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asriram's review against another edition
5.0
Ezra Klein, through this book, gives a clear assessment of the issues accelerating polarization in our country in a relatively unbiased manner. He starts off by explaining how identity forms, and explains how our identities are now forming a massive super-identity due to our political identities being now aligned with our entire worldview. He then follows up by explaining how technology and our institutions are enhancing the problem, and proposes a solution in the conclusion.
His effort in researching is clear and makes the reader feel engaged as he connect various distinct dots into a cohesive answer as to where American society is now. Great book and a pleasure to read.
His effort in researching is clear and makes the reader feel engaged as he connect various distinct dots into a cohesive answer as to where American society is now. Great book and a pleasure to read.
kallmekirby's review against another edition
perfect time to read this. so educational.
adastraperlibris's review against another edition
challenging
dark
informative
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.25
montalpn's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
medium-paced
4.0
While a great analysis, definitely selling to a liberal audience. Research is well done. Solutions are likely impossible but I respect the effort.
n_ck's review against another edition
medium-paced
2.0
A fairly disappointing airport read. I don’t come from the same political tradition as Klein but I respect his perspective enough to read him. He just does an awfully piss poor job of answering his titular question. Polarization, in Klein’s view, has its roots in the collapse of the new deal coalition with the civil rights act that delivered the white south to the GOP and liberal republicans to the Democrats. That created a whitelash and a series of perverse incentives in politics parties, media organizations and voting habits that resulted in ossified political identities and negative partisanship. Klein’s focus on incentives over personalities is helpful to understand ongoing dynamics in American politics but it’s ultimately parochial. Why is there polarization in other countries Ezra? How far does the hand of the defeated dixicrats reach?
He realizes his mistake in the last few pages of an afterword added a year after original publication when he notes education polarization plays an important role in what he was trying to describe. This opens the door to a more useful explanation asking how changes in training, the labour market and industrial composition have interacted with growing inequality to produce identities and attitudes in cities and rural areas. But doing this would sacrifice his institutional lens. If we have to talk about the economy and capitalist stagnation, then that means Kleins institutional fixes for fair play and good government would come to grief as they fail to deal with the challenges at their root - in capitalism. We can’t have that!
He realizes his mistake in the last few pages of an afterword added a year after original publication when he notes education polarization plays an important role in what he was trying to describe. This opens the door to a more useful explanation asking how changes in training, the labour market and industrial composition have interacted with growing inequality to produce identities and attitudes in cities and rural areas. But doing this would sacrifice his institutional lens. If we have to talk about the economy and capitalist stagnation, then that means Kleins institutional fixes for fair play and good government would come to grief as they fail to deal with the challenges at their root - in capitalism. We can’t have that!
shoelessmama's review against another edition
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
I like Klein's voice, he speaks in a way that works for me. His tone has the right amount of emotion without going overboard and becoming overly opinion led. I like when authors share a point I took for granted and explain where it is right and where it is flawed. This book was paradigm shifting for me in a few minor ways, which is something I look for in non-fiction. I feel like he is thorough and fair. He is upfront about his personal beliefs but acknowledges the merits of arguments that are not his own. He pointed out things that I had felt but hadn't pinpointed the underlying reasons. This book is five years old but I still found it's themes valuable and pertinent as well as oddly calming.