Steve Allen
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Total reviews: 22
Average rating: 3.0 of 5
Joining the intelligensia... 4 out of 5 stars.
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It is often said that comedy serves the same role in society today that the court jester used to play in courts of old -- not just a person who helps to release tension and entertain, but also a prophetic voice, a truth-teller, someone who can deal with the unpleasantness of reality without becoming a threatening or problematic figure. Steve Allen definitely falls into the latter category -- while there is no question that Allen's talents in the entertainment field are considerable (he was the creator of the Tonight Show, which is still running, in addition to 'intelligent' shows such as 'Meeting of the Minds' for PBS), he brings an uncharacteristic intelligence to his productions (which includes more than 50 books, in addition the work in acting media). Steve Allen coined the term 'Dumbth' for the earlier edition of this book. He speculates (in ways that might put professional educators to shame) on the level of ignorance and stupidity (not the same things) in society today. Allen was one of the originators of the 'Man in the Street' interview, asking such as questions as 'Would you vote for an acknowledged heterosexual?' and finding the most bizarre responses. Reality being twice as true but half as funny as most comedy, he highlights the difficulties children have with geography -- not only could half a class of children in Miami not find London on the map (and they thought the Falklands were off the English Coast, that Quebec was in Alaska, etc.) but also that eight percent of these kids -- in Miami, remember -- could not find Miami on the map...
After recounting tale after harrowing tale, Allen does something few comedians (and alas, sometimes few educators) do, and that is to suggest solutions! His earlier text suggested 81; in republication, Allen came up with 20 more solutions, for 101 in all. Some are simple logical propositions, well known to logicians and others trained in analytical reasoning -- beware of erroneous assumptions, drawing conclusions from insufficient evidence, etc. Others are more personal in nature -- not falling in love with the first answer, not looking for the easiest answer, not giving in to prejudice or superstition. Once could easily make a calendar out of these 101 rules, as they are each but a page or two in length, yet contain wisdom beyond common sense.
Rule 75 is perhaps the most important one -- it perhaps should be elevated to Rule 1 status. 'Stop thinking you "don't have time" to improve yourself.' This is good advice, not just for figuring out reasoning and intelligence skills, but for almost everything; the wise person will understand that there is time for the important things, and the designation 'important' is truly up to us.
Allen's warning in the final rule (be sceptical of the internet) as well as his concern about rationality and reason not being a cure-all (sometimes it is merely a placebo) deserve further treatment, alas, not from the great Allen himself, but perhaps some disciple shall. Allen states that sometimes the problem is not that people are not rational and reasonable, but rather too much so -- that they take the processes and results to such extremes that it becomes difficult to deal with; often this leads to another kind of problem of reason, the most insidious and difficult kind to deal with -- the problem of those who are correct.
An interesting text, a good and revealing trek through the state of current culture, done with humour and grace. This is not a text on logic, so don't go into it expecting such. Allen wraps much of his personal life and experience into his narrative, so do expect that -- Allen has lived an interesting life, and who among us hasn't seen the truly stupid taking place around us daily?
Editorial Review:
Critics raved about the first edition of "DUMBTH"--a work that one described as "the ultimate how-to book." Now updated and expanded with twenty new ways to think better, this is Steve Allen's humorous and provocative examination of the increasing American tendency toward muddle-headedness and ineptitude, which Allen uniquely defines as "dumbth." After cataloguing a host of hilarious and sometimes alarming personal encounters with shoddy workmanship, bad service, failures to communicate, and the general breakdown in the capacity to reason, Allen offers 101 solutions to this widespread problem. He recommends that we add a fourth "R"--reasoning--to the traditional reading, 'riting, and 'rithmetic. Always witty and thought-provoking, 'DUMBTH" makes a compelling case that thinking well, like any skill, requires study, practice, and application.
