Corruptible: Who Gets Power and How It Changes Us

I enjoyed reading this book a lot. It was very informative and provided insight into the human condition, power and corruption. I would definitely recommend.

The author's gift is in the ability to ask the right question: what's the world's biggest problem? This could be a more suitable title for the book but I guess the author/publisher may think such a title sounds too conceited. To me, the book is indeed an attempt to answer such a question. The author's two hours interview with the Big Think channel on Youtube carries this title and is a good summary of the book.In very short, the author's thesis is that psychopaths are more likely than normal people to get into position of power because they crave it and are ruthless. Once in power, they use it to serve their own interests and/or distorted ideologies rather than the organisations or countries they are supposed to serve. And they create or perpetuate a system that's conducive to more psychopaths gaining power. A moment's thought show that history's biggest disasters like wars and famines are caused or aggravated by psychopaths in power. That's why it's right to say that they are the world's biggest problem.This problem is very difficult if not impossible to tackle. But a diagnosis in the right direction would be a start.Highly recommended to anyone who think and care about the world's biggest problem(s).

Decent book but the same way that the author complained about WIRED individuals influencing the value of research being conducted in universities, the same problem suffuses his own statements with at attention being given to western case studies drastically outweighing those of other cultures. And the ones including other cultures being surface level assessments.

A fascinating examination of power and corruption from the viewpoint of human psychology and social science.The premise of the book is to take a look at whether power corrupts otherwise good people, or if corrupt people seek power. It's an intriguing question.It throws light onto an age-old question, does power corrupt, and provides a new angle that suggests maybe we have it backwards. Maybe the allure of power attracts corrupt (or corruptible) personalities.The problem of corruption, as well as the solution, is multifaceted and has no one size fits all remedy.One interesting angle explored in the book is that corrupt politicians aren't the only source of the problem. We are also part of the problem for granting power to unscrupulous people.I found this book to be broader in scope than I expected. On the journey to examining power and corruption in today's political systems, the book takes a few side trips into the evolution of mankind, animal behavior, world history, anthropology, human geography, and even some engineering. I expected a book that was narrowly focused on corruption in politics, but found it to be far more comprehensive. It's a well rounded look into many areas of behavioral science.The book is also infused with the author's cheeky sense of humor, which I found amusing and unexpected.I've followed Klaas on Twitter and have been looking forward to this book's release. It did not disappoint and is probably one of my favorite reads this year.

An old professor myself, I'm tickled to imagine the delight that Brian Klass's students at University College, London, must experience in his classroom. He loves stories, and tells them with great verve. The recounts of more than 500 interviews are at the base of this book, which averages to about two for each page of text. Each one involves personalities who, though we've perhaps never before heard of them, had a significant impact upon the matter at hand. Many of them are fascinatingly, inconceivably wicked; Klass's attachment to them is indeed charming. But there are also the decent ones, remarkably gifted people with a quite selfless commitment to the common good; learning about these folks is most heartening. Professor Klass's lively mind, attention to detail, and ability to tell stories about his work are principal reasons for the huge success of this book. It includes 246 pp of text, 2 pp of acknowledgements, 43 pp. of notes, and 14 pp of index.

Really enjoyed this book. It was a great insight into what makes certain people seek power, and become corrupted in the process.

This book provides an excellent review of the problem of the corrupting influence of Power and the strategies that individuals and organizations can undertake to minimize the negative impacts that result from power corruption. It is well written and an interesting book.

In 'Corruptible' Brian Klaas continues his meditation on power and its potential abuse. Going beyond his first two publications ('The Despot's Accomplice' and 'The Despot's Apprentice'), Dr Klaas sheds a light on the very nature of power and its negative connotations. In a book that is wonderfully accessible, Brian takes the reader on a tour of the globe to reveal the strange and the surreal, drawing upon examples from the great to the obscure.As you will know from his many appearances on Morning Joe, Brian has a great ability to make complex issues both accessible and comprehensible to a wide audience.Max Boot has rightly referred to this text as 'Freakonomics for political science' and that is an apt description. Be ready for an engaging, entertaining, and informative read from this leading expert in his field.

Love this book, it gives so many examples and answers to so many questions to what we think might be the right leader or not.Mr Klass uses humour to make a difficult situation lighter. Well done!This is a book I will return to when I am not sure of my own judgement in leadership!Thank you Brian

Achei o livro bem interessante: além de explicar o problema, o autor também propõe várias soluções; não fica naquela problematização tediosa.

A very good and informative book.

Another brilliant book from Brian Klass, following his quite excellent "Fluke", and one that shows us all who we should never, ever vote for: essentially that is anyone who really desperately thirsts and hungers for power.That rules out both current candidates in the USA elections and should have ruled out Starmer in the UK.Instead we should have assembled a posse and dragged the ultra-reluctant Michelle Obama to agree to do both jobs, on both sides of the Atlantic (tricky..... but maybe a super woman could have managed!)

Das Zusammenspiel von Macht, Machthunger und Machtstrukturen wird auf eine einfache, interessante und lustige Weise erklärt.