A total banger. The first two chapters are a bit basic but then she starts spitting hard facts.
Democracy is dying because we are clinging to a dangerous and outdated myth: talking about politics can change people’s minds. It doesn’t.
This provocative debut from a bold new voice combines a fascinating range of research to show us the psychological and sociological factors that really shape our politics.
Drawing from ancient philosophy to modern neuroscience and social science, Dr Sarah Stein Lubrano reveals the surprising truth about how people think and behave politically. From friendship to community organizing and social infrastructure, she explores the actions that actually do change minds.
In a world where politics keeps getting more irrational, dishonest, violent and chaotic, it’s getting much harder to reach people with words alone. So people who really care about democracy must ask: how can we stop arguing and do the deep work to build stronger foundations for political life, and a better world for us all?
She explains in a passage the role of books in politics and how they play into the main topic of the book. Also it’s what I asked the author at a meeting after the presentation of the book: “so, after all of this, why writing a book?”. She gave a very compelling answer, but there were private informations so I won’t share it.
Perhaps summarize the answer with the personal info removed?
In the book for instance she says how books should be written to increase competence among the people who already agree. I think that since she’s coming from an experience of writing about science (as I also do), she feels very strongly against those liberal science popularizers who think that by providing information, you change minds and educate the “public”. In the book she highlights how a lot of liberals think that reactionaries choose the policies and politicians they do because they are ignorant, and therefore providing more information will solve the issue. She escapes this by clearly targeting the “converted”. At least to some degree. A lot of the book is also addressing the doubts of liberals or far-Left people who are on the verge of abandoning “18th century politics” of public debate and conflict of ideas, hence making the book as something you can give to your peers to give a last push.
cant imagine why anyone would downvote this comment.
i appreciate anyone who puts the thought and effort into writing a book, and the people whom interview them about it.