The Assault on Reason

Our Information Ecosystem, from the Age of Print to the Age of Trump - 2017 Edition

By: Al Gore

Narrated by: Will Patton

Length: 10 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

Now with a New Preface and Conclusion: "Post-Truth: On Donald Trump and the 2016 Election"

What has happened to our country and how can we fix it?

We are in the midst of a deepening crisis for our democracy. After the strangest election cycle in modern American history, it is important that we address the grave threats to our way of life that were glaringly revealed in this campaign. In The Assault on Reason, Nobel Peace Prize winner and former Vice President Al Gore examines how faith in the power of reason - the idea that citizens can govern themselves through rational debate - is in peril. Our democracy depends on a well-informed citizenry and a two-way conversation about ideas, but our public sphere has been degraded by fake news and the politics of fear, partisanship, and blind faith. Now updated to investigate the rise of Trump and post-truth politics, The Assault on Reason is a call to rebuild the vitality of American democracy by restoring the nation's information ecosystem so that we can start making good decisions again.

Listen to more by Gore.

©2007 Al Gore (P)2007 Penguin Audio, a member of Penguin Group (USA), Inc.

Critic reviews

"This book shows a fiery, throw-caution-to-the winds Al Gore, who...has decided to lay it all on the line with a blistering assessment of the Bush administration and the state of public discourse in America." (Michiko Kakutani, The New York Times)

"Gore’s faith in human nature is braver and sharper than (the cynics).... This book isn’t about him; it’s about the republic whose freedoms depend on increasing reasoned debate and reducing intimidating noise." (The Boston Globe)

Disappointing

The original book remains as it was, and the additional chapter is an essay that might have been published in a magazine.

Ouch

Let me start by stating that I'm a life-long democrat, voted for Mr. Gore, have nothing for contempt for our current admin, etc. Nevertheless, this book is not good. I believe we effect change by bringing out solutions, not by placing blame. A lot of the book is about the "bad Bush" and, even as a congregation member, gets old and feels tired. What one ends up with is a dissertation that is technical and an assault on Bush that is tasteless.
I can't imagine, unlike his Inconvenient Truth work, anyone being persuaded by this book. You either recognize and agree or are turned off by the approach, much like the Parental Warning stickers for music. And, considering the material's importance, that's a shame.

Never finished

Only got 1/3 of the way through before the political setting go to me and I put this aside. Might get enough energy in the future to actually complete.

A few good nuggets

Gore's introduction gives a hint of his animosity towards our current administration but it gave me the impression that he and I are on the same wavelength when it comes to the "dumbing down" of our electorate. His premise is that we, the people, are like putty in the hands of marketing gurus who simply lead us like so many complacent sheep. Based on this introduction I figured I might actually find myself agreeing with someone with whom I rarely share ground. By the time I was into the first chapter I realized that when Al says "Assault On Reason" what he really means is that anyone who isn't on the same page with him has obviously lost the ability to reason. The bulk of the first 8 chapters is little more than taking shots at the Bush administration (it doesn't matter whether it's Bush 41 or 43). He uses various Right Wing bashing points as examples of how gullible the people are and how crafty the power mongers are. I got the point after one or two examples but Al carries on for chapter after chapter about the failings of conservatives, this administration in particular. I did find some enlightening references sprinkled through his diatribe so it's not a total loss.

Finally, in chapter 9 reason regains it's footing and Al does a fair job of tying up the thread he began in the introduction. The bottom line: The Internet has the potential to enable dialogue between we the people which will help us re-engage our minds with the hopeful outcome that we'll once again hold the government accountable to the rule of law and of reason. If you're a conservative, read the intro, skip to chapter 9 and you'll get the meat of his message. But you may find it very enlightening to hear how a liberal views the world. Of course, if you're a liberal, enjoy the pep rally.

A Disappointment

I was excited about this book because its description espoused an idea with which I adamantly agree: that a combination of factors (media coverage, political cynicism, etc) have led the US to become a climate where critical thinking is rarely a prerequisite holding a political belief.

However, this book just never clicked with me. Many of Gore's arguments seemed like fairly obvious generalizations at a high level, and yet when he dives into the details few of his arguments are backed by any real evidence.

I really wanted this book to be good, and maybe it got better, but I didn't get more than a couple hours into it.