- Hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: Allen Lane (26 May 2005)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0713998024
- ISBN-13: 978-0713998023
- Product Dimensions: 18 x 12 x 2.8 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 649,707 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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More About the Author
Product Description
Time Out Book of the Week
The championing of popular culture is most welcome ... a vital, lucid exploration of the contemporary mediascape.
New Statesman
This book is a satisfying experience.
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
EVERY CHILDHOOD HAS its talismans, the sacred objects that look innocuous enough to the outside world, but that trigger an onslaught of vivid memories when the grown child confronts them. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
EVERY CHILDHOOD HAS its talismans, the sacred objects that look innocuous enough to the outside world, but that trigger an onslaught of vivid memories when the grown child confronts them. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
26 of 28 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
As a keen gamer, I plan to show this book to everyone who tells me I'm wasting time! The book explores a premise called the Sleeper Curve, a term invented by Johnson and used liberally throughout the book, explaining that those forms of mass culture that are most slated for being mindless and simplistic are in fact challenging our brains in ever newer and more complex ways. By examining the changes in television, film and games over the last few decades, and citing results of IQ studies and other publications, Johnson certainly makes a persuasive argument for the complexification of American culture.
However, a major flaw with this book as far as I see it is its concentration on America and American media. Whether older British television is indeed as simple compared to today's shows as Johnson claims American TV is, I cannot say; however, I suspect that at least some of our older television still challenges today's audiences. Equally, results of spurious IQ studies (with Johnson himself mentioning that IQ is not necessarily a good measure of intelligence) are entirely divorced from our culture. Having lived in America, I did understand most of the references to television shows, but there were still some which passed me by, unfortunately.
In terms of style the book is fairly heavy-going (at least initially) since it takes a more academic than casual tone. Certainly the term 'Sleeper Curve' is accurate as I fell asleep reading it a few times, and I felt more like I was ploughing through reams of justification than following a series of eloquent arguments. However, Johnson makes his point logically, and well, and I am inclined to agree with his line of reasoning; it is also a good thing for mass media that finally a well-supported argument can stand up to the old-wives' myths levelled at it by its detractors, and the general folk belief that "TV is bad for you" which, I realise, I have never seen actually argued out anywhere.
Overall, this is an interesting and fairly challenging book but a little too America-centric; I feel it wouldn't have been terribly difficult to look outside the USA for examples! If one can look past that, however, it's definitely worth at least one read, though it might not stand up to repeated reading, since my reaction on finishing the book was to want to talk to the author to challenge some of his points -- something the old-fashioned one-way un-interactive medium of books doesn't allow
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
i'm a big fan of Stephen Johnson's writing. Interface Culture should be on every digital media-related course's reading list and blew my mind at the time. I also think Emergence is a great book, which expands into more scientific areas. that said, i found this book slightly disappointing. it is well written and interesting in parts but there's nothing especially surprising or thought-provoking in it (especially if you've read his other books) and i left feeling it would've been better as a magazine or newspaper article rather than something you have to pay £8 for. ironically (given the commentary on fit for purpose media). there was a fair bit of repetition (at one point i was thinking "if he mentions how gaming improves your cognitive skills one more time i'm gonna scream") and the referencing of Nietszche e.g. just struck me as gratuitous. if you're a fast reader or haven't read his other books then you may enjoy it but is less challenging and less interesting than his other writing. it's less academic and therefore more accessible than his other stuff so would probably buy this for someone that needed persuading, which perhaps is the audience he's aiming for with this one.
8 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I read this book at the end of 2005 and found it one of the best eye openers in challenging a lot of my simple misconceptions regarding computer games, TV and the benefits of the internet (as an education/social interaction tool as opposed to a tool I use at work every day).
I no longer look at my children's fascination with playing computer games with such concern; it has not increased my viewing of TV (a medium I actually think too many people view with rose tinted historic spectacles given it formed such a key part of their early lives) but it has helped me appreciate the wider benefits of how TV series now operate and are structured versus the versions I saw as a child; plus the internet and its wider social impact is put into context with the end coverage that IQs are given these changes getting higher in the middle and lower zones of society if not so clearly helping the top intellectual end are well made even if you do not wholly agree everything.
The book is US centric but given the author's life, location and background that seems inevitable and indeed the beauty of the arguments presented for consideration is that you find yourself applying them to local UK TV programmes given the main messages are universal.
While the style is too academic at the start, once the writer warms to his subjects he does present well and in a very creative structure that interlocks across the book. Finally, the end section on summarising areas for further reading on the different topics is one of the best I have seen in such a small book.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Incomplete
Several paragraphs of the preview chapter alone introduce a picture, diagram or other image which is simply absent, apparently not included in the electronic version. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Antsoton
brilliant
simply one of the best books i've ever read. it finally gave me valid arguments for things i knew to be true...
Published 23 months ago by ppferraz
This book is so good. And it's good for you.
Are you annoyed with classical music and classical literature fans who believe that they are somehow better, nobler, finer than the rest of us, just because everything they like is... Read more
Published on 28 Dec 2009 by Printul Noptilor
Everything Bad is Good for You - Steven Johnson
Very interesting and really sums up the current media debate! going to be really useful when starting by media uni course in september!
Published on 26 April 2009 by Ms. Eilidh White
Everything Bad is Good for You is Good for You
Johnson is one of my favourite writers; this might not be his best book, ('Emergence' is) but this is like spending a weekend with a fascinating eccentric, one whose arguments are... Read more
Published on 17 Jun 2008 by A. Strong
Elitism Rules! OK?
This is a provocative book which warrants serious consideration. The author postulates that through the device of the sleeper curve, the various technological developments which... Read more
Published on 15 Jun 2008 by Junglies
An excellent retort to the hysteria of the modern world
The good old days...they never really happened. Most people are prone to declaring things like- people were friendlier in the old days, or there's nothing but rubbish on TV... Read more
Published on 28 April 2008 by J. Duducu
Grand Moff Tarkin...why grand Moff Tarkin??
First let me say that this is a truelly inspiring book, after reading it I not only feel entirely justified in my TV and DVD viewing but a little ashamed of myself for not playing... Read more
Published on 25 May 2007 by Pacman
This Book Was Good For Me
I value this book immensely because it highlighted that my generation had not wasted away on computer games, formulaic film and TV content. Read more
Published on 17 Jan 2007 by Simon Drake
Ecologists relax!
Unless he's added stuff the author's not really saying everything bad is good. As an advocate for less gas guzzling travel I'm not worried by anything I've read of Steve Johnson's... Read more
Published on 2 May 2005 by S. BADDELEY
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