One of the most important books in a decade | The Age of American Unreason

The Black Swan of American Unreason | The Age of American Unreason | Susan Jacoby

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	• The Age of American Unreason Susan Jacoby Pantheon, 2008 - 384 pages average customer review:based on 99 reviews view larger image
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An Analysis of Why America is Collapsing all Around Us

Susan Jacoby in FREETHINKERS demonstrated that all the great advances in human thought have come about from people not bound to any religious views. Most were atheists or agnostics. In THE AGE OF AMERICAN UNREASON, she asks a simple question, "Why Now?" That is, why did America unilaterally reverse the course of history with such things as Creationism and Intelligent Design to offset and counter the science of Evolution. Why did we revert to "faith" while the rest of the world for 300 years has relied on REASON. Presidential candidates have to "prove" they are churchgoers and believers. Look what we've got as President right now, a man whose most influential "philosopher" is Jesus Christ, probably the only name he could think of. Now surely Jesus believes in war, waterboarding, torture, famine, Katrina's destruction, poverty, all of which this believer's not only allowed and but caused. Jacoby is alert to such irrational hypocrisy and exposes it for what it is. Her two books mentioned here should be read by any President before America falls face first into oblivion and disgrace.

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One of the most important books in a decade

Unlike other reviewers, I couldn't give a hoot if Jacoby is on the left or on the right of the political spectrum. Her book, in spite of the references to politics, transcends it and speaks to something much deeper in our culture. I love Jacoby's expressions "junk thought" and "the culture of distraction" because these expressions hit many nails on their heads. As an English professor, I can testify from my experience (although I don't have the exact data) that many students (except perhaps for English majors) don't read and no longer care to read. If they are asked to read in class, they feel as if they are asked to walk on hot coals: they can't figure out words that are more than a syllable long, they have difficulty managing complex or compound sentences, and they read mostly without intonation and emphasis. A book, in the English language, even a relatively easy one is Chinese to them. And that's where Jacoby's discussion on the culture of distraction is most relevant. Why can't college students read? Because they are constantly distracted by toys and blazing lights: video games, instant messaging, iPods, cell phones, iPhones, blogs, myspace, and of course tv. This is why, as Jacoby eloquently explains, "...the cognitive reward for the master of the game amounts to little more than an improved ability to navigate other, more complex video games." By contrast, after reading Anna Karenina, "the reader is left with an endless series of questions about the nature of betrayal, the sexual double standard, the compromises of marriage..."(252) etc., questions that help us understand ourselves and other human beings. So instead of engaging with others, the new young "distracted" generation is engaging with various screens, in isolation and ignorance of human feelings. What we are losing is what Einstein described as the most important emotion, "the emotion of the mysterious," which, he says, is at the cradle of all great art and science. Walk down the halls of any college or university nowadays (except for Ivy League schools) and look through the windows at students' expressios during class. Do you see interest? Do you see deep thought? Do you see wonder? Not generally so. Sometimes, yes. But in most students you see boredom and the expression that often transmits the message, "how do I get out of here fast enough with a good enough grade?" And if this is not a crisis, I don't know what is. We may be advancing toward the time when even college graduates won't be able to read a simple document, never mind a book.
Who is to blame? Many. But the important thing is how to solve this problem. Technology is here to stay, of course, but how can we persuade the young that it must be balanced with discipline, hard work, wonder, and most importantly, learning? And how do we persuade them that learning is hard but as important as the oxygen we breathe? Perhaps Jacoby is right. We need a crusade. And I will be the first to join her if she starts one.
S. Spilka

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The Black Swan of American Unreason

I recently purchased a book called "The Black Swan" off of Amazon. I am a long-time customer who has purchased many items, but I have never before been so wonderfully surprised about an item I purchased from the site. When the book arrived, I opened the packaging and saw the cover of "The Black Swan". I was keen to begin reading it so I started thumbing through the book. Something seemed amiss so I closed the book and took off the book cover to check the hardback binding. It too read "The Black Swan". So I continued to thumb through the pages. To my amazement, inside the book were the pages of "THE AGE OF AMERICAN UNREASON" by Susan Jacoby!!

I have yet to begin reading either book (I ordered another "The Black Swan" which did arrive in proper condition) but imagine the linkage between the randomness proposition of "The Black Swan" and society's devaluation of knowledge and rationalization precept of "The Age of American Unreason" will be intriguing. Do we seek to rationalize otherwise random events because we no longer value knowledge in our society, or does our arrogance preclude us from prioritizing the accumulation of knowledge, thus leading to poor rationalization of events we experience? Hopefully I will get through both books soon to find out.

Nevertheless, the order was most fulfilling to me because now I have the definitive proof that you can't judge a book by its cover :)

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Let's Move on to an Age of Reason

Brilliant and how history repeats itself. Now democratic candidates sling mud at each other: Clinton says Obama is "Elite." She means the intellectual elite (meant as perjorative). Great book and worth the read.

Everyone Has A Brain Wanting To Be Free

You are an intelligent being. I know I may be speaking to anyone, yet I make that claim without hesitation. You are unconditionally capable. You may be male or female... conservative or liberal... religious or secularist... young or old. Regardless, I am quite certain of your thinking abilities. You don't need to change who you are. Anyone can free a precious mind to grow in positive ways.

Susan Jacoby also thinks that there is a brilliant person inside you, and waiting to be set free. So why not? Why not choose to seek the better life of a person who actually knows instead of passively walking through life hoping for an answer in the next television commercial?

Understanding the works of classical music and literature of high-brow culture does not make up the entire treasure. Nor does it require reading Time magazine and growing gladiolas to understand middle-brow culture. These are bits. Pursue your valuable passions. Value your best thoughts and share them. Listen to the best thoughts of your friends.

An elitists attitude may be a problem for your friends if you do not reflect back their intelligent moments as well as your own. Perhaps it takes more than just realizing your personal need. Perhaps wisdom can be shared among people... any two people.

Likewise elitists charges make it impossible share and find intelligence. Stupidity abounds in times and places where wisdom and reason shall be hidden in shame. One cannot attempt to fix a situation hidden from reality. Perhaps we can stop dumbing down for others. Perhaps we can encourage others... and not love others only when they dumb down. Wisdom and reason must be shared in order for it to be partaken.

Ultimately, God loves wisdom. He loves it when you choose wisdom. God loves reason, rationalism, logic, science and those kind of things. You won't find God by living in stupid obedience. You won't find God by hiding from truth. Free yourself from those negative influences. Choose to intellectualism. I know you can.

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