Sunday, May 10, 2020

Review: "Catastrophic Thinking" (manuscript)


          Catastrophic Thinking is the first collection of essays I have read by Ben Shapiro.  I have read several of his books and listen to his podcast.  Now, I have picked up a collection of essays – specifically his 2019 columns from Creators Publishing.

            The essays are in chronological order – looking at wokescolds, the number of genders, AOC’s pronouncement on facts versus morality, Jussie Smollett, the push of Democrats towards socialism, open boarders, anti-Semitism, freedom, Joe Biden, conspiracy theories, China, Elizabeth Warren, catastrophic thinking without solutions, impeachment, and the 2020 election.

            If you listen to Ben Shapiro, you wouldn’t find anything shockingly new in these opinion pieces, but it was interesting to read through the major stories of the year and consider what has lasted and what seems from another time or yesterday.

            However, I am happy to have this collection – both for reference and for his arguments and to quote.  Ben Shapiro is a good thinker – though there are times I have disagreed with him (especially with regards to Who the Messiah is)!

            One example of why I greatly appreciate him is a quote like this from the column, “Freedom From Consequences Isn’t Freedom”:  “Nonetheless, the suggestion that freedom lies in prosperity—not that freedom is the precondition for prosperity—still retains draw.  That’s mainly because the human heart will always embrace the notion that our shortcomings spring not from choice but from circumstance” (53).

            Ben Shapiro understands that humans have a heart problem that affects what we do.  I hope he continues to follow the logic of this truth and finds the Answer to it.

            If you remember 2019, or if you don’t – go get a copy of these essays.

            [This review appears on my blog, my YouTube channel, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com.]

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