Fauxiology

Yes, fauxiology. I made up a word. Dann for the win.

Maybe I should explain.

For the longest time I’ve been interested in people - perhaps not people so much, but their stories. If I could somehow get the stories out of people without ever dealing with them, I think I’d spend even more time in my house than I already do. So the “sociology” shelves of bookstores have always held a special interest for me; it’s like having people distill their stories into something I can hold in my hands. Brilliant, as the Guinness guys would say.

The more I read of the things though, the less I really believe in them as sociology. Browsing through the current top 5 Amazon sociology books, I see very little that I would classify as scholarly work - I see things that would either be (a) - enjoyable to read, around the same level as a Harry Potter book or (b) - something that’s a thinly veiled self-help book [see: 10 Conversations You Need to Have with Your Children]. I would have to stick both of these types of books into what I consider “fauxiology” books - trying to legitimize either a self-help book or a personal memoir with what they would love you to believe are social overtones.

Of course, I’m rather lacking in any sort of experience with actual scholarly sociology books. Perhaps they’re all like this. I tend to believe otherwise, because I know that’s how science books can be as well. Brilliant research scientists will sometimes bend over and grab their ankles and write a book for the masses on some popular subject of the times, like stem cell research or black holes, in order to make a quick buck off a fad. I can understand - it’s nice having money. History books are even worse; there’s a huge gradient between popular-style history by someone like Stephen E. Ambrose vs. horribly dense material by someone like Doenecke. One reads like a story, the other reads like a brick between the eyes. However, by the very nature of science or history you tend you really take something away from reading either of them, even the pop-culture versions of the books.

Fauxiology books, on the other hand, leave you feeling a certain way about an idea or a people or a culture. Be that as it may, you rarely also come out with any useful amount of new information besides very broad thoughts - being poor sucks, being black sucks, being fat sucks, being rich can be difficult as well, cities are fun to live in but the countryside can be as well, and so on and so forth, ad nauseum. They are far better at pulling at the heartstrings than they ever are at truly inspiring new and creative ideas.

So I shall reject this foul fauxiology - I will try and keep myself away. If I want to read crap, I’ll pick up another bad sci-fi book instead. People whine enough in real life (myself very much included); is it really necessary for me to spend my free time reading more of it?

Damn the Fauxiology! Save the Empire!