Synopses & Reviews
Many of us are being misled. Claiming to know the pals” of presidential aspirants, dark secrets about public officials, and hidden causes of the current economic crisis, those who spread rumors know precisely what they are doing. They are sometimes able to derail political candidates, injure companies and reputations, even damage democratic governance. And in the era of the Internet, they know more about manipulating the mechanics of false rumorssocial cascades, group polarization, and biased assimilationthan you do. They also know that the presumed correctivespublishing balanced information, issuing corrections, and trusting to the marketplace of ideasdo not always work. A pioneer in the effort to design regulation around the ways people behave” (
The Wall Street Journal), Cass R. Sunstein uses examples from the real world and from behavioral studies to explain why certain rumors spread like wildfire and what we can do to avoid being misled.
Cass R. Sunstein is the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law at Harvard Law School (on leave). His previous books include
Republic.com and
Infotopia; he coauthored
Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness. People are being misled. Those who spread rumors know precisely what they are doing when they claim to know the pals” of presidential aspirants, dark secrets about public officials, and hidden causes of the current economic crisis. They are sometimes able to derail political candidates, injure companies and reputations, even damage democratic governance. And in the era of the Internet, they know more about manipulating the mechanics of false rumorssocial cascades, group polarization, and biased assimilationthan you do. They also know that the presumed correctivespublishing balanced information, issuing corrections, and trusting to the marketplace of ideasdo not always work. A pioneer in the effort to design regulation around the ways people behave” (
The Wall Street Journal), Cass R. Sunstein uses examples from the real world and from behavioral studies to explain why certain rumors spread like wildfire and what we can do to avoid being misled.
Cass Sunstein has written a crisp, provocative book on a worrying problemthe susceptibility of our electronified society to base rumors. He convincingly shows that the constitutional marketplace of ideas does not solve the problem.”Anthony Lewis
It often seems that rumors are the one element that can travel faster than the speed of light. In On Rumors, Cass Sunstein helps us understand their incredible appeal, their power, and their dangers. A fun-tastic book.”Dan Ariely, James B. Duke Professor of Behavioral Economics, Duke University, and author of Predictably Irrational
"Harvard law professor Cass Sunstein's succinct and cogent little book On Rumors proves to be both timely and prophetic. Written before the current debate on health care reform, it throws light on the way public perceptions of the proposed reforms have become tainted with misunderstanding, misinformation and outright lies. It also shows how public debate has become increasingly polarized and vehement. Sunstein writes for the general reader, and this is the kind of book you wish everyone would read. In plain, simple prose, Sunstein sets out two goals: to explain why we accept rumors, even false, destructive and bizarre ones, and to offer ways we can protect ourselves against false rumors in the rapid-fire era of Internet dissemination."David Walton, The Dallas Morning News
"What Sunstein says matters. Co-author of the bestseller Nudge, hes also Obamas nomination for U.S. regulation tsar. Going by this book, hell make a fierce watchdog.”Aditya Chakrabortty, The Guardian (UK)
Truth doesnt always win in the marketplace of ideas. Lies spread too. Cass Sunstein explains why and he outlines what, in a world of Facebook, tabloids, and blogs, we ought to do about it.”Chip Heath, author of Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die
"Recently confirmed 'regulatory czar' Cass Sunstein follows up his Going to Extremes with a short but powerful treatise on how misinformation is created and how it spreads through social networks. While there have always been rumors, the internet epitomizes Sunsteins conditions for their growth and spread. And marrying his expertise as a law scholar and his work with behavioral economists, Sunstein cautions that the explosion of rumor-mongering on the internet could very well force a reconsideration of American libel laws. With clear examples and lucid arguments, On Rumors couldnt come at a better time in the countrys increasingly divisiveand deceptivepublic discourse."Seed magazine
Review
“With clear examples and lucid arguments, On Rumors couldnt come at a better time in the countrys increasingly divisive—and deceptive—public discourse.” —Seed
“Time spent in reading this authors views is a profitable investment. The reader may view rumors differently afterward.” —Aaron Klein, World Net Daily
“Cass Sunstein has written a crisp, provocative book on a worrying problem—the susceptibility of our electronified society to base rumors. He convincingly shows that the constitutional marketplace of ideas does not solve the problem.” —Anthony Lewis
“It often seems that rumors are the one element that can travel faster than the speed of light. In On Rumors, Cass Sunstein helps us understand their incredible appeal, their power, and their dangers. A fun-tastic book.” —Dan Ariely, James B. Duke Professor of Behavioral Economics, Duke University, and author of Predictably Irrational
“Truth doesnt always win in the marketplace of ideas. Lies spread too. Cass Sunstein explains why and he outlines what, in a world of Facebook, tabloids, and blogs, we ought to do about it.” —Chip Heath, author of Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die
Synopsis
Youre being misled. From whom President Obama pals around with to the causes of the current economic crisis, rumor propagators know precisely how to start a rumor and see it entrenched. They are attempting to derail political candidates, ruin companies and reputations, even damage democratic governance. And in the era of the Internet, they know more about manipulating the mechanics of false rumorssocial cascades, group polarization, and biased assimilationthan you do. They also know that the presumed correctivespublishing balanced information, issuing corrections, and trusting to the marketplace of ideasdo not work. On Rumors explains what the rumor propagators know, describes why the marketplace of ideas is broken, and offers a solution that challenges a legal tradition tracing back to Oliver Wendell Holmes: reset the “chill” on free speech to dampen false and damaging rumors. A pioneer in the effort “to design regulation around the ways people behave” (The Wall Street Journal), Cass R. Sunstein uses examples from the real world and from behavioral studies to explain why certain rumors spread like wildfire, what we can do to avoid being misled, and what the government could do to discourage those who are out to mislead us.
Synopsis
Sunstein uses examples from the real world and from behavioral studies to explain why certain rumors spread like wildfire, what individuals can do to avoid being misled, and what the government can do to discourage those who are out to mislead others.
Synopsis
Many of us are being misled. Claiming to know the “pals” of presidential aspirants, dark secrets about public officials, and hidden causes of the current economic crisis, those who spread rumors know precisely what they are doing. They are sometimes able to derail political candidates, injure companies and reputations, even damage democratic governance. And in the era of the Internet, they know more about manipulating the mechanics of false rumorssocial cascades, group polarization, and biased assimilationthan you do. They also know that the presumed correctivespublishing balanced information, issuing corrections, and trusting to the marketplace of ideasdo not always work. A pioneer in the effort “to design regulation around the ways people behave” (
The Wall Street Journal), Cass R. Sunstein uses examples from the real world and from behavioral studies to explain why certain rumors spread like wildfire and what we can do to avoid being misled.
Cass R. Sunstein is the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law at Harvard Law School (on leave). His previous books include
Republic.com and
Infotopia; he coauthored
Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness. People are being misled. Those who spread rumors know precisely what they are doing when they claim to know the “pals” of presidential aspirants, dark secrets about public officials, and hidden causes of the current economic crisis. They are sometimes able to derail political candidates, injure companies and reputations, even damage democratic governance. And in the era of the Internet, they know more about manipulating the mechanics of false rumorssocial cascades, group polarization, and biased assimilationthan you do. They also know that the presumed correctivespublishing balanced information, issuing corrections, and trusting to the marketplace of ideasdo not always work. A pioneer in the effort “to design regulation around the ways people behave” (
The Wall Street Journal), Cass R. Sunstein uses examples from the real world and from behavioral studies to explain why certain rumors spread like wildfire and what we can do to avoid being misled.
“Cass Sunstein has written a crisp, provocative book on a worrying problemthe susceptibility of our electronified society to base rumors. He convincingly shows that the constitutional marketplace of ideas does not solve the problem.”Anthony Lewis
“It often seems that rumors are the one element that can travel faster than the speed of light. In On Rumors, Cass Sunstein helps us understand their incredible appeal, their power, and their dangers. A fun-tastic book.”Dan Ariely, James B. Duke Professor of Behavioral Economics, Duke University, and author of Predictably Irrational
"What Sunstein says matters. Co-author of the bestseller Nudge, hes also Obamas nomination for U.S. regulation tsar. Going by this book, hell make a fierce watchdog.”Aditya Chakrabortty, The Guardian
“Truth doesnt always win in the marketplace of ideas. Lies spread too. Cass Sunstein explains why and he outlines what, in a world of Facebook, tabloids, and blogs, we ought to do about it.”Chip Heath, author of Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die
“One of the main takeaways of Sunsteins book is that trying to correct misinformation-based rumors with the truth is often ineffectual, or worse, counterproductive. The act of repeating the lie reinforces it in the minds of the polarized.”Evan Lerner, Seed
Synopsis
Many of us are being misled. Claiming to know the “pals” of presidential aspirants, dark secrets about public officials, and hidden causes of the current economic crisis, those who spread rumors know precisely what they are doing. They are sometimes able to derail political candidates, injure companies and reputations, even damage democratic governance. And in the era of the Internet, they know more about manipulating the mechanics of false rumors—social cascades, group polarization, and biased assimilation—than you do. They also know that the presumed correctives—publishing balanced information, issuing corrections, and trusting to the marketplace of ideas—do not always work. A pioneer in the effort “to design regulation around the ways people behave” (The Wall Street Journal), Cass R. Sunstein uses examples from the real world and from behavioral studies to explain why certain rumors spread like wildfire and what we can do to avoid being misled.
About the Author
Cass R. Sunstein is the Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law at Harvard Law School (on leave). His previous books include Republic.com and Infotopia; he coauthored Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness.