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3.94 AVERAGE
3.94 AVERAGE
Somewhat history book, somewhat screed, filled with interest facts, insights and perspectives on our deluded magical thinking related tendencies as a nation, but also does drag on in the second half in its efforts to catalog EVERY SINGLE THING in our modern culture that is part of what he calls the "fantasy industrial complex." I did find the historical first half leading up to the 1960s a bit more interesting. Some that stood out to me:
- A reminder that the first settlers in the US were at Jamestown, not Plymouth Rock - and that they came following some of the earliest advertising campaigns in England proclaiming the New World was filled with gold and that they would become rich overnight, as Andersen drolly observes - the first settlers were the people most gullible to mass advertising looking to "get rich quick" (also many were slaveholders)
-That both the North and the South pre-Civil War had conspiratorial stories about the other - abolitionists actually believed the War of 1812 and abolishment of a national bank were all result of slave holders working behind the scenes to control the government and entrench their power. Lincoln himself ascribed conspiratorial dimensions to his opponents in his "House Divided" speech.
-One of the first mass media newspapers - The New York Sun - was a hit because of its long stories describing the forests, oceans, lakes and blue unicorns that lived on the moon! Which inspired the sideshows of PT Barnum and Andersen posits a key part of what he calls the Fantasyland mindset
- Details a big mass delusion in the 80's and 90s that kids were being adducted and murdered by secret Satanic cults that just REEKS of our current QAnon believers.
-Goes hard detailing all the varieties of Christian and Protestant offshoots that America bred, and an increasing propensity toward belief in the bible as literal fact, as the devil at work for real in the world, and ecstatic speaking in tongues a manifestation in god. And tying these aspects to the magical thinking end times tilt in the modern GOP.
A lot of great stuff but also way too much stuff and the modern section is interesting but not quite as revelatory or eye opening s the first half (yes we all know Disney and Las Vegas and video games are based in magical thinking). But some useful reminders the American capacity for self delusion and wish fulfilling mass beliefs is hardly a new phenomenon (and not as convincing when it argues we are worse off now on this front than ever before in our history). But worth a read if any of this sounds interesting to you!
- A reminder that the first settlers in the US were at Jamestown, not Plymouth Rock - and that they came following some of the earliest advertising campaigns in England proclaiming the New World was filled with gold and that they would become rich overnight, as Andersen drolly observes - the first settlers were the people most gullible to mass advertising looking to "get rich quick" (also many were slaveholders)
-That both the North and the South pre-Civil War had conspiratorial stories about the other - abolitionists actually believed the War of 1812 and abolishment of a national bank were all result of slave holders working behind the scenes to control the government and entrench their power. Lincoln himself ascribed conspiratorial dimensions to his opponents in his "House Divided" speech.
-One of the first mass media newspapers - The New York Sun - was a hit because of its long stories describing the forests, oceans, lakes and blue unicorns that lived on the moon! Which inspired the sideshows of PT Barnum and Andersen posits a key part of what he calls the Fantasyland mindset
"If some imaginary proposition is exciting and nobody can prove it's untrue, then it's my right as an American to believe it's true "
- Details a big mass delusion in the 80's and 90s that kids were being adducted and murdered by secret Satanic cults that just REEKS of our current QAnon believers.
-Goes hard detailing all the varieties of Christian and Protestant offshoots that America bred, and an increasing propensity toward belief in the bible as literal fact, as the devil at work for real in the world, and ecstatic speaking in tongues a manifestation in god. And tying these aspects to the magical thinking end times tilt in the modern GOP.
A lot of great stuff but also way too much stuff and the modern section is interesting but not quite as revelatory or eye opening s the first half (yes we all know Disney and Las Vegas and video games are based in magical thinking). But some useful reminders the American capacity for self delusion and wish fulfilling mass beliefs is hardly a new phenomenon (and not as convincing when it argues we are worse off now on this front than ever before in our history). But worth a read if any of this sounds interesting to you!
This was definitely interesting. The author proffers the theory that the overwhelming number of conspiracies and magical thinking in America stems from the founding of the country and has gotten progressively out of hand over the years due to systemic failures a national culture that yearns to disregard reality. The freedom that we cherish so much also encompasses the freedom to possess whatever crackpot beliefs we choose.
Andersen chronicles every main American delusion from before the founding of the country to 2016: UFOs, GMOs, Bigfoot, Illuminati, Satanic cabals, racial theory, reptilians, the Rapture, survivalism, angel visitations, demon possessions, thetans, creationism, libertarianism, alternative health, cults, crystals, white resentment, fake news (no snake handlers, though). Many of these fantasies had their roots in earlier times, but have seen an explosion in popularity thanks to the no-rules nature of the Internet. He makes a distinction between the harmless fantasies (video games, reality TV) and the ones that "pick your pocket and break your leg." Fantasy thinking can lead to behaviors not just irrational, but dangerous, especially when we're talking about people who hold power in the government.
I'm not entirely sure that his premise holds up (it's kind of reaching at points), but it was interesting to read a breezy summary of our national idiocies. This book is very snarky and opinionated, which may turn some people off, but if you're looking for a "greatest hits" anthology of the weird mainstream beliefs of this country throughout the decades, this is a good introduction.
