A Generation of Sociopaths: Examining the Impact of Bruce Cannon Gibney

Amazon Customer: I greatly enjoyed this book, even if I don't agree with everything in it. One issue that I noticed early on is that the author seems to absolve the boomer generation outside of the USA of the guilt of what they have done. This is unfair as here in Europe, the older generations have done fine work in setting up a disaster.

That aside, this is a well written and very readable book. The tone is not bitter in the least, and I feel that the writer merely wants to convey what he believes to be true. I recommend this!

United Kingdom on Sep 01, 2021

Hande Z: This book is about intergenerational inequity. The title may seem an obvious exaggeration and a generalisation, but the facts and history as narrated by Gibney show two things. First, the Baby Boomer generation have profited from the economic and sociological gains by its prior generation. Secondly, it is also neglecting its obligations to future generations, not to mention stealing from them. Gibney explains what happened and how it happened. The ‘why’ question is simple. It is greed and the sociopathic nature of the boomers.

Gibney shows that the boomer generation has benefited itself in every aspect of life, from economics, defence, education, environment, taxes, and planning for old age. And it does so by passing the costs down to future generations. In respect of tax cuts during the boomer-controlled years, for instance, Gibney says: ‘There was some sense in cutting taxes during a recession, but how the taxes were cut was illuminating – from a Keynesian perspective, the best cuts would be the cuts that led to the fastest spending, not the fastest squirreling away of retirement funds by older Americans’. The cut in estate duties came at a time when the...

United States on Dec 10, 2019

Jonathan Krall: This book is an interesting take on the policy choices and decisions of the last few decades . I recommend this book for those interested in short term vs long term impacts of policy.

Canada on Jan 13, 2018

Leslie2008: To be clear, I have not yet finished this book. Having said that, I have to say it is one of the best essays on the political climate we now find ourselves in today.

While many may object based on the title, it's important to understand that the author is NOT saying that all *individual* Baby Boomers are sociopath. Perhaps an anology can help. Individuals are mostly law abiding and relatively intelligent. Mobs are not. But *mobs* are mafe up of individuals acting in a way they normally would not because the presence of others enables individuals to cast off moral restraints.

Full of verifiable data, this book is dense (hence only 4 stars.) It's not a 1-sitting read and you'll find yourself looking up words and concepts (unless you're an accountant, tax expert, financial analyst, etc.) But it's worth the effort.

Started prior to the 2016 presidential election, the author is savvy enough to incorporate actions of the current administration into the book where possible, but doesn't try to force-fit current events into a pre-existing thesis.

There are a multitude of books on the impact of different generations in the workplace. This is the first to look at...

United States on Oct 12, 2017

Jaime W.: I would expect the reviews of this book to fall fairly evenly along generational lines, vis a vie, if you were born between 1940-1964 (Baby Boomers), you would tend to downrate this book and subsequently write off its author and main points as hogwash. Like the author, I belong to Generation X. Without question, the points raised by Gibney manage to connect all the missing dots I've had throughout my life as to why the world we currently live in sucks so much--and, more importantly, who is largely at fault.

It would be fallacy and a generalization to label everyone in a group of people as bad or good. We've all heard of the "few bad apples" way of thinking and understand the logical implications contained therein. What Gibney does very well is draw connections to the leadership and the electorate. As he mentions, Hitler did not rise to power in a vacuum. There was a process involved. Likewise, Boomers did not simply fall victim to a few bad apples spoiling the bunch. No, they went to the polls, stayed silent, spoke out, raised families, lived life, and impressed their way of thinking onto legislation, policy, legacy, etc. Gibney posits that Boomers were gifted with an...

United States on Apr 06, 2017