Ron’s #27: Free: How Today's Smartest Businesses Profit by Giving Something for Nothing by Chris Anderson

While I don’t usually enjoy books on economic principles, I do love books on computer history and start-up Internet companies. I loved the PBS mini-series, Triumph of the Nerds and its follow-up about the Internet, Nerds 2.0. Discovering how companies start and sometimes fail fascinates me. (After I write this, I will purchase the DVDs of Nerds 2.0. Perhaps you should as well).

Chris Anderson’s Free satisfies my desire to read about the success of companies in the digital age. A writer for Wired magazine, Anderson offers this seemingly contradictory hypothesis: companies will make money by giving away things for free. He uses two powerhouse companies to frame his argument: Gillette and Google. King Gillette (yes, that’s his name) was a struggling salesman and inventor who come up with a genius idea: give away the razor and sell the blades. Because of this, an entire industry of disposable razors was born. That is why today the razor is free or cheap, but the blades cost two bucks each. Gillette makes up whatever money they “lost” on the lower price of the razor. I suppose this is why heroin peddlers give away the first few tastes for free (not that I have any idea if this is true from personal experience. All my drug-trade knowledge comes directly from The Wire).

Much of the book focuses on Google, as it provides an excellent success story of a company giving away free services (email, search engine, documents, maps, you name it) but is incredibly profitable. Free examines how this works and why.

The essence of free in the digital world is summed up in three commodities that are “too cheap to meter” and they can be given away: bandwidth, storage, and processing. Because these can be given away, companies should find ways to give away services and content.

Music and digital piracy is discussed several times in the book. According to Anderson, if it is digital, it will one day be free. He addresses the discussion of music piracy, and seems to lean on giving it away for free. He uses musician Derek Webb as an example. He gave away music content online if users provide email and a zip code. Using the zip codes, he sent invitations to shows around the U. S. He found that more people were coming to his shows and buying merchandise, making up for the money he “lost” in giving away his music. (This is coincidental, but iTunes is currently playing Derek Webb’s music as I type. I don’t even like Derek Webb. Does he have my zip code?)

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and it helped me see possibilities for a new economy in the digital age. While I don’t have a business, it still helped me to look for ways in which I can give away content online (this blog, for example) to gain something (your applauding and gushing comments, perhaps).

Most importantly, reading this and The Shallows (see review #31) together makes me be weary of the power held by Google.

By the way, I listened to a free audio book of this work. Strangely enough, when I was at a bookstore last week, I had the temptation to purchase a copy of it to review. Chris Anderson knows what he is talking about!

Here is the Wired article from which the book is based. It can offer an overview of his argument.

Ron: 26/52

Ron’s #26: The Cross Examination of Oliver Finney by Randy Singer

This is the first book on the list this year that I discovered by accident. In my usual buying and selling of used books, I found this paperback and threw it in my selling pile. When I was looking for a novel to read on the plane ride back to the States, I thought of this and put it in my carry-on. It was a good read to pass the time.

The premise is quite interesting: a billionaire is diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor and has a limited time left. As he contemplates the meaning of his life’s endeavourers, he creates a reality show called Faith on Trial where representatives of the world’s religions complete to show the world which faith system is the most true. It’s Survivor meets The 700 Club, I guess.

Each of the contestants—a Christian, a Hindu, a Muslim, a Buddhist, and an atheist—are lawyers and complete in courtroom-based situations challenging the other’s faith. These legal scenes are a mini-apologetic for the Christian faith, and are worth reading.

Aside from the worldview discussions, the contestants discover that there is a plot to kill one of the players. Oliver Finney, a Virginia judge who hacks and coughs more than any character I’ve met in a book, tries to find out more by sending coded exchanges to his law clerk Nikki Moreno. Nikki races to discover the truth of what is happening on the show to save the judge’s life.

I enjoyed this Christian version of a John Grisham story, and I loved the discussions of faith. I thought that Singer was especially fair to the Muslim and Hindu characters. The Swami was perhaps the most likeable guy of the entire book. I was disappointed in how the plot unfolded and the big revelations. The ending negates some of the mysteries in the story, making them meaningless.

Randy Singer published this novel at the same time as his non-fiction, The Cross Examination of Jesus Christ, a lawyer’s look at the court case of Jesus. In Oliver Finney, the judge uses that book (which he authored in the fictional version under the pseudonym “Randy Singer”) to communicate with Nikki. It’s a bit of a gimmick, but I thought it was clever.

This is a quick and worthwhile read for those who enjoy legal thrillers. And reality shows.

Ron's #25: Robert Murray M'Cheyne by Andrew Bonar

I don’t read enough biographies, but when I do, I walk away thinking that I should read more of them. Christian biographies are especially important, as they show what a life lived for Christ looks like. Robert Murray M’ Cheyne by Andrew Bonar is no exception.

Robert Murray M’Cheyne was a Scottish preacher born in 1813. After pursuing classical and religious studies in the university, he came to Christ following the death of his older brother David. David provided a godly example to his little brother, and God used that loss to lead Robert to Himself. He then became a passionate preacher, evangelist, hymnist, writer, and missionary during his short life. M’Cheyne died in 1843 at the age of twenty-nine. Twenty-nine! I am ashamed to see the dearth of godly pursuits evidenced in the first twenty-nine years of my life.

Robert Murray M’ Cheyne was written by his close friend Andrew Bonar a mere six months after Robert died. The book includes many of his journal entries reflecting on his ministry.

The strongest part of this biograpghy is the longer fragment from M’Cheyne’s writing titled, “Personal Reformation.” Much like Jonathan Edwards’s “Resolutions,” “Personal Reformation” sheds light on the heart of this man, one who aches to be close to his God. There was much in this book—but especially in these last ten pages—that were of great comfort to me.

