Endorsed as
the controversial bestselling book for thinkers by Jonar Nader. Published by
Penguin in 2001. You can’t miss the
flaming orange cover on the shelves. It also has a companion little book with nice pictures accompanying all the important quotes.
The emphasis on getting ahead is to find and use truth, and to dismiss inaccuracies and untruths. In fact, tolerance and diplomacy are seen as hinderances. The book asserts that you are the smarter and more discerning individual. If not, you wouldn’t be reading the book!
You will be irritated by people who you consider (KNOW are) more ignorant, and you, in turn, will infuriate them. This is a selfish book that will make you succeed in the modern work place: limit tolerance to protect yourself is one of the quotes.
Nader also promotes his concept of logictivity, which trains the mind to use both logic and creativity for the best results, instead of seeing these two concepts as mutually exclusive.
The whole book is on improving one’s self by looking within for strengths, and dismissing the superfluous junk in one’s life. And it does foster an attitude true to the title, How to lose friends and infuriate people. But that’s the price paid for efficiency and progress.
Unfortunately, though there are a few good ideas and even better rhetorics in the book, it tends to be a bit of an overkill in its self-righteousness.
The people who owned the rights to
How to Win Friends and Influence People tried to sue Nader on the grounds that the title of his book was
unfair competition. But lost.
Can these two book be compared? Two different camps on interpersonal relationships. One focuses on truth, and the other on
humanity. Be the individual or
pay lip service.