Rating: 
Summary: Too many cheapshots
Review: Only a moderately good book. There are only a couple of chapters worth reading. Too much of the book is dedicated at taking cheapshots at people (namely the rich). David blames the inequality between the rich and the poor as the source of cheating, but what ever happened to individual responsibility? Also, he provides no reasonable solution to the problem.
Rating: 
Summary: A Galbraith for the New Millenium?
Review: Outstanding! Insightful, comprehensive, and to the point in citing diverse sources from many quarters, ranging from Thorstein Veblen to post-war corporate CEOs to Paul Krugman, David Callahan manages to explain contemporary ethical mallaise in the context of a society embodying ever-increasing disparities between rich and poor, continued consolidation of wealth in fewer hands, a threatened and less-secure (unstable?) middle class, and corresponding declines in both quantity and quality of opportunities for the many.Amidst the socio-economic gulf separating the current crop of CEOs from production workers and retail "associates," he suggests, a 'superior' can hardly trust an 'inferior' nor can subordinates trust their managers. Callahan traces the rise of [more pervasive] cheating in amateur and professional sports; traditional professions like accounting, law, and medicine; journalism; financial advisors and [other] investment-related services; and trade-related businesses like home and auto repair... to the devolution (my inference) from "managerial capitalism" of the 1950s and 1960s to "investor capitalism" of the 1980s and beyond (and the resulting pressures brought to bear on [often, not so surprisingly] fragile business and professional ethics). Callahan portrays both a privileged "Winning Class" and an endangered, increasingly cynical "Anxious Class," from which, ignoring issues of trust, it might often be unreasonable even to expect minimal standards of competent and consistent performance. This book is a triumph for all-too-uncommon sense. Would that it might it also become the bane of the free-market 'religion' (i.e., persistent, unsubstantiated belief in the face of empirical evidence to the contrary) and the questionably salutory 'values' it espouses. Were he an economist rather than a political scientist, Dr. Callahan might well become "a Galbraith for the New Millenium."
Rating:
Summary: Character education is the key
Review: Reading David Callahan's book is like holding a mirror in front of our society. As a society we have to accept what is going on and decide how we can correct the situation. In later chapters of the book, David Callahan is making key recommendations. First, we need to start with character education early during the formative ages of a child. It starts with parents and schools have equal responsibility in putting emphasis on character education. There are no systematic programs instituted in most schools today that are focused on character education. Secondly, we need to focus on values early in the working career of people. Most leadership development programs that are tailored for young managers, conspicously do not focus on values. It is my opinion that companies have to start early. Lastly, one has to help make explicit the values and belief system of individuals. As Dr. Brian P. Hall, author of Values Shift and renowned values theorist has said, problem starts when people drift away from their own values and belief system. In many cases, people are not aware of their own values and belief system and need to be made aware of the same. Dr. Brian P. Hall's values instrument (Hall-Tonna Values Inventory) is worth looking into. David Callahan's message should be well understood and appropriate remedies sought. I am looking forward to another book from David Callahan that offers concrete steps that we can take as individuals, parents, and members of the society. Overall an outstanding contribution by David Callahan.
Rating: 
Summary: Not at all on the subject
Review: The author doesn't demonstrate enough examples of cheating. Rather he's on a tear against making money, the stock market, executive salaries, golf clubs, gated communities, expensive cars, etc. I had hoped for a book that would really look at cheating in America -- from high school test taking to online piracy to corporate scandals. Instead this book is filled with hidden agenda Socialism.
Rating: 
Summary: You're Going to Get Caught Someday. Well, Maybe Not.
Review: The Cheating Culture describes an America where 74% of high school students have cheated on an exam, where parents pull strings to get their toddlers into the best pre-schools, and where it is standard practice to pad one's resume with non-existent degrees. Otherwise honest people under-report their taxes, splice into free cable TV, and over-report their insurance losses. Why do they do it? David Callahan sees several reasons. One is that in the Winner-Take-All Society (brilliantly described by Robert Frank in his book of the same name), the rewards are huge. Another is that the risks are small -- even when people are caught cheating, there is little repurcussion. And in a society where so many are cheating, we are at a disadvantage if we don't cheat, too. Most of the book is taken up with describing the (often fascinating) ways people cheat and what are the consequences, to the individual and to the community. When Callahan finally comes to what to do about this pervasive problem, he can only come up with rather mild suggestions. Parents should teach their children to do right, schools and businesses should conduct courses in ethics, the individual should "be a chump" and resist cheating and turn in anyone who does cheat. This reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Elaine threatens a cheating Jerry by saying "Someday, something bad is gonna happen to you!" and Jerry shrugs her off with "No, I'm gonna be fine." In a perfect world, things would even out, and cheaters would get their due. In the real world, Kenneth Lay gets to keep his mansion and may never go to jail.
Rating:
Summary: Scratches the Moral Scab
Review: This is a must read for just about every American. Our moral fabric is unravelling and Callahan is not afraid to tell us what we don't want to admit. All you have to do is look both Preseidents Clinton and Bush to see how lying and cheating can get you to the top.
Rating: 
Summary: We get it... and we get it...
Review: This is an essay's worth of compelling material that has become tedious in book form. Credit where credit is due: Callahan has identified a serious societal flaw (the cheating epidemic) and successfully identifies many of its root causes (a ferociously enequal, winner-take-all society, an everybody-is-doing-it mentality, the emasculation of enforcement mechanisms, etc.). The problem is that, a fifth of the way through the book, he has said everything he really has to say on the subject. Subsequent chapters provide different examples, but offer no new insights and, as a result, feel awfully redundant. By the time he concludes with his (fairly obvious) list of recommendations, I found myself skipping pages (my own form of cheating) just so I could be done faster. I think Callahan has something valuable to offer, but this entire book feels like it should be a chapter in someone else's book, not a stand-alone.
Rating:
Summary: Goodish book
Review: When Mr. Callahan is not taking pot-shots at people and concepts he doesn't like(modern ecconomics, left wingers, right wingers and capitalism) the book actually flows very well and manages to impart a good message.
Overall-The book raises good points cheating is on the rise in this country, also the fact that a small part of me doesn't care for the grandstanding tactics of Mr. Callahan is probably the point this book is trying to make, everyone is cheating so why shouldn't I.
The author may must things bluntly but when you come right down to it these things need to be said simply because no one eles seems to be saying them.
Rating:
Summary: Lots of theory, short on research
Review: While David Callahan presents a number of ideas about both cheating behavior and its consequences, his book is rather light on actual research to back up his theories. As I read the book, I kept waiting for him to support his ideas with facts, and in the end was disappointed to find that he never did so.
Without facts, this book is little more than a moralistic rant, albeit a well-written one. This book will offer cheaters a salve for their concious (everyone does it, I need to cheat to get ahead, society has enabled me to cheat, etc.) and non-cheaters a number of stories to fuel their righteous anger. If you want to get upset about cheating, it is a good read. If you want to draw a fact-based conclusion about the prevelance and consequences of cheating in modern society, look elsewhere.
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