Haverhill Public Library

A cry from the far middle, dispatches from a divided land, P.J. O'Rourke

eng

no index present

non fiction

A cry from the far middle

1164818526

P.J. O'Rourke

dispatches from a divided land

"P. J. O'Rourke says we've worked ourselves into a state of anger and perplexity, and it's no surprise because perplexed and angry are what Americans have been since the Roanoke Colony got lost. This astute and entertaining look at the state of these United States includes essays on everything from our fraught history ("O Beautiful for . . . Pilgrim Feet?") to the political effects of social media ("Whose Bright Idea Was It to Make Sure that Every Idiot in the World Was in Touch with Every Other Idiot?"). A plan is advanced to reform federal poverty programs, "Just Give Them the Money." And a rant is made against the "Internet of Things" because your juicer is sending fake news to your Fitbit about what's in your refrigerator. Included is a quiz to determine whether you're a "Coastal" or a "Heartlander" (you know organic, fair-traded, locavore, and gluten-free, but do you know hay from straw?), an impassioned plea to license politicians (we license beauticians!), and much more. This is P. J. at his finest"--, Provided by publisher

Pre-preface: As we go to press . . . -- Preface: Manifesto for extreme moderation -- Introduction: O beautiful for . . . Pilgrim feet? -- One nation-divided as hell -- Coastals vs. Heartlanders -- Goodbye to classical liberalism : "It's the end of the world!" -- Big fat politics -- But thank you anyway, partisan politicians -- Robin Hood arithmetic -- On the other hand . . . : just give them the money -- It's time to make rich people : uncomfortable again -- Negative rights vs. Positive rights : it's positively confusing -- Sympathy vs. empathy : is it better to hold people's hands or bust into their heads? -- Patriotism vs. nationalism -- Big brother (and everybody else) is watching you : thoughts on rereading 1984 -- Whose bright idea was it to make sure : that every idiot in the world was in touch with every other idiot? -- A brief historical digression on how communication has devolved -- And while I'm ranting against the digital age, let me not forget to excoriate an aspect of social media that lacks even sociability . . . On the fresh hell of the Internet of Things -- Lessons in fake news from two old masters of the form -- Woke to the sound of laughter -- Why kids r commies and never mind how the free market bankrupted that backwards r big box store that once held a greedy monopoly on selling toys -- Knowing write from left -- Educating my kids -- My own lousy education and how it may be of aid to the nation -- What we can learn from the sixties drug culture -- Can the government be run like a business? -- Two, four, six, eight, who do we appreciate . . . The electoral college! -- Is a reasonable, sensible, moderate foreign policy even possible? -- The inaugural address I'd like to hear the president-whoever it may be-deliver -- My own personal fantasy league : presidential election -- A license to drive (me crazy) -- The founding fathers have some words with us -- What I like about U.(S.A.)

adult