Customer Reviews

The Politics of Stupid

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(14)

 

 

Susan is radical, cut to the chase and honest. The book is harsh reality. Do not get this book for someone who is an emotional "softy". You can tell she is pissed off by the "paid programming" on TV because of the way she wrote this book. The Tele edits all that is the gut reality. The "diet pill companies" make a lot of money and you can bet they do not want you to know the real truth. She says throughout...just get up and MOVE YOUR BODY. This is her basic issue and to put good food into your body.
I like Susan because she sets a great physical example, but I found this book harsh and insulting.

I lost a whole lot of fat following Susan Powter.
To me she was an icon - a sane, down-to-earth person who knew how to slim down sensibly.

Now she seems all BUT sane and down-to-earth.

Just look at the cover. She looks awful with her weave and breast implants. I was under the impression that cosmetic surgery was a bad thing to Susan Powter. That the natural body was the most fantastic thing in the world...
Well, she changed her mind...

If you read this, Susan.... Get over your divorce and bad relationships! It's a bore to hear about ten years later...

To the rest of you: Save your money! The book is awful.

This was the most poorly edited book I have ever read. I did read the entire thing, although I literally got a headache everytime I picked it up. There are so many different fonts types and sizes that it looks awful. It is very hard to read because there are so many run on sentences and comments within the paragraph.

If you have read her other books, you might be aware of her style of writing, but this book has taken it to the extreme. It is basically a bunch of complaining, but not over anything that concerns me too much.

There is a LOT of men bashing, and some particlarly rude comments directed at Dr. Phil, along with any other man. She appears to hate men and anything relating to men; especially her 2 exes. Susan literally says "thank the goddess" instead of "thank god" just because she doesn't want to give God a male gender because she thinks it leads to a patriartic society.

She has taken her cute cocky attitude and turned psycho with it to the point that I couldn't even tell what point she was trying to make half the time. If you could read between the lines, fonts and endless sentences she still has a couple (literally) interesting points. However, after I read 90 pgs into the book, there was still no instruction or advice on how to eat.

I finished the book thinking that it could have been summed up into a nice pamplet that said:
1) if it grows in the ground or from a tree then eat it
2) If you can't pronounce it then don't eat it
3) If its man made don't eat it

If you can see past her incoherent ramblings, hypocrisy, and self-aggrandizements -- and shovel through the frivolous anecdotes -- there are gems of information in what she says and writes. That being said, I'm not sure it's worth the price she charges for her programs or worth the time to hear her speak. Most of what she talks about can be gathered simply by paying attention to our bodies and our world, and by doing a little bit of research on what interests us. Eating. Breathing. Moving. Thinking. Pretty brilliant. Pretty simple. Pretty obvious.

Before buying this book, I suggest going to the library and checking out her first book, "Stop the Insanity!" Her new "stupid" book is basically the same. In a nutshell:

- Eat when you're hungry. Eat healthy foods most of the time and indulge on sweets and fats when you must.

- Breathe. When you are exercising (within your own fitness level) and you get out of breath, SLOW DOWN.

- Move. Exercise. There's no way around it. Work with where you are and gradually increase your fitness level by working within your fitness level. Cardio, tone and lift, stretch, and have fun. It shouldn't hurt.

- Think about your health. Visualize your body as fit and healthy as you want it. Not "metaphysics; rather, psychology.

- Men suck. Fathers are uselesss. Being a rigid, uppity bitch isn't a bad thing, it's what makes a REAL woman and mother.

- The government is out to kill you and your babies.

- She is fighting mad and she isn't going to take it anymore.

I think that pretty much sums it up.

She hasn't changed and why should she? Over a few decades she has had the same message. And if you want something new, HELLO, check out her website [...], and you'll find plenty. However, what is incredible about her, regardless of whether you agree with her philosophy or not, is she is consistent in her message.

For those looking for something "NEW", you don't really know what you are looking for, and are probably delusional to believe in a "fairy godmother of motivation." Susan makes it clear. The only way to be lean, strong, healthy and sexy is to stop eating too much fat and processed food, exercise to prevent and sooth emotional eating by bringing oxygen into your life, (an amazing source of calorie free energy for your body to process) and take it all step by step without overwhelming yourself.

