Work the Weasel Way, Getting Your Way at Work, and Manager Weasels. Many of the later chapters are short, miscellaneous observations on everything from airline service to televangelists to anti-itch creams that don't work. It seems sometimes as though Adams steers his subject in ways that help him include certain comic strips. Although many of Adams' ideas are tongue-in-cheek and over-the-top, lots of his witty comments hit very close to home, especially if you work in the business field. My favorite topics include weaselmath (pg. 48), meetings ("the person who is the least competent usually does the most talking," pg. 80), being creative with price quotes, and, because I work in retail, retail weasels ("There are two types of retail weasels: unscrupulous (i.e. paid on commission); lazy (i.e. paid by the hour)," pg. 204-so true). I also enjoyed the chapter Weasels are from Venus ("There are two types of women: the ones who are currently in discomfort, and the ones who are actively seeking it," pg. 248). Plus, emails from people who either are weasels or who work with weasels are included throughout the book. The book, while funny and witty, does drag on. After page 200, one is sure to get the point. The last chapters are disorganized and seem to be "filler" material. Adams' arrogant tone is also annoying at times. Still, it is a fun book for fans of the comic strip or those who like light humor on a variety of topics, particularly business.
Rating: Summary: Totally Funny Review: Wow! This book is a riot. Worst of all, it accurately describes many places of employement! This is the second Scott Adams book I've read, and I would highly recommend it!
Rating: Summary: Side-splitting anecdotes & real-life weasel strategies Review: Written by the acclaimed (or perhaps just ridiculed) author of "The Dilbert Principle" and the Dilbert daily comic strip, Dilbert And The Way Of The Weasel is a hilarious yet frighteningly insightful look at a simple principle of human nature: People are Weasels. That is, most people fall into a massive grey area between ethical behavoir and outright criminal behavior, which author Scott Adams refers to as the Weasel Zone. Side-splitting anecdotes, real-life weasel strategies (such as salesmen giving small gifts to potential customers, triggering the human compulsion to reciprocate the gift by making a big purchase), and much more about the venal, self-serving, yet technically legal side of human behavior fills Dilbert And The Way Of The Weasel from cover to cover. An absolute must-read and impossible to put down - cynics will relish every word, and optimists should regard the wisdom herein as a basic manual for survival in a weasel-ridden world.
|