Book Review - My Bad by Paul Slansky and Arleen Sorkin
Category Book Review
While at the library the other day, I wandered by the front desk where they display recommended titles. This one caught my eye... My Bad: 25 Years of Public Apologies and the Appalling Behavior that Inspired Them by Paul Slansky and Arleen Sorkin. If you're as fed up with public "apologies" as I am, you'll love reading this... or be even more disgusted. :)
Contents: Introduction; Media Mea Culpas; Taking Care of Business; I Fought the Law; You Can't Say That on the Radio; Readin', Writin' & Regrets; The Boob Tube; Judges and Lawyers and Cops, Oh My!; Slinking Off the Silver Screen; In the Penalty Box; The Disarmed Forces; Facing the Music; Forgive Me, Lord; Politically Incorrect; Future Imperfect; Index
This book could be five times the size and still not run out of material. The authors have a number of apology quotes followed by an explanation of what prompted them. They cover the spectrum of business blunders to sports slip-ups to political improprieties. Many of the explanations are offered without much commentary, but you do catch some of the authors' feelings along the way. There are also some humorous running threads where a particular person (like Ted Turner) makes repeated appearances, proving that many people do *not* learn from their mistakes. To be fair to the offenders, some of the apologies are sincere and are the best that can be offered under the circumstances. But people have become so glib with their "I'm sorry if anyone was offended" statements, that it's hard for a real apology not to be viewed with the same jaded cynicism as all the others.
I think what got me was how some people could think that anyone would believe their explanations or rationale for saying what they did. I recently read someone writing about mistakes and apologies, and they were correct... "When you're wrong, just take the bullet. Trying to rationalize it will only make it worse."
This was an enjoyable and instructional read. It helps you remember that anything you say or do will definitely be held against you in the court of public opinion, so engage the brain before the mouth gets started...
While at the library the other day, I wandered by the front desk where they display recommended titles. This one caught my eye... My Bad: 25 Years of Public Apologies and the Appalling Behavior that Inspired Them by Paul Slansky and Arleen Sorkin. If you're as fed up with public "apologies" as I am, you'll love reading this... or be even more disgusted. :)
Contents: Introduction; Media Mea Culpas; Taking Care of Business; I Fought the Law; You Can't Say That on the Radio; Readin', Writin' & Regrets; The Boob Tube; Judges and Lawyers and Cops, Oh My!; Slinking Off the Silver Screen; In the Penalty Box; The Disarmed Forces; Facing the Music; Forgive Me, Lord; Politically Incorrect; Future Imperfect; Index
This book could be five times the size and still not run out of material. The authors have a number of apology quotes followed by an explanation of what prompted them. They cover the spectrum of business blunders to sports slip-ups to political improprieties. Many of the explanations are offered without much commentary, but you do catch some of the authors' feelings along the way. There are also some humorous running threads where a particular person (like Ted Turner) makes repeated appearances, proving that many people do *not* learn from their mistakes. To be fair to the offenders, some of the apologies are sincere and are the best that can be offered under the circumstances. But people have become so glib with their "I'm sorry if anyone was offended" statements, that it's hard for a real apology not to be viewed with the same jaded cynicism as all the others.
I think what got me was how some people could think that anyone would believe their explanations or rationale for saying what they did. I recently read someone writing about mistakes and apologies, and they were correct... "When you're wrong, just take the bullet. Trying to rationalize it will only make it worse."
This was an enjoyable and instructional read. It helps you remember that anything you say or do will definitely be held against you in the court of public opinion, so engage the brain before the mouth gets started...
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