Relevant in this day and age.

Insightful and well-written. The Authoritarian Moment is not just happening in the USA but also in the rest of the world. Ben Shapiro makes a lot of predictions which is logical and fact-based. So far his predictions which he made in his previous books are becoming/have become true. Ben Shapiro speaks up about current events making us realise that this isn't only a left-and-right situation but also a Woke Left Mob silencing conservatives,liberals and centralists. Worth a read wherever you stand on the political spectrum.

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insightful

Great examples, insightful and a must-read in 2021. Thank you. God bless you, Ben Shapiro!

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Nothing but respect.

I may not share every value Ben Shapiro has but I respect his choice to fight for every belief he has. He is a man of high intelligence and common sense and doesn't need to use abrasive language to get his point across. As a UK citizen, who is seeing more and more leftist authoritarianism be pushed into our culture, I can't recommend this book enough. Great listen with many ideas to think on.

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Worth your time to read it

A very good book highlighting the issues on modern day life. Ben is a well known public figure who owns and runs the news agency, the Daily Wire. He often explains that the left is getting more authoritarian but is often challenged to prove this, which he does in his book.

The main thesis of the book is as follows:

1. Most people are not virtue signalling, pronoun using woke lefties. However, the majority of people are being silenced through a vocal minority who uses twitter and other mediums to either get you fired, your business reputation destroyed and person’s life ruined. The bar of what is okay today is ever shifting and so Ben argues, keeping quiet will not spare you from this but only shift the time scales of when it will occur to you. Ben says, its not an if, but a when, because the bar moves so often it will eventually land on you and the outrage mob will come calling for your blood – eventually.

2. The left have over taken public life. Ben explains, this started in the universities which are now dominated by lefties who are indoctrinating others. He says, there are so few conversative teachers in education, according to poll data, that this fact is undeniable. Corporate companies have also been captured with many manager’s shifting attention from shareholder obligations and focusing instead on equity (equal outcomes), diversity pledges, and other woke badges of nothingness rather than focusing on building good core products, that people want to buy.

3. Ben simply argues that, Conversative people are being denied any voice in public life. They are being de-platformed and as such this is leaving the left as the only voices. People then naturally think they are the voice of the people, which they aren’t.

4. Ben argues that science is great because it is based on reasonable fact. However, the appeal to science these days has become a form of political narrative shaping in itself, being less about science rather than about trying to serve the political aims of ideology. Given the current state of the world, I think few of us dispute this. Science Ben argues is no longer Science, but is now ‘S.C.I.E.N.C.E’. An example Ben gives is, its okay to march in a protest for BLM and COVID wont get you, but if you march against lockdowns it will. This is not science – its politics.

5. Ben argues that left wing ideology has taken hold of large corporates. These companies now employ the large majority of people and don’t favour freedom nor market choice, being rather favour dominance instead. Ben argues that as these companies deploy a large number of individuals in large HR departments to push a narrative internally and force compliance with the narrative. Anyone who has worked in a large corporate has had this experience already. Ben argues that these large corporates are trying to kill small business who favour freedom and market choice and traditional conversative values.

6. Ben argues that Hollywood is obsessed with politics and is not focusing on telling a good story. All Conversative values have been taken out of Hollywood and entertainment is now being used as a propaganda machine, rather than an entertainment machine. Ben gives examples of trashy politically focused films, which virtue score rather than entertain, which the audience thoroughly dislikes. However, because you dislike them you are labelled racist and other words just because didn’t enjoy the film and because the film doesn’t share your values. Ben says, entertainment used to cater for both sides of the political divide but these days it doesn’t. The left have captured it completely and now it only focuses on their message.

7. A chapter on fake news.

8. Ben talks about how conversative people are being banned from public life, such as the bans seen on Twitter, Facebook, Parlor etc. this year. Ben argues that the reason for this is so that Conversative individuals can be driven completely from corporates and public life, leaving nothing more than the left in its wake to dictate to the rest of us how to live our lives.

9. Ben concludes, the left don’t need a justification to cancel you – they need nothing more than an excuse. Ben therefore argues, they can’t cancel you if you don’t consent to it. Ben says, leave the system and create alternatives. Ben suggests to start with education and then move onto practical elements. Ben argues, many of these leftie policies are flat out illegal. He says, most people don’t want to take their employers to court for breaches of law, but he argues that is exactly what people are going to have to do in future. He argues, the other means of redress are to withhold your money from companies you disagree with and ultimately create our own alternative institutions.

A good way to end this review is to highlight the final words of Ben’s book. He says, he worries that his kids will grow up thinking that its normal to be silenced, to be cancelled and to be hounded by the mob. He worries about them growing up and taking it for granted this their lack of freedom and their need to follow the party line is just the norm. There is no need to review the book but rather simply stop and think about these final thoughts of Ben’s. Ben explains, if you’re silent on all this then you consent to it. I can’t say I disagree with him.

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5 people found this helpful

Captures the Main Issues with the Modern Left

Deals with most of the more detailed parts of the culture war. Not usually a Shapiro fan, but at least he does actually argue his pints clearly with sources and highlights a lot of the hypocrisy of the modern left.

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great insight

this book perfectly illustrate what exactly what's going on on the democratic party right now..we are all seeing it but not doing anything about it and Ben just says it how it is out loud..at least someone Has balls.👍😁

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Read it while it's still legal to do so

Terrific work, very concise. Terrifying what's happening in the world. We all need to speak up.

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fantastic!

I do like Ben, and the work his does is so important. I have critism and disagreements with some of his stances but he's a clever, intelligent and respectful gentleman with a lot to say. Well worth a download not matter how you lean politically.

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Review from a non us “neutral” reader

Let me first say that I purchased this book because I like how Ben performs in debates and share his antipathy against identity politics and CRT.

I also disagree with many of his ideas such as his stand on abortion.

In my country, I would be considered someone who sits in the political center (probably a bit more left winged on issues such as climate and integration, and right winged on economic policies)

In this booked, I hoped to find a more elaborate discussion of identity politics and more importantly, some thoughts on the way forward as I admire his thinking and phrasing things.


Unfortunately, I didn’t get a lot of what I was looking for.

The books is mostly a rant/complaint about how America has shifted towards the radical left. It you have listened to most of his podcasts and YouTube videos, you will have heard most of it before.

Also, a little side note: I think his impressions of the people he discusses (like Obama, a lot of Obama) are nor very accurate, nor funny. And more importantly, he really doesn’t need to do it.

We also get it without him ridiculing others.

All in all, I think I cannot really recommend this to anyone. Which is a shame, because I do consider myself a Shapiro fan of sorts.

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Contributed nothing to the discussion

The authors writing style smacks of a fragile ego and someone scared of challange and personal growth. He seemed (at least to my ears) to lack reason, and contributed only anger to the debate. If you support the views of this author the work will undoubtedly appeal, and present an interesting listen. However if you are seeking to understand the opinions of those with a divergent political view point to your own, you will struggle with this book. The author presents little except an abject disdain for change or challenge to his entrenched viewpoint (often addressing areas he dislikes without presenting a reason why, which I felt hindered the book). The narration of the book is well done, but again hindered by the content.

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