Yes I actually saw a book with this title in the bookstore the other day. HAHAHA (Yes I’m saying that people who believe in astrology are a little weak in the mind)
Let me try to figure this out- this book is supposed to be for the people who are not sharp enough to understand ass-troll-ogy on their own. Hmmm… -must be for sea slugs and slime molds.
That’s the least of it. Consider the ironies inherent in:
[ul]
[li]The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Getting into College[/li][li]The GMAT for Dummies[/li][li]Hi Opal for Dummies[/li][li]The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Elvis[/li][li]The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Making Money Through Intuition[/li][li]The Complete Idiot’s Guide to New Millennium Predictions[/li][li]The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Reaching Your Goals[/li][li]The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Bible[/li][li]Beer for Dummies[/li][li]Classical Music for Dummies[/li][li]Parenting for Dummies (!)[/li][li]WebTV for Dummies (!!!)[/li][/ul]
They all actually exist. I shit you not.
I knew that we were doomed as a species when I first saw The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Enhancing Self-Esteem.
Think about it, and then weep for humanity.
Wow. This Opal thing is much more widespread than I thought.
Don’t forget about:
[ul]
[li]Dating for Dummies[/li][li]Sex for Dummies[/li][li]Making Marriage Work for Dummies[/li][li]Rekindling Romance for Dummies[/li][/ul]
Be afraid. Be very afraid.
I’ve always wondered who’s buying Sex for Dummies. Seriously. Who’s got the balls (pun intended) to go into a bookstore and buy that title? I mean, is it dissatisfied wives who buy it to leave on the coffee table as a gentle hint? Is it ubergeeks who buy it hoping there’ll be visual aids? Who is buying this book?!
jayjay
I will have you know that geeks (and by “geeks,” I mean real geeks, not teenage losers who spend hours every day in #babylon5 when they should be doing their algebra homework) are actually Master Lovers and Sex Gods.
Just thought you might want to know.
“All jocks ever think about is sports. All nerds ever think about is sex.” -Revenge of the Nerds
Astrology for Dummies–This is almost like a Zen koan or something. It’s downright tautological: Dumbness for Dummies.
Sex for Dummies–Let’s just hope the chapter on birth control is very, very detailed (preferably with a lot of emphasis on methods for irreversible sterilization).
I also have some trouble imagining just what’s in books with titles like America Online for Dummies. I don’t want to be a snob–AOL was my first on-line service–but geez, c’mon people, it’s not exactly Rocket Science, here.
Please tell me there’s not a Television for Dummies (although I could almost see Programming Your VCR for Dummies).
Well, we bought a copy of Sex for Dummies for my teenage son, sort of as a joke but it did contain some useful information.
Back to the Pit:
The one that amazed me was eBay for Dummies! What the fuck?
Josh Waitzkin wrote Chess for Dummies. If anyone’s that interested, I can ask him tomorrow why he wrote it. My guess is he thought it would be helpful. Probably the same answer with most of them.
I’ll agree, astrology for dummies is pretty fucking stupid.
My favorite book along these lines was The Idiot’s Guide to Near-Death Experiences. The one area you’d think they’d already be experts in…
The dumbest one I’ve ever seen IRL was Investing Online for Dummies. If you think you really need that book, shouldn’t you be letting someone else take care of your money?
We should start a list
C’mon, each of us could write a few of these in an hour, we could make a mint!
The Complete Idiots guide to not licking wall outlets.
Self-Defenestration for Dummies
The Complete Idiots guide to buying more Complete Idiot books
Psuedo-Science for Dummies
Medical Quaks for Dummies…
Avoiding Playing in Traffic for Dummies
Well, if you insist.
First, change your name to “Prague.”
Goddidit!
First, take a drop of belladonna. Now put that drop in your local reservoir. This is homeopathy.
See the fast cars? Don’t get in front of them. Thank you.
jayjay (who actually has bought Dummies books, but for stuff like C++ programming and PhotoShop LE (i.e. Loaded with Extras))
I actually have Sex for Dummies. I got it years and years ago, when I signed up for one of those “nine books for five dollars” book clubs. I could find only eight books I wanted, so I threw on Sex for Dummies to make nine. Seriously. It went straight onto the back of the shelf; I’m not even sure where it is right now.
And it seems like How to Not Make an Ass of Yourself On the Straight Dope Message Board could be a useful title…
My wife has a copy of ‘Dating for Dummies’. It’s funny, she broke about all of their rules for dating with me.
Hmmmmmmmmmm.
To all you folks so ready to dump on Astrology for Dummies – how many of you can use an ephemeris and draw up a proper natal chart?
I’m not defending Astrology, I’ll have you know. I’m a big skeptic. I read James Randi and Martin Gardner and The Skeptical Inquirer. If CSICOP gave out cards to carry I’d be a card-carrying member.
Even so, there’s a LOT of calculation and interpretation used in astrology. Kepler was able to support himself (and formulate his justly famous laws) by casting horoscopes for the rich and famous who WEREN’T able to do the calculations necessary. I’ve read up on astrology from the PRO- side as well, and it’s interesting and nontrivial stuff.There is one heck of a lot beyond the daily Horoscope in the newspaper. And, again, I still think it essentially worthless – but it’s not trivial.
For the record I think a lot of the other “for dummies” or “for idiots” titles are pretty reasonable, too:
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Bible
Beer for Dummies
Classical Music for Dummies
At least people who read these are willing to try and find the stuff out for themselves. Me, I’d prefer someone as an SO who read Sex for Dummies to someone who thought it was beneath them. Knowledge is a useful thing.