Reviews

Why We're Polarized by Ezra Klein

alexdpar's review against another edition

challenging dark funny hopeful informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.75

This has to be one of the most transformational political books I have ever listened to. And by listen, I mean LISTEN. There is a whole other side to the audiobook that conveys almost an additional seriousness and emphasis on all the various pieces. While I don’t think the book offers anything new - a lot of this research has existed for a while - the author is able to provide a unique compilation of these sources with a voice of concern, humor, and experience. 

What I truly love is that he is not shy from really tackling how most people feel. The average individual is caught up in their own narratives and wants to blame the other side. But they are tired of the two party system, believe politics to be broken, but also feel that politics both impacts them at the highest of levels and yet do not reap prosperity or see any change election after election. And instead of countering those argument, Klein embraces them. He acknowledges his own biases, agrees with the brokenness of the two party system, and doesn’t tell people they are wrong for feeling as though they do not benefit from or are impacted by electoral outcomes. 

And he doesn’t ask the reader to seek rigorous or massive change. Just to understand that partisanship can be a tool for engaging in politics, and that we need to engage at the local and state level too, because that is where our lives are impacted most.

Federal politics is a game and we are just pieces - it uses us for its own end. Recognizing that allows us to begin accomplishing the above and recognizing that there is a way to truly come back from these deeply fractured times. 

godie_mach's review against another edition

Challenging read. It's slow, highly informative, extremely detailed and takes a very micro approach.

juliaarciga's review against another edition

5.0

The book was a bit long, a bit wordy, but incredibly informative. I learned a lot.

taniguchi_c's review against another edition

challenging dark informative medium-paced

4.0

mrsmobarak's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective slow-paced

5.0

bseigel's review against another edition

hopeful informative medium-paced

4.0

danielnski's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective medium-paced

5.0

As someone familiar with Ezra Klein's writing already, I knew what to expect in terms of style, but I really appreciated the systematic way he laid out the substance of his argument about polarization and its impacts on politics today. I think I will be reflecting on it for quite some time. 

tonyleachsf's review against another edition

5.0

Great takes on complicated issues. I feel smarter.

My only reservation was that the recommendation felt like the laundry list of liberal/Democrat structural change talking points. I’d hoped for a different take.

annenichols's review against another edition

I want to read this. It's interesting, but a bit dense.

michalhaman's review against another edition

4.0

Spoluzakladateľ Voxu spisal rešerš o nedostatkoch politického systému v USA.

Väčšina knihy spisuje existujúce výskumy a knihy. Klein ich dáva dokopy a vysvetľuje cez ne polarizáciu USA spoločnosti a najmä politického života.

Je to zásadne politologické čítanie. Bez základných znalostí USA politického systému a záujmu oň to nemá zmysel čítať. Demokratické nedostatky politického systému USA sú pomerne vlastné tejto krajine, no občas sa týkajú aj celého sveta. Napríklad keď nezhody v Kongrese majú potenciál naštrbiť fungovanie svetového finančného systému.

Kniha je napísaná v 2020, ešte pred príchodom covidu a pred začiatkom prezidentovania Joe Biddena. Klein to krátko reflektuje v závere knihy.