Flavor of the Month: Why Smart People Fall for Fads Book

ForeWord Magazine
May 1, 2006 0-520-24626-8; 978-0-520-24626-3
It is estimated that, in 1958, 25 million hula-hoops were sold in the United States. This overpriced plastic hoop is a classic example of a fad¿an event, idea, or object that goes through a fast and wild ride to popularity and an equally fast slide into obscurity. Fads happen with frequency in American culture (remember pet rocks?) and show a remarkably similar overall shape. A fast rise to universal appeal is followed by a fairly short period of popularity and then a rapid demise. This demise leaves people shaking their heads, and wondering, "How on earth did I expect that to last?" One of the more interesting aspects of a fad is the way people are caught up in the popularity without recognizing the absurdity of the surging cycle of "I have to have this!" Consider, however, that between 1915 and 1924 the sociologist Emory Bogardus tracked fads by asking people to name five current fads. On the list are many honestly obscure fads. Also on the list is "men's wrist watches." This highlights the tricky nature of identifying what is a trend or innovation and what is a true fad. This book attempts to understand this phenomenon and explain what makes Americans susceptible to short-lived trends. The author is professor of sociology and criminal justice at the University of Delaware and an author of numerous books on American culture. He differentiates between fads in popular culture (like hula hoops) and those with more potential for causing lasting damage (like fads in education and business administration). Although the book has a serious message, it is surprisingly amusing, and very insightful into American business and educational culture. Best ties fads, fashions, and innovation to aspects of American culture in a way that is significant and thoughtful. His main premise is that Americans are susceptible because they believe in progress, and because they also believe in perfectibility. As a result, people keep looking for that idea that will solve all problems for all people. Best writes, "¿every institutional fad begins with a story about something that is wrong, some shortcoming, some need for improvement ... Of course, it is not enough to pose a problem; an institutional fad's story must also offer a solution." Best offers a good critique of how fads develop and some insight into avoiding them. (May) Peter Terry


PW Annex Reviews
March 20, 2006 0-520-24626-8; 978-0-520-24626-3

Sociologist Best (Damned Lies and Statistics) dissects the dangerous hula hoops of business, medicine, science and education in this light exposition on institutional fads. According to Best, American attitudes toward progress (colored by optimism, competitiveness, a belief in positive change and a fear of being seen as old-fashioned) serve as kindling to the fire of the next big cure, technological revolution, business management secret or teaching method. Best delineates stages of the fad life-cycle (?emerging,? ?surging,? then finally ?purging?) and identifies conditions and players essential to creating a successful fad (a problem needs a solution, which is then proposed by originators and pushed by promoters), and though he makes an intuitive and immensely readable case, his book suffers from a dearth of hard data and case studies (the hypothetical ?Dr. Michael? and ?Professor Alice? used to illustrate Best?s points feel contrived and simple). Similarly, his five rules for ?fad-proofing? will work well for an individual, but those who adhere to his principles and swim against the tide in a large organization may find themselves reading this book in the soup line. (Apr.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.


Library Journal
March 15, 2006 0-520-24626-8; 978-0-520-24626-3

Readers may be charmed by Best's (sociology & criminal justice, Univ. of Delaware; Damned Lies and Statistics) penchant for catchy titles; he has such chapters as "The Illusion of Diffusion" as well as "Emerging," "Surging," and "Purging." But while he provides an engaging read, Best is also a thoughtful academician whose purpose is quite serious. While short-lived fads like hula hoops and fashion preferences come and go, leaving people not much the worse for having embraced them, Best draws our attention to institutional fads, endorsed by serious professionals in government, medicine, education, and business. Seemingly full of promise, these innovations (e.g., "open classrooms," "multiple personality syndrome") are widely adopted only to fall far short of expectations; they may even cause considerable damage. Best does a fine job of delineating the life cycle of institutional fads, observing why we are susceptible to them and how we can strike a balance that will encourage innovation but make us less vulnerable to falling for the latest trends and management styles. This book will inevitably be compared to Malcolm Gladwell's The Tipping Point, but in its thrust and seriousness of intent it more than holds its own. Recommended for all libraries.-Ellen D. Gilbert, Princeton, NJ Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.


Booklist
March 15, 2006 0-520-24626-8; 978-0-520-24626-3

Best is author of Damned Lies and Statistics: Untangling Numbers from the Media, Politicians, and Activists0 (2001) and several other books that take a fresh look at social trends. Although the title might suggest a whimsical look at the pop-culture fads that we all love to make fun of, this book focuses on a much lesser- but more insidious version: the institutional fad. Institutional fads occur in business, education, government, and medicine whenever normally rational people embrace novel solutions just because they are the latest, greatest thing. Since the definition of a fad is something that catches on and then quickly fades away, these passing solutions waste a lot of resources and can even leave damage in their wake. Some institutional fads that may not be all they were cracked up to be include multiple-personality-disorder diagnoses, business management systems such as Six Sigma, and the No Child Left Behind program. Best examines the life cycle and dynamics of fads and suggests some basic adages for becoming "fad-proof," such as "remember last time." --David Siegfried Copyright 2006 Booklist

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