Andersen chronicles every main American delusion from before the founding of the country to 2016: UFOs, GMOs, Bigfoot, Illuminati, Satanic cabals, racial theory, reptilians, the Rapture, survivalism, angel visitations, demon possessions, thetans, creationism, libertarianism, alternative health, cults, crystals, white resentment, fake news (no snake handlers, though). Many of these fantasies had their roots in earlier times, but have seen an explosion in popularity thanks to the no-rules nature of the Internet. He makes a distinction between the harmless fantasies (video games, reality TV) and the ones that "pick your pocket and break your leg." Fantasy thinking can lead to behaviors not just irrational, but dangerous, especially when we're talking about people who hold power in the government.
I'm not entirely sure that his premise holds up (it's kind of reaching at points), but it was interesting to read a breezy summary of our national idiocies. This book is very snarky and opinionated, which may turn some people off, but if you're looking for a "greatest hits" anthology of the weird mainstream beliefs of this country throughout the decades, this is a good introduction.
As fascinating as it was to read about conspiracy theories and various panics throughout American history, I didn’t entirely follow the premise, and I’m still raising an eyebrow at his lumping in speculative fiction as a harmful influence on modern culture. I don’t agree that there’s anything special about our country that makes us more prone to wild fantasies, and I vehemently disagree that SF and fantasy novels are either a symptom or a contributing factor. His denunciation of larping, SFF conventions, Disney, cosplay, and Renaissance Faires comes across as just plain misinformed. He makes little distinction between harmless escapism people know to be fictitious and paranoid survivalist types. It undermines, rather than supports, his point.
Other than that, it’s an interesting read, and he’s a decent narrator for his own audiobook. Though, there are times where he does the annoying radio DJ bubble-in-the-throat thing. I could’ve done without that.
Other than that, it’s an interesting read, and he’s a decent narrator for his own audiobook. Though, there are times where he does the annoying radio DJ bubble-in-the-throat thing. I could’ve done without that.
informative
slow-paced
A timely analysis of the current 'post-truth' / 'post-objective' times we are living in. This book explains how Donald J. Trump became the President of the USA and how the lines between reality and fiction have become dangerously blurred.
The verdict reached here is that nothing about these 'interesting' times is new as NYT's Kurt Anderson chronicles the past five centuries with myriad instances of how America was founded by 'wishful dreamers, magical thinkers, and true believers, by hucksters and their suckers', with fantasy being deeply embedded in the American character.
|America In The Age of Trump |A Nation of Believers |Simulacra |Living In The Matrix
The verdict reached here is that nothing about these 'interesting' times is new as NYT's Kurt Anderson chronicles the past five centuries with myriad instances of how America was founded by 'wishful dreamers, magical thinkers, and true believers, by hucksters and their suckers', with fantasy being deeply embedded in the American character.
|America In The Age of Trump |A Nation of Believers |Simulacra |Living In The Matrix
I have been looking for this book for a long time...
It has helped me frame and put a name to the phenomenon I have now learned to refer to as "Disneyfication": the transformation of cities and towns into theatres of the hyperreal. And yes, that includes its denizens.
You know these places cause you've been to them too, with their bright lights and performing artists and various other characters in varying degrees of attire: furry Elmos, spandex-wearing spidermen, naked cowboys and scantily-clad vixens, uniformed greeters and obsequious servers. Parades, suits, and souvenirs. All performances, plus a reality-tv star to lead us all...
Jean Baudrillard once said that Disneyland is the most real place in America, it does not pretend to be other than that which it is, a spectacle. Hmmm.
I can' say that I agree with everything Andersen puts forth, but it's not like I've heard a better explanation either so...
I say give it a read and keep an open mind, if anything, it is super entertaining.
It has helped me frame and put a name to the phenomenon I have now learned to refer to as "Disneyfication": the transformation of cities and towns into theatres of the hyperreal. And yes, that includes its denizens.
You know these places cause you've been to them too, with their bright lights and performing artists and various other characters in varying degrees of attire: furry Elmos, spandex-wearing spidermen, naked cowboys and scantily-clad vixens, uniformed greeters and obsequious servers. Parades, suits, and souvenirs. All performances, plus a reality-tv star to lead us all...
Jean Baudrillard once said that Disneyland is the most real place in America, it does not pretend to be other than that which it is, a spectacle. Hmmm.
I can' say that I agree with everything Andersen puts forth, but it's not like I've heard a better explanation either so...
I say give it a read and keep an open mind, if anything, it is super entertaining.
challenging
informative
sad
slow-paced
I probably read this at the wrong moment in time, right before our 2024 election in the US. Reading this book made me realize that the outcome was going to be inevitable. While there are some arguments in this book I don't agree with (leave my video games alone!), a majority of them ring true, especially when it comes to how religious viewpoints have slowly been seeping into our policies and laws. I absolutely co-sign this line - "You are entitled to your own opinion, but you are not entitled to your own facts". It is scary how people can just search for the first thing that aligns with their point of view and ignore any other evidence presented. I can only hope for a better tomorrow, but my faith in humans to not be selfish or hyper individualistic has been fading for a long time.
Time for a palate cleanse, I think.
Time for a palate cleanse, I think.