Jihad vs. McWorld

Jihad vs. McWorld: Terrorism's Challenge to Democracy
By: Benjamin Barber
Copyright: 1995
Ballantine Books

3 Bookmarks out of 5

So, it's been awhile since I've posted on here. Real life has once again taken over - I'm solidifying some things for a move I will be making, I took a wonderful vacation to New England, and some family issues took over my time for reading. I still was trucking away at this book though - no matter how slowly. I first heard about this book in college. Since I was a social science major, this book popped up a lot in certain readings for class. When walking through Barnes & Noble one day, I decided that it was time for me to pick it up and actually read the book in its entirety.

Unfortunately, I'm a little sad that I forced myself through this entire book. It took me two months to read because the writing was not meant for the lay person. If you're looking to digest the theory in this book, it would be better just to read a summary of the argument that Barber makes - which is essentially that neither McWorld nor Jihad is democratic and we're all in big trouble if either one wins out. If you're looking for an easy read on the current state of world affairs, this is not that book. However, if you're looking for a book with deep analysis of how the world works, then I would encourage you to read it.

The book is slightly dated - it was published in 1995 and the version I read was re-published in 2001 with a new introduction which reminds readers that the theory still holds true today. Even eleven years later, though, Barber's book still holds true. Replace cassette tapes with blu-ray DVDs and it's easy to see how it is applicable to today. It would be interesting to see an even more updated version which speaks to the current fad of social media and how consumers are willingly giving McWorld unlimited access to personal information.

I can also see how people could be offended by the title of this book. I went into it thinking that Barber would focus solely on fundamental Islam and how it has no place in the modern world. Barber instead focuses on extreme conservatism everywhere - from the Middle East to Germany and even the extreme Christian right in the United States of America. Barber seems to use the term 'jihad' as an over-arching theme although 'jihad' is almost always associated solely on Islam. Barber knows, though, that in America the term 'jihad' sells. It looks as if Barber was swept up in the McWorld that he is arguing against in an attempt to sell this book.

Overall the book is organized in easy to digest parts. If it was written in long-winded chapters, I doubt that I would have mustered the strength to finish this book. But the easy to find stopping places allows you to digest what you just read and take a break before you continue on. Some of the examples felt drawn out when I understood the point he was trying to make from the get-go. But over-all Barber does try to make his book easy to understand.

I guess in the end the book left me uninspired. I didn't feel like the way I looked at the world changed after reading - and I attribute that to the fact that I was already extremely familiar with the theory presented in the book before I even started reading it. It took me so long to read it because it was not written in an exciting way. The book is geared towards academics who are already interested in this subject and not necessarily the weekend reader. Pick it up if you're interested - steer clear if you're just looking for a book to keep you occupied while you ride the bus or train.