What do you get when you cross the question of guessing a bull’s weight, theories about why secret services are not really doing their jobs, and a quote from Reservoir Dogs?

Maybe a book.

And if that’s the case it’s likely that you hit James Surowiecki’s The Wisdom of Crowds. Which is an entertaining read about the single idea that even though masses may consist of more or less dumb blokes, summing up the dumbies may result in some smart blob that can rightfully decide a hell out of nowhere.

This book really teaches a lesson about managing one’s life. If you ever happen to be at a bull auction sale: make sure to ask like everybody else about the bull’s weight or you may be overpaying. If you ever happen to build up some secret service: make sure not to judge simply on the basis of your own spying games but keep asking about everybody else you meet at the next cocktail party. And if you ever happen to watch some fine movie: make sure not to bring everybody else along because all the noise they make at crunching popcorn and sipping beer is totally likely to kill the great dialogues roaring from screen.

Not all three points are really part of the book. But they do follow the underlying idea of The Wisdom of Crowds. Which is a highly recommended book for everybody but the hard-liners in the pimp my ego game.