Calling Bullshit by Carl T. Bergstrom Summary
Overview of Calling Bullshit
In a world drowning in data, "Calling Bullshit" equips you with essential skepticism skills. Born from a viral University of Washington course, this modern classic by Bergstrom and West has transformed how educators and scientists approach misinformation. Ready to detect statistical deception hiding in plain sight?
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Key takeaways
When Numbers Lie and Algorithms Deceive
A raven watches you hide food, then pretends to cache its own meal in one spot while secretly storing it elsewhere. This isn't just animal cunning-it's sophisticated deception, a glimpse into how deeply rooted misleading behavior runs in nature. But humans have taken deception to an entirely different level. We don't just hide food; we manipulate beliefs, distort data, and flood the information ecosystem with what can only be called bullshit. And here's the troubling part: false news spreads six times faster than truth on social media. In this landscape, where a single misleading graph or statistic can shape public opinion overnight, learning to detect deception isn't just useful-it's essential for survival. Deception has always been part of human communication, but the internet has supercharged its reach and impact. Consider "paltering"-the art of being technically truthful while deliberately misleading. Bill Clinton's famous "there is no sexual relationship" defense exemplified this perfectly: true in the present tense, yet designed to deceive about the past. Corporations have mastered this technique. When faced with allegations about child labor in their supply chain, Fiat Chrysler responded with vague promises of "collaborative action with global stakeholders" rather than addressing the four-year-olds working in crude mines for pennies. The words sound responsible while meaning nothing. The digital age hasn't just preserved these old tricks-it's amplified them exponentially. During the Boston Marathon bombing, a false story about an eight-year-old Sandy Hook survivor being killed received 92,000 shares. The correction? Just 2,000. This isn't an isolated incident but a structural feature of how information spreads online. Truth comes limping after falsehood, consistently outpaced and outperformed.
How Media Economics and Polarization Destroyed Truth
The Correlation Trap and Causation Confusion
The Dangerous Authority of Numbers and Misleading Metrics
When Algorithms Learn the Wrong Lessons
Science's Self-Inflicted Wounds and Publication Problems
Your Practical Defense Against Deception
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"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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