Suicide of the West

How the Rebirth of Tribalism, Populism, Nationalism, and Identity Politics is Destroying American Democracy

By: Jonah Goldberg

Narrated by: Jonah Goldberg

Length: 16 hrs and 3 mins

Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER •

An urgent argument that America and other democracies are in peril because they have lost the will to defend the values and institutions that sustain freedom and prosperity.

“Epic and debate-shifting.” (David Brooks, New York Times)

Only once in the last 250,000 years have humans stumbled upon a way to lift ourselves out of the endless cycle of poverty, hunger, and war that defines most of history. If democracy, individualism, and the free market were humankind’s destiny, they should have appeared and taken hold a bit earlier in the evolutionary record. The emergence of freedom and prosperity was nothing short of a miracle.

As Americans we are doubly blessed, because the radical ideas that made the miracle possible were written not just into the Constitution but in our hearts, laying the groundwork for our uniquely prosperous society. Those ideas are:

• Our rights come from God, not from the government.
• The government belongs to us; we do not belong to it.
• The individual is sovereign. We are all captains of our own souls, not bound by the circumstances of our birth.
• The fruits of our labors belong to us.

In the last few decades, these political virtues have been turned into vices. As we are increasingly taught to view our traditions as a system of oppression, exploitation, and privilege, the principles of liberty and the rule of law are under attack from left and right. For the West to survive, we must renew our sense of gratitude for what our civilization has given us and rediscover the ideals and habits of the heart that led us out of the bloody muck of the past - or back to the muck we will go.

©2018 Jonah Goldberg (P)2018 Random House Audio

Unforgettable.

Jonah Goldberg is The Great Unifier. This book is just what we need to redirect the American conversation. Brilliantly argued and backed by a fascinating history lesson, the author reminds us what humility, gratitude, and principle look like, and why without them, we risk losing what makes us truly great. I do not agree with every little argument in this book, but the approach is what matters, and makes this book nothing short of inspiring. The conversation doesn't end here, it begins here.

It is a good book, mostly

I enjoyed this book quite a bit. Mr. Goldberg has a fixation against the president and that colors that part of the book but the rest of it was quite informative and kept my attention. You know it is a good book when you find you've internalized some part of it and trace a new perspective or thought back to the author through his work. I plan to listen to it again one day.

Wow!

One of the most authoritative books I’ve read on the current American political , cultural, and idealogical climate. It’s a must read for any serious scholar in this time of political angst.

Mandatory reading

Jonah takes us through the dangers facing the greatest civilization in the history of mankind, the western civilization and the specific dangers love looming over the American experience.

Fantastic Listen

I think this is one of those books that should be apart of or educational system. The ideas within are akin to the true idea of America and what it means to be and uphold the American values.

An essential reminder of what conservatism means

Fantastic book. A wonderful reminder of what conservatism stands for in America. In light of Trump, I had almost forgotten.

Much needed straight talk

Goldberg presents a facts-driven examination of the current political, cultural, and tribal (i.e., political party system) trends in the U.S., and aptly points out the flaws in the ever-polarizing left-right points of view. This is a must read for anyone who wants to consider themselves politically informed.

not just a witty personality

i enjoyed the journey. i think most of us should listen a few times due to the depth and wide range of topics, but the author does am excellent job weaving the themes together.

Thought provoking and enlightening!

As an Obama fan, I was apprehensive about approaching this book. I loved it though! While Goldberg's view are typically on the other side of the political fence from mine, he does an excellent job articulating his arguments and often made me reconsider my own positions. Particularly surprising however was how often I found that I was in agreement with him. Goldberg has an impressive intellect and a voracious appetite for history and philosophy. His dictation is also strong, and I even found myself laughing at loud during some sections; the segments describing Ethan Hawke and Winona Ryder 90s movies as the high water mark for the romanticism in cinema, and another describing Trump as a "generic prototype of pre-civilized man" come to mind. Ultimately, I would say this book is a great way to learn a lot about the minds of intellectual conservatives specifically, and about the history of civilization more broadly. Read this book if you want to understand more about the world.

Everyone should take the time to listen to this.

This is such a wonderfully written and constructed book. Changed a lot of ideas I previously had, and THATS what makes a book or an idea good. 10/10.