Book Review #2
Our Culture, What's Left of It: The Mandarins and the Masses
by Theodore Dalrymple
I haven't even finished this book, but I couldn't resist writing a review already. This book is a collection of essays written by the author over the last 7-8 years. Dalrymple is a British physician who puts together very intelligent and insightful commentaries on our society and what is wrong with it.
More importantly, he identifies the causes behind the decline of western civilization, and how barbarism is winning out because the policies of socialist idealism have engineered this result. He also points out how the decline in the quality of literature and written thought have "dumbed-down" society. He compares literature from the 16th through 19th centuries to that of the 20th and shows that the latter-day writers who have been heralded by the elites of modern western civilization are anything but great thinkers.
While I am only perhaps a third of the way through the text, my favorite essay thus far is on the Frivolity of Evil in the modern world.
by Theodore Dalrymple
I haven't even finished this book, but I couldn't resist writing a review already. This book is a collection of essays written by the author over the last 7-8 years. Dalrymple is a British physician who puts together very intelligent and insightful commentaries on our society and what is wrong with it.
More importantly, he identifies the causes behind the decline of western civilization, and how barbarism is winning out because the policies of socialist idealism have engineered this result. He also points out how the decline in the quality of literature and written thought have "dumbed-down" society. He compares literature from the 16th through 19th centuries to that of the 20th and shows that the latter-day writers who have been heralded by the elites of modern western civilization are anything but great thinkers.
While I am only perhaps a third of the way through the text, my favorite essay thus far is on the Frivolity of Evil in the modern world.
posted by Technical Bard | 22:30
1 Comments:
Thanks....it is on my reading list now.
Here are some of my best reads:
Beyond being practical demonstrations of intelligent analysis they are filled with thought provoking insight and information. Not recommended for those who would live like sheep.
1- The Hidden Persuaders,
Author: Packard, Vance
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd, 1991
This book looks at the application of psychology in mass media marketing.
Taking a look at the hooks and prods that are applied to the psyche of the individual in our society. Should be a primer for every school child on how to recognize manipulation and how to deal with attempts to manipulate them.
2- Manufacturing Consent, Noam Chomsky and the Media
Author: Noam Chomsky/ Mark Achbar
Publisher: Black Rose Books
This book looks at the work of Noam Chomsky and an analysis of bias in mass media, mainstream media and the effects of bias. Why is there so little effort to present balanced and complete information? What are the ramifications?
3- Culture of Complaint, The Fraying of America
Author : Hughes, Robert
Publisher: Havill Press 1999, Oxford University Press 1993
Food for thought and enlightening POV on culture in North America.
This book looks at how media has polarized America and how the general move toward specialization and away from solid foundations of core values has left a weakened and shallow society. Although the author wanders around some diverse areas the book is very enlightening.
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