An important demonstration that to thrive—indeed, to survive—our fissured democracy must be far more democratic.
A sharp portrait of our deeply fractured political system.
Our current political polarization is neither unique nor intractable, notes social sciences professor Dotson, who details measures that can engender a genuinely democratic ethos. It is not too much democracy (or politics) that thwarts us but too little, writes the author—and not nearly enough plurality in our dialogues or the processes of designing and enacting policy. Critiquing the notions of objective fact or incontrovertible truth and upending much contemporary thinking on the choice between the expertise of elites and populist-driven concepts of governance, Dotson locates the impediments we face in our reliance on calcified beliefs, outmoded constructs, and the demonstrably faulty procedures we cling to. No segment of American society escapes his scrutiny: liberals, conservatives, moderates, fundamentalists, libertarians, defenders of the free market, and advocates of science above all. Each makes fundamental errors in assaying the problems we confront and the path forward, leaving us confused, frustrated, and fatalistic. We suffer due to our fear of conflict and simplistic calls for “civility,” longing for an age of certitude (that never was), and insistence on thinking our opponents are either corrupt, ignorant, or brainwashed. The much-derided “soft” sciences offer some keys to achieving balance, as does heightened participation in democratic processes by every portion of society. Dotson advocates for a less authoritarian approach to politics that embraces the life experiences and skills of everyone, regardless of political conviction, and that blends these perspectives with those of acknowledged experts and involves the widest spectrum of citizens in every facet of developing policy. He knows his prescriptions for change, however logical, will be challenging to implement. Perhaps some of them are unattainable, but his arguments are cogent, his optimism profound.
An important demonstration that to thrive—indeed, to survive—our fissured democracy must be far more democratic.Pub Date: Aug. 3, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-262-54271-5
Page Count: 232
Publisher: MIT Press
Review Posted Online: May 27, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2021
Maher calls out idiocy wherever he sees it, with a comedic delivery that veers between a stiletto and a sledgehammer.
The comedian argues that the arts of moderation and common sense must be reinvigorated.
Some people are born snarky, some become snarky, and some have snarkiness thrust upon them. Judging from this book, Maher—host of HBO’s Real Time program and author of The New New Rules and When You Ride Alone, You Ride With bin Laden—is all three. As a comedian, he has a great deal of leeway to make fun of people in politics, and he often delivers hilarious swipes with a deadpan face. The author describes himself as a traditional liberal, with a disdain for Republicans (especially the MAGA variety) and a belief in free speech and personal freedom. He claims that he has stayed much the same for more than 20 years, while the left, he argues, has marched toward intolerance. He sees an addiction to extremism on both sides of the aisle, which fosters the belief that anyone who disagrees with you must be an enemy to be destroyed. However, Maher has always displayed his own streaks of extremism, and his scorched-earth takedowns eventually become problematic. The author has something nasty to say about everyone, it seems, and the sarcastic tone starts after more than 300 pages. As has been the case throughout his career, Maher is best taken in small doses. The book is worth reading for the author’s often spot-on skewering of inept politicians and celebrities, but it might be advisable to occasionally dip into it rather than read the whole thing in one sitting. Some parts of the text are hilarious, but others are merely insulting. Maher is undeniably talented, but some restraint would have produced a better book.
Maher calls out idiocy wherever he sees it, with a comedic delivery that veers between a stiletto and a sledgehammer.Pub Date: May 21, 2024
ISBN: 9781668051351
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: March 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A fierce, penetrating, and empowering call for change.
Artist and activist Vaid-Menon demonstrates how the normativity of the gender binary represses creativity and inflicts physical and emotional violence.
The author, whose parents emigrated from India, writes about how enforcement of the gender binary begins before birth and affects people in all stages of life, with people of color being especially vulnerable due to Western conceptions of gender as binary. Gender assignments create a narrative for how a person should behave, what they are allowed to like or wear, and how they express themself. Punishment of nonconformity leads to an inseparable link between gender and shame. Vaid-Menon challenges familiar arguments against gender nonconformity, breaking them down into four categories—dismissal, inconvenience, biology, and the slippery slope (fear of the consequences of acceptance). Headers in bold font create an accessible navigation experience from one analysis to the next. The prose maintains a conversational tone that feels as intimate and vulnerable as talking with a best friend. At the same time, the author's turns of phrase in moments of deep insight ring with precision and poetry. In one reflection, they write, “the most lethal part of the human body is not the fist; it is the eye. What people see and how people see it has everything to do with power.” While this short essay speaks honestly of pain and injustice, it concludes with encouragement and an invitation into a future that celebrates transformation.
A fierce, penetrating, and empowering call for change. (writing prompt) (Nonfiction. 14-adult)Pub Date: June 2, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-09465-5
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: March 14, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2020
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