REGARDLESS of how long it may take, it will take if you stay within your fitness level. Your not going to eat fast food super-sized meal #3 today and tomorrow eat a vegetarian, raw food diet for the rest of your life. Nor are you going to go from asking your kid to get you a cola from the fridge today to running a marathon next week. Susan stated this all before, and I love that she sticks to what works, not just throwing out gimmicks to make money. Move slow, but keep moving!

Susan Powter never really went away. She knows so much and has shared her views with us in this, her latest installment of wise books. Moving, eating whole foods, and using your mind to develop into a whole person is what she really teaches.
she is an inspiration, like richard simmons. but unlike him, it's never just been about the weight. It's always been about YOU as a whole, how you feel, what you use to cope, how you let others treat you... she's taken it one step beyond in this book. Here, she really goes on about empowerment and responsibilty to ourselves and each other as well as future generations by telling us to demand a better food supply by only buying GOOD healthy food.
Motivational speakers all have their different ways of getting a message across, it has to grab you in order to get you to pay attention. It worked, you are reading this. I see Ms. Powters anger and open hostility towards the food industry as a breath of fresh air. You HAVE to shout to be heard over the propoganda in our everyday live, like on tv or in the paper. How is it sane to have a commercial for a diet pill on tv during a program about anorexia or the dangers of such pills.
All Susan is offering is a dose of reality in a politically correct saturated world.

I just finished reading The Politics of Stupid. WOW! What an empowering book! Thank you Susan! Your advice rings true with messages that I have read in other books. I believe that women are powerful beings, and we must take our lives back. I have been eating whole foods, no sweets, and have been having a blast with my 3 kids, rollerblading, ice skating, walking, and sledding. I feel clear minded, strong, and healthy. I've lost 7 pounds, and feel so much better already.Thank you for being a shining inspiration to so many women over the years. I have read, and loved all of your books. I feel confident that I can make a strong lean healthy body a lasting part of my life now. No more rollercoastering!!Thank you for the last little push that I needed to take charge of my and my family's life, and health. Fondly, Laurie Hall, Willington, CT

The most unusual of Susan Powter's books by far, The Politics of Stupid is one long stream-of-consciousness rant. There are no chapter divisions and little sense of meaningful organization. It's as if you just put a microphone to Susan's face and asked her what's wrong with the world. She insists she's not doing the "Stop the Insanity" thing, but of course the same passion, energy and anger are still there, as strong as ever. Susan has aspirations beyond getting us in shape. She envisions a world where women rise up, take hold of the reins and lead this sad sap of humanity into a better life for all. However, this tome is long on rant and short on useful advice. If you're serious about whipping the old bod' into shape the Susan Powter Way, start with the original book, Stop the Insanity.

I read the Politics of Stupid as soon as I received it as a Christmas gift from my parents, and I loved it! It made me laugh (I completely understand the whole not being able to sit and meditate without keeping one eye open looking around the room...I was the kid in church looking to see how many
people actually had their heads bowed and eyes closed), it made me angry at the advertisers who lie to us (which didn't take much...I always get mad at the lies they tell), and most importantly, it left me feeling uplifted, just as Susan's other books have (I've read them all). I personally didn't need the fat formula listed again (it's been in the other books), and when you are eating whole foods, it's going to be hard to take in too much fat, anyway...unless you're sitting around eating avacados (and I've never known anyone to do that). She tells you right in the book the foods that are good for your body and health, what to look for, so a restatement of the fat formula didn't really seem necessary to me. Now, I can't wait for the next book (and the one after that, and the one after, for years to come...)!

Johnnie

Let me first say i love Susan Poweter and think her energy and style are fabulous. I loved Stop the Insanity and Food, etc... liked the fat formula and i use it in daily life to make wise food choices. But this book isn't a weight loss book. Its a general rant about the weight loss industry. No fat formula, no how to make good food choices, nothing. I was sooooo disappointed in this book. Her style of writing has changed also. She jumps around alot. My advice, buy stop the insanity and forget the politics.