I'm writing up an actual review of the book and plan on posting that; it should be more useful than a stream of consciousness.
A Note From The Author
Beck thinks that Common Sense (the Paine one) was full of "extraordinarily logical, straightforward, indisputable arguments". It was a propaganda pamphlet, using mostly emotional appeals and arguments by pathos. Don't get me wrong, Thomas Paine was great, but Common Sense is nowhere near the epitome of sound logical argument (I personally think it's actually kind of shit; Paine's other works are good though, and you should read them). Although, the fact that Beck finds it so extraordinarily logical and indisputable says a lot about him.
"The abuses being perpetrated by our government are just as obvious now as they were [in 1776]." Obvious? Some examples of this "obvious" abuse would be enlightening. Not all (or for that matter, any) truths are self-evident.
We shouldn't use violence to "fix" these "problems". This is good, but I lack confidence in Beck's commitment to this.
Beck appropriates Martin Luther King; in good news, he quotes a bit of King that argues against Beck's support for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
The appeal to common sense. How fallacious. I'm starting to worry that he'll never actually explain anything, just say "do what I say, because it's obvious common sense says you should".
Introduction
"I think I know who you are." Uh... no, you don't. And your next few paragraphs describing the imaginary me prove you don't.
These paragraphs also are revealing of who he thinks his target audience is: middle America.
"You have children." None that I know of!
SCHOOLS ARE BAD AND CORRUPT YOUR CHILDREN! TEH EVIL LIBERALS ARE TEACHING THEM LIES LIKE EVOLUTION!
"You don't hate people who are different than you, but [you actually do, you just don't admit it to yourself]" ("you don't want to be called a racist, bigot, or homophobe if you stand by your values and principles").
I don't think Glenn Beck understands what logic is.
"You're not an activist. You don't make signs or chant: 'U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!'" ...whiskey tango foxtrot? That's what being an activist is all about?
The fastest way to be called a crazy danger is to quote the Founders? I'm going to call [citation needed] on that.
Chapter 1
"Most Americans remain convinced that the country is on the wrong track." One, [citation needed]. Two, argumentum ad populum is a fallacy. Three, that doesn't imply that your ideas are the solution to our problems.
"But just because you may not know exactly what your *gut* is saying." Where's Colbert when you need him?
Glen Beck, do you jack off to an artist's rendering of common sense at night? Or do you just like to repeat that mantra for nonsexual purposes?
Goddammit. This hypothetical gut feeling we have is god telling us that America's going to hell in a hand-basket? Can we please avoid the (unsubstantiated) metaphysical claims? I don't think that the man who wrote The Age of Reason would like them.
"Indoctrination masked as education." I understand that Beck's "common sense" and "gut" tell him that education is brainwashing, but I really wish he'd at least explain himself a little. Because while I think there are legitimately things in USAian education that are misguided or wrong (e.g. teaching about Christopher Columbus as a great hero, rather than a genocidal slaver), I have a feeling that I'm thinking of different things that Beck.
"Rid ourselves of the poison of those who are proven to have broken the law." This coming from Glen Beck scares me, despite his previous claim to believe that violence is not part of the solution.
Common Sense showed the British government was "out of step with the Laws of Nature"? Like, gravity didn't work? No conservation of energy?
Unholy Cthulhu, now he's being a CAPS LOCK troll.
He earlier said that action was needed, that it was morally impermissible to be neutral, now he's saying that "inaction is often the best course of action". Granted, the former was for individuals, and the latter for the government, but it's still a bit contradictory.
"The progessive principle of natural selection." Social Darwinism apologeticism much?
"Laws of common sense"? Now this is just getting absurd.
Referring to the above comment on Beck waffling between the need for action/inaction: "granted, the former was for individuals, and the latter for the government". He just said that "the laws of common sense" don't change by scale, explicitly mentioning parallels between the average American and the government. So this goes from somewhat contradictory to outright contradiction.
Now Beck is reminding us that he's Mormon by repeating some quasi-political social advice about debt the Mormon religious leaders like to spout.
Switching from the gold standard to the debt standard? Beck took/takes Ron Paul seriously?
"Compassion and capitalism go hand in hand." Hahahahahaha. Hahahaha. Hahahahaha. Hahaha. Ha. Hahahahahaha.
People still take the concept of the American Dream seriously?
Beck earlier said that wealthy elites caused these problems, leading to Middle America being forced to suffer the consequences. Now he's saying that we shouldn't tax the wealthy more, as hardship and pain should be distributed to all. Huh. I wonder how many of his (presumably middle/lower class) readers notice he went from blaming someone else for their problems to telling them they should help pay the consequences for it.
He gives a list of basic questions to ask neighobrs to "wake" them which include"The next time an 'emergencey' comes along... there will be many voices on all sides shouting directions. Many of those voices will be wrong--and some will even knowingly be wrong." Oh the irony.
- Something about how we need to build a border fence to keep out immigrants.
- Something about how America is a "melting pot", yet people insist that people from differnt cultures should be able to "retain their distinct languages, identities, and practices". In case it's not clear, Beck is not for people being allowed those.
- "Why are those who respectfully question the science behind global warming mocked and condemned?"
Don't Panic. Has Beck been reading some Douglas Adams?
"You cannot take away freedom to protect it." *cough* Patriot Act *cough*
I propose a drinking game for reading this book: any time Beck says "common sense", you drink a shot. Doing this, you'll be shitty by the end of the first chapter.
Chapter 2
"Money. The real opiate of the masses." How quaint. He's referencing Marx.
"[Our leaders] convinced us to defeat... imperialism." Does Beck not notice that the USA is a major imperialist nation now? Or, more succiently, No John, you are the imperialists!