“I am tempted to think that I am now an established Christian—that I have overcome this or that lust so long—that I have got into the habit of the opposite grace—so that there is no fear; I may venture very near the temptation—nearer than other men. This is a lie of Satan. I might as well speak of gunpowder getting by habit a power of resisting fire, so as not to catch the spark.”

“I ought to study Christ as an Intercessor…If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million of enemies. Yet the distance makes no difference; he is praying for me.”

“Live so as to be missed.”

This biography is a picture of a man who strived to live this way. What legacy do you want to leave in your 29, or 39, or 49, of 89 years on this earth?

Ron's #24: The Devil's Delusion by David Berlinski

I was interested in this refutation of the “New Atheists” called The Devil’s Delusion: Atheism and Its Scientific Pretensions because the author was not a Christian. David Berlinski is a secular Jew, and he takes on Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens with power and wit.

Much of the material in here is challenging the essence of the worldview of Darwinism. As other voices continue to say, Darwinism’s biggest critic is science itself, not faith as is often caricatured.

While I enjoyed reading this book, much of the scientific discussions were too technical for this guy. If you have a strong background in the sciences, you may glean more from this than I did. I certainly appreciate was Berlinski brings to the discussion.

Ron's #23: Rome Sweet Rome by Scott and Kimberly Hahn

My friend recommended this book about a Protestant’s journey to Catholicism, as I am a former Catholic (as she is as well). I was interested in understanding the reasons for such a conversion. Overall, the subject of the book was an interesting read. I was impressed with Scott Hahn and his voracious study of theology and discussions with friends. He appears to be an intriguing fellow. The book itself is poorly written, even painful at times. [e.g. “I began to see that every time Kimberly and I performed the marital act, we were doing something sacred” (28).] But, I won’t let that cloud the discussion.

I see his transition marked by three main points of doctrine. 1.) Scott started with a change of mind about infant baptism and birth control. Both of those issues, not exclusively Catholic doctrines, caused a shift in his thinking. 2.) From there, he became convinced that sola scriptura (Scripture alone is authoritative) is unbiblical. 3.) Mary’s role in the life of a Christian was the biggest and final hurdle before becoming a Catholic.

If true, these three points should make us all Catholics. If infant baptism removes original sin, if Scripture does not have final authority in truth and doctrine, and if Mary prays for us and we pray to her, then it is crystal clear that we do exactly what the Hahns have done. However, I don’t think it is so.

Infant Baptism: While there are some solid Protestant churches that baptize infants as a mark  of entering into the covenantal community, they do not believe that it removes sin as Catholics believe. Throughout the book of Romans, we see the sin of Adam still present. Galatians makes the connection of the sin of Adam and the grace that comes through Jesus, our second Adam. Neither book mentions baptism as a way to wash away the sin as a baby.

Sola Scriptura: In order for the Catholic Church to be true, one cannot believe in sola scriptura. Catholics need to have a higher authority than the Bible-- the Catholic Church. I’m surprised that more people do not have a problem with this. Given these two, which is more trustworthy and authoritative? Scott Hahn dismisses sola scriptura with a mere “it’s not in the Bible.” However, Galatians warns, “I (Paul) am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.” It does not take much work to show that the Catholic Church is adding something more to the gospel already offered.

The Veneration of Mary: Scott addressed how difficult it would be to cross this bridge, but then he offered some strange analogy about mothers and sons, and somehow he crossed it. He then proudly prayed his rosary. This is one of the most troubling parts of Catholicism, and I cannot see how it is not either other gods and/or idolatry. If you pray to someone dead or resurrected or floating out in space somewhere, you deify it. Ask Mary to pray to Jesus for you seems-- pardon my candor-- ridiculous. Jesus is our Mediator between the Father and us. We do not need Mary as a mediator between us and the Mediator (yes, that is a confusing sentence). Jesus became a man in order to serve that role, and He did it just fine, thank you. “For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). No Mary. No St. James. No Nobody Else.

My biggest concern for the book is not that he left Protestantism for Catholicism; in fact, I enjoyed reading about it. Instead, I did not like his criticisms of Protestants and then never offering a clear justification (oops…I shouldn’t use that word in this context!) of the Catholic view. He must give clear views of why sola scriptura is “unbiblical” or why we ought to pray to Mary and the saints. He merely tells us that he became convinced of it, and then his wife followed. There must be more to his argument, especially about these important matters.

From the book, I see that Scott Hahn is an intelligent man, an insatiable reader, and an eager student of theology. However, he seems to use these facts in place of actual arguments why Catholicism is a better picture of Christianity than what Protestant offers. Rather than giving clear, powerful, and biblical arguments, Hahn only gives us pictures of smart men becoming Catholics. That is not logic; it is a logical fallacy (appeal to authority). Be honest…after reading this, are you more swayed by his solid arguments making the case, or are you impressed that a smart, learned man and his friends chose to be Catholics?

I had a personal interest in this story beyond just being a former Catholic. Scott Hahn was a Reformed Protestant Christian who moved to Catholicism at the same time that I began my own switch from Catholicism to Reformed Protestant Christianity. We passed each other in the aisle, I suppose.

I’m not sure what your interest is in Catholicism or Protestantism or even Christianity. I would say that if you have read Rome Sweet Home, you owe it to yourself to see the other side of the argument. Check out John Stott’s Basic Christianity or J. I. Packer’s Knowing God. These are both good places to start. Of course, the Bible is the main text. Read Galatians or Romans or Colossians today keeping what you know about Catholicism in mind. How well does it match with what you are reading?

I guarantee that neither Stott nor Packer uses the phrase “performed the marital act” in his book. That counts for something, right?