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Unfortunately there's only a single chapter on non-PC humor, the rest is just rattling off various examples of liberal media bias. Not a lot to this book. Like several other reviewers I was drawn in by the title (not a big fan of the show, but the book sounded interesting). The chapters on conservative bloggers and publishing companies were just painful - "these are the ones I like, these are the ones I don't," in as many words. It's only 160 pages long so there's not much meat on the bone, but save yourselves 20 bucks and check it out from the library if you have to.
I was not sure what to expect on this one. I don't agree completely on the Libertarian viewpoint but it was funny and pulls-no-punches on what is wrong in this PC-nonsense world we live in.I think there are better books out there - but this was entertaining.I gave this to a liberal friend of mine to read.I wonder if I will get it back.Art
Although I bought this book looking to see insight on what the next generation of American conservatives may be, the book overall looses focus and tends to point out the obvious (eg., conservatives look to Fox News and talk radio). I beleive there are maybe two chapters worthy of print in this entire book. However, in midst of the filler here there is a strong point to be made about the changes of how the younger generations today view politics.
Rather, it chronicles some critical evolutions in the media and suggests that incessant griping about liberalism's chokehold on the MSM is overwrought, that it is in many ways a colossus with clay feet. Thus liberal attempts to depict Republicans and conservatives as racist, misogynistic and homophobic bigots is part of their own internal effort to throw conservatism out of the bounds of "reasonableness." This is also, of course, a liberalism with a penchant for ironic Orwellianism and double speak, and the unspoken rule that free speech ends if you don't agree with them. It's got a message, but it's light enough to be a beach read. Their liberal counterparts , in contrast, are too often picketing against some new "injustice" or soaking up the latest drivel of race/gender/class studies - nice if you're seeking a career in navel-gazing, but absolutely insufficient if you're going to shape the future of the nation.Finally, the title itself points to an entertainment industry that is in places reacting viciously to the PC nonsense and condescension that characterize the Left as a whole and especially its Hollywood incarnation.
Rathergate is only one count of many in his indictment.He is also, fitting for a fellow who is the editor of City Journal, willing to look at the disturbing degree to which modern liberalism is inherently illiberal. Starting with the same premise as so many other authors (Bernard Goldberg comes to mind), Anderson lambasts the hopelessly biased media. Further this is the group that refuses to see bias in anyone that agrees with them; thus they can justify calling Dan Rather objective while working themselves into a lather over anyone who airs a conservative perspective. And they're not just disseminating the conservative message like never before, they (and especially the blogs) are holding the mainstream media accountable, calling BS when (often) appropriate, and forcing them to cover stories that would otherwise be ignored as incompatible with the liberal meta-narrative.He also suggests that times are changing on campuses around the country as conservative principles, journals, College Republicans chapters, etc.
Some of his interviewees suggest that this is the result of liberal indoctrination, a sort of classroom blowback; universities also act as a sort of ideological forge where faced with liberal nonsense in all its absurd glory, students embrace and refine their conservative principles.But what Anderson doesn't point out is that these very instruments of conservative campus revival also suggest that liberals are doomed to another generation of failure. See the treatment at Columbia of the Minutemen (or closer to home, the treatment at Duke of David Horowitz). By extension, this is why Democrats are making noises about reinstating the "Fairness Doctrine" (itself an Orwellian misnomer) - because only those that disagree with them are biased and in need of balancing.But whereas this is as far as many go, Anderson rightly points out that things are changing. Quickly. South Park Conservatives is a gem of a book; short, to the point, and leaving its reader (so long as you're right of center) with a renewed sense of hope.
are flourishing. He's quick to point out that the faculty, overwhelmingly liberal, still hold the high ground, but that conservatism is no longer invisible on campuses. The modern Republican revolution - 1994 to the present (). - has been grounded in ideas, in alternatives to tired Democratic policies (no matter how you frame it, tax and spend is still tax and spend, and cut and run is still cut and run).; the next generation of conservative activists are already getting introduced to that culture of innovation. But technological revolutions have given rise to a new media - talk radio, cable news, the internet - where Republicans are either a major force or effectively dominate. These are the people who whole-heartedly buy into Marcuse's doctrine of "liberating tolerance" and Rawls's argument that political debate must only take into account "reasonable" doctrines; both thinkers' constructs obviously have no place for conservatism or conservative principles. Leading the charge here is Comedy Central's South Park - not so much conservative as anti-liberal, gleefully destroying liberal idols and mocking liberals such as Al Gore, Rob Reiner, and Michael Moore.
Sure liberals still hold on to the Big 3 (whose viewership is plummeting) and many major newspapers, to say nothing of large swathes of the academe. Rush and O'Reilly are the face of this new media. Priceless stuff really.South Park Conservatives isn't an equally intellectual counterpoint to Bloom's Closing of the American Mind; it isn't meant to be. Go forth and enjoy.
This book was given to me and almost got sent to the thrift store. I had no idea the South Park episodes were full of so much political satire. I've never watched much South Park and I'm kinda tired of political books. However, just before getting rid of the book, I took a look at the chapter on South Park and got hooked. It always seemed to be a show that made fun of everything, but as this book pointed out--their biggest target is the left-wing. This book is about more than just South Park--other highlights are the chapter on the right-wing blogosphere and conservative comedy.
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