The Tyranny of Clichés

How Liberals Cheat in the War of Ideas

By: Jonah Goldberg

Narrated by: Jonah Goldberg

Length: 11 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

“We are only as free as the least free among us.” Is that really true, or is it the kind of statement most people will nod at without actually thinking about? Best-selling conservative author Jonah Goldberg calls it a liberal cliché—fundamentally wrong and potentially very dangerous.

According to Goldberg, if the greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist, the greatest trick liberals ever pulled was convincing themselves they’re not ideological. Today “objective” journalists and academics and “moderate” politicians peddle some of the most radical arguments by hiding them in homespun aphorisms. Barack Obama casts himself as a disciple of reason and sticks to one refrain above all others: he’s a pragmatist, opposed to the ideology and dogma of the right, solely concerned with “what works.” And today’s liberals follow his lead, spouting countless clichés.

Goldberg exposes the truth behind many of these clichés, including “the living constitution,” “social justice,” and even simple words like “inquisition”/ With humor and passion, he dismantles these Trojan horses to show how our thinking is profoundly shaped by deeply ideological concepts and convenient myths that most of us accept uncritically—to our great detriment.

You’ll learn the real history of dangerous liberal clichés, such as:

“Better ten guilty men go free than one innocent man be put behind bars.”

“One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter.”

“Violence never solves anything.”

“Diversity is strength.”

“We need complete separation of church and state.”

From Gandhi to Marie Antoinette to Madonna, Goldberg explores the context of clichés in our culture and shows how often we rely on them at the expense of serious thinking.

©2012 Jonah Goldberg (P)2012 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Straw man down! In the PC prison yard of accepted political thought, Jonah Goldberg has just shivved progressivism. Bold, brilliant, and bursting with humor, every page of The Tyranny of Clichés is right on the money. If you thought Liberal Fascism was good, wait till you read The Tyranny of Clichés—it is fantastic!” (Brad Thor, New York Times best-selling author)

“What can one say to the self-proclaimed ‘independent’ who never has nor ever will vote other than Democratic; or to the wise soul suggesting, of any conflict at all, ‘the truth must lie somewhere in between?’ Mr. Goldberg reminds us that one must stand up and demand of the muddled and supine either an absolute declaration of their principles and acknowledgment of the results of actions having flowed therefrom or a straightforward admission of their intransigence in refusing a concise reply.” (David Mamet, New York Times best-selling author)

“Everyone says ‘think for yourself’ but very few people do. In The Tyranny of Clichés, Jonah Goldberg reveals how we’ve become trapped by ideas we think we understand but don’t. A must-read.” (Vince Vaughn, actor and producer)

Worth It.

an absolute joy to listen to. Jonah is an amazing writer and narrator. it's as relevant today as when he wrote it too. perhaps more so.

it was ok

If you handed Tucker Carlson a thesaurus, this is the book you'd get. I'm a libertarian, and even I was underwhelmed. Interesting concept, excellent in execution, but as memorable and noteworthy as a Honda Accord.

Informative, funny and very enjoyable read!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Jonah is very intelligent, and he read the book so well that I feel like I would buy any book that he reads.

Much to learn from

while there are many things I would disagree with in this book and make me question their validity or the author's validity, there are pleanty of opportunities and things to learn that do not just apply to politics, theology, psychology, sociology, etc. that should also be researched.

Written the early 2010's there is quite a bit that is outdated or have entirely been predicted that have come true within the last 8-10 years since the publication. Certainly something to listen and read along to if one of the kinds of people who enjoys challenging themselves to alternate views or even questioning themselves.

Crucial reading for the intellectually curious.

Always insightful, Goldberg expresses his ideas with clarity, cogency, and honest enthusiasm, exposing the traps we fall into when we mindlessly espouse the standard cliches. We would all benefit from thinking before we speak, and this book reveals why we should practice doing so!
Great history included.
I really enjoyed listening to the author narrate his own work.

A rare find: An entertaining ideologue

Goldberg isn't always convincing, but he always has an argument. While politics as casual conversation usually makes me want to leave the table, Goldberg informs and entertains while he's telling you he's right and the other guys are wrong. The historical provenance of so many modern clichés is worth the time and price of the book.

Cliches should be avoided like the plague.

Goldberg debunks with a presentation of facts that a lot of well worn nice sounding sayings are not true in a great many respects. if birds of a feather go together then why do opposites attract?

Fantastic

Would you listen to The Tyranny of Clichés again? Why?

Yes! Jonah is a great reader of his own work.
The content is amazing, and I feel that everything I was ever taught was just wrong and biased.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Tyranny of Clichés?

The explanation of Social Justice is brilliant.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

The cliche that "understanding breeds peace" is so wrong.
I notice in my life that the people I fight the most are the ones that I understand the best.

If you think PC is out of Control, Give a Listen

What made the experience of listening to The Tyranny of Clichés the most enjoyable?

It's a fun book. It provides good examples and highlights the ridiculous nature of much of today's political rhetoric.

Which character – as performed by Jonah Goldberg – was your favorite?

Jonah is my favorite.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes, the book is quite entertaining.

Goldberg rocks.. One of the best audiobooks ever.

Without Goldberg one is navigating without depth charts.

Liberal Fascism was the watershed.
This is the nuts & bolts manual that volume had too little space to cover.
While this is one of the best audiobooks ever it is not his opus.
Liberal Fascism was...
It upset the applecart and loosed the likes of DSouza on joint venues.