Taking a Stroll with Evan Sayet through The Kindergarden of Eden
Hey, I just noticed that if you sign up to PJTV, you get a free copy of Evan Sayet’s E-book The Kindergarden of Eden: How the Modern Liberal Thinks. This is a good deal — which I know because I’ve actually read The Kindergarden of Eden and it’s really good! Evan, of course, is a stand-up comic by trade, so not only does his work contain excellent insights into the state of the liberal’s mind, it’s genuinely funny — doubled me over with laughter more than once. The chapter on Bruce Springsteen would make Chris Christie weep… again!
Here’s a taste:
The retardation that comes from self-adulation was the very centerpiece of the True Believers’ Blueprint for Utopia, and for this reason they made self-love paramount and reinforced it on a near constant basis through incessant programs of wholly unmerited “self-esteem”-building. You were perfect just for being you, which meant that the only way not to be perfect (and perhaps even turn into one of those evil bigots and phobics) was to attempt to change (i.e. better) yourself in any way.
“Be yourself,” “do what feels good,” and “esteem nothing more than yourself” were the new pillars of society in the Modern Liberal era, and they were in every way the exact opposite of what had made Western Civilization great and the very antithesis of what was needed for a functioning, happy, healthy, prosperous and progressing society.
In fact, not only were these concepts not progressive, but they couldn’t possibly have been more regressive (just as the True Believer wished) as they made “feelings” — the same “feelings” that every child since the dawn of man was born with – into the arbiter of all truths; while they eliminated that which does progress with time – personal and collective wisdