I just finished "Problems with Picketty", in part due to your recommendation, but also due to the several one-star ratings given the book, all of which described it as poorly written. I found it to be very good, so I guess the 1-star reviews were politically motivated hatchet jobs.
The pamphlet length of the book and its convincing, finely-crafted prose in the first section reminded me of Bastiat. Well done.
Monday, June 1, 2015
Ignore the Bad Amazon Ratings for "Problems with Picketty": They are an Establishment Hatchet Job
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George Reisman wrote also a pamphlet about Pickety:
ReplyDeletePiketty's Capital: Wrong Theory Destructive Program
Has anyone read it?
You can read it here: http://georgereismansblog.blogspot.com/2014/07/pikettys-capital-wrong_28.html
ReplyDeleteAs a Vile Evil Minion (#0004) at Vox Day's blog, this has been an issue in the Sad and Rabid Puppies campaigns in the Hugo awards. When people see these reviews, they should complain (which you can do, right at the review itself). Amazon does not appreciate or like bogus reviews as they mess up the smooth operation of a major source of revenue to them, their recommendation engine. They can and do ban reviewers who are flagged too often for engaging in this practice.
ReplyDeleteAs an example, I just added this comment to my abuse report:
ReplyDeleteBad review is because, in reviewer's words, the subject matter is "controversial."
I urge all EPJ and TL readers, whether or not you plan to buy or read the book, to do this. Learn from the #GamerGaters and the Puppies. This is an effective way to fight back.
That should be Vile Faceless Minion.
ReplyDeleteI perused the review pages of the 1-star group and they didn't show much in the way of interest in anything economic, except for two. One bashed 'Atlas Shrugged' but with a 2-star rating and advising people to read Nietzsche instead. That reviewer may have an anarchist's bent, but it doesn't mean he/she is a libertarian.
ReplyDeleteThe other reviewer had another review of a book condensing Picketty's ideas, which the reviewer rated poorly because the book didn't adequately convey Picketty's ideas.