Post: #1

Trust me, I'm Lying, by Ryan Holiday.

Book description:

Quote:You've seen it all before. A malicious online rumor costs a company millions. A political sideshow derails the national news cycle and destroys a candidate. Some product or celebrity zooms from total obscurity to viral sensation. What you don't know is that someone is responsible for all this. Usually, someone like me.

I'm a media manipulator. In a world where blogs control and distort the news, my job is to control blogs--as much as any one person can. In today's culture...

1) Blogs like "Gawker," "Buzzfeed" and the "Huffington Post" drive the media agenda.

2) Bloggers are slaves to money, technology, and deadlines.

3) Manipulators wield these levers to shape everything you read, see and watch--online and off.

Why am I giving away these secrets? Because I'm tired of a world where blogs take indirect bribes, marketers help write the news, reckless journalists spread lies, and no one is accountable for any of it. I'm pulling back the curtain because I don't want anyone else to get blindsided.

I'm going to explain exactly how the media "really" works. What you choose to do with this information is up to you.

It's a great book for anyone who is always online. If you sell stuff online it's also a great book, since Ryan Holiday is a marketing executive and lots of the book deals with his online marketing methods.

Post: #2

I've been curious about this book. Think you can drop a review and one or two of the techniques he advocates?

Post: #3

Hey Rio,

I wrote about the book over here:

/thread-24894-...#pid470628

Post: #4

Good writeup from cardguy.

I liked the book, lots of ideas about how to manufacture controversy, but it's hard to directly apply the techniques unless you're in the promotions/marketing business. With a bit of tweaking I have no doubt they would be effective in a lot of areas.

"I'd hate myself if I had that kind of attitude, if I were that weak." - Arnold

Post: #5

Required reading if you have a blog. It's sort of unfortunate that angering people is what gets you attention, but that's how it is.

Post: #6

I think if you understand the concepts you will view most news you hear through a new lens that can give you more ability to actually think for yourself. Especially from sites like Gawker/BuzzFeed/BI and understanding how major news outlets source most news these days. I feel like the whole book can be condensed into a long blog post and still give you the knowledge of how media actually works.

Post: #7

(11-15-2013 11:11 PM)puckman Wrote:  I think if you understand the concepts you will view most news you hear through a new lens that can give you more ability to actually think for yourself. Especially from sites like Gawker/BuzzFeed/BI and understanding how major news outlets source most news these days. I feel like the whole book can be condensed into a long blog post and still give you the knowledge of how media actually works.

Each section of the book could be separated into a blog post (or series of posts) quite easily imo - the concepts within are distinct and do not rely heavily on each other to build understanding.

Also, the author of this book, Ryan Holiday has a blog. The main attraction though is his 'reading list' mailing list, where he sends out monthly book recommendations. I think many here would be interested in the books he recommends.

http://www.ryanholiday.net/reading-list/ for a short-list of his most highly recommended books and to sub.

Post: #8

(11-15-2013 11:11 PM)puckman Wrote:  I think if you understand the concepts you will view most news you hear through a new lens that can give you more ability to actually think for yourself. Especially from sites like Gawker/BuzzFeed/BI and understanding how major news outlets source most news these days. I feel like the whole book can be condensed into a long blog post and still give you the knowledge of how media actually works.

I agree. It realy opens your eyes to how much manufactured bullshit is floating through the media.

It can be annoying for your friends though. Since when they start moaning about some story they have read - half of the time you can unpick the story and tell them that they have being tricked into becoming angry as part of a larger PR ploy.

As a magician I should know better. Never tell the audience how it is done!

Post: #9

Great book.

It actually gives a lot of insights into business in general. And understanding always helps curb anger I find...

I went to eat at a Thai restaurant in a very touristy part of Bangkok last night. They had a picture of a juicy, deep green, verdant salad so I ordered it. I got a plate full of white sheets of some kind of terrible looking lettuce. Ok, so I ordered chicken Satay. They brought 4 skewers and I tasted it. Definitely, definitely not chicken. I asked the waiter about it; of course he was adamant that it was chicken and not fish or soy or whatever could give these skewers such a rubbery, tasteless texture.

And then I realized...this restaurant is just like the hypey blog posts Ryan Holiday describes in the book. Their business is based on new tourists. So they could give a shit if they piss off a local because locals don't contribute any notable percentage of their profits. It's a hit and run operation and they get away with it too. It's still vexing, but somehow, understanding it makes it less so.