Socialism? No, anything but that! Aaaah!
Beck needs to learn about scientific notation. I understand that writing out all those zeros makes numbers like 11 trillion look massive, but 1.1x10^13 or 11 trillion is much easier to read.
Also, the the national debt is nothing new. Alexander Hamilton (one of the Founders, so by Beck's logic, he's automatically right about everything forever) actually advocated it as a useful tool for foreign policy.
The debt is nothing new. The USA being in debt does not correlate to future generations being forced to work "hundred-hour weeks" to pay off that debt. We'll probably just continue our policy of going into debt to pay off the debt. I'm not saying anything about the wisdom of this, but Beck's scenario is an outright lie.
"Add in our national debt and interest payments and you'll easily exceed the capability of most calculators." Oh my gods! Aaaah! If it exceeds the capability of my diddly little desk calculator, how will I, your average Glen Beck fan, do the math? I can't add on my own!
Not just term limits on elected officials, term limits on everyone! Every government employee, ranging from the clerk at the DMV to the public kindergarten teacher, must have term limits!
More anti-intellectualism! Right out of the blue! Those damn dirty "Ivy Leagures" had better get their hands off me!
Attention Glen Beck. When the government prints money, it is, by definition, *not* counterfeiting.
Since this has been mentioned several times the book, I feel I must ask something: Glen Beck, what are the "Laws of Nature"? Before you appeal to them, you should define them, so there's something more than you making up shit to fit your views.
Chapter 3
Beck waffles on taxes some more. Which is it, should everyone pay taxes in equal rates, or should the wealthier pay higher rates?
"Common sense tells us they are one and the same: Time is money." Common sense is now cheesy aphorisms? I never knew.
Why is it that only conservatives push the "America is a *republic*, not a *democracy*" stick?
No, apparently common sense is "what Glen Beck feels without any backing whatsoever". No other explanation makes sense.
Chapter 4
Glen Beck is complaining about Congress getting rid of the secret ballot for union votes as if it were something being forced on us from above without our consent. Perhaps he should read some stuff from union and labor groups, who largely support the removal of the secret ballot.
"Common sense tells us those two things cannot possible go together--yet it happened." Hey, look, Beck's admitting that common sense is fallible.
9/11! Beck channels the spirit of Rudy Guilliani!
"[California's budget increased significantly recently,] yet they still won't do the common sense things to get back on track, like lifting restrictions on offshore oil drilling." Common sense really is Beck's way of slipping in random shit in irrelevant places without needing to justify it.
Chapter 5
Beck is saying that "Progressivism" has infected all our government (and bureaucracy, and lobbying groups, and corporations). I wish that we'd get a chance to vote for one progressive more than once in a while, let alone have both major party's choices be progressives.
"The Progressives view the Constitution as a living organism that evolves with time and changes depending on circumstances." The Constitution was designed to be a living document, capable of change.
Beck is criticizing progressives for saying that change would require sacrifice. Blatant hypocrisy.
Now he's spreading lies and misunderstandings about global warming.
Beck says that we should avoid "feel-good" policies that are bad when you *think* about them. More blatant hypocrisy, unless he thinks that thinking is appealing to one's gut, whereas feeling is using one's brain.
More bad logic. Glen beck is saying that because Argument A (anything to do with the greater good) was used to argue for Policy B (WWII Japanese internment camps), and Policy B was bad, that therefore Argument A is bad and any policy that uses Argument A as support is also bad.
Now he's defending terrorists.
"Logic tells us that..." He just came incredibly close to saying "Logic dictates". He really does think logic is what Mr Spock uses on Star Trek. Idiot...
Yay! Bernie Sanders! Woo! Granted, Beck was riffing on him, but Glen Beck not liking you is a good thing!
I don't think Beck knows anything about the public education system.
Dude, the UN is not out to steal everyone's children. And children having rights (such as the right to birth control without their parents' knowledge) is a good thing. Sure, it'd be nice if everyone grew up in a family where they could share such things with their parents without fear of negative consequences, but this is not how reality is. Considering there are people who physically and/or emotionally abuse or neglect their children who have sex, consider having an abortion, etc., we need these safeguards in place. By arguing against children having privacy from their parents in certain areas, Beck is arguing for something that leads to child abuse; whether he intends it or not, he is pro domestic violence.
Now he's saying that "secularism" is trying to destroy religion, which is the only bastion of morality and goodness in the country. I'm not at all surprised he's saying this, but it's still insulting, bigoted, idiotic, and wrong and usually. Someone should tell Beck that Paine was anti-religion.
Okay, Beck, we need to talk. When you quote the Founders, you quote mine them to find a quote that supports your point. You don't pull out a Jefferson quote about how morals aren't exclusive to religion. That directly contradicts what you just said.
Chapter 6
"There will be temporal as well as eternal consequences for each of us should be abandon our post and let liberty's light slip away into the darkness." I think he just said those who don't support him are going to hell.
Woo, a short chapter!
However, he apparently needs something to fill the space, so he's shilling for his 9/12 project thingy. Judging by what I can see of it here, it's shit.
A list of additional reading! 40% of the 10 books he mentions were authored (or they were one of multiple authors) by W. Cleon Skousen, whoever that is. I wonder if he paid for the advertising.
Hey, he includes the full text of Thomas Paine's Common Sense (not the cheap Glen Beck knock-off).
Thomas Paine is a much better writer than Glen Beck/Glen Beck's ghostwriter.
He also doesn't use the phrase "common sense" every other paragraph.
Hey, he includes a list of sources at the end! However, since he doesn't reference which cited data or statistics corresponds to which source, one would have to check through all the few dozen sources he mentions to find each citation. That makes this almost useless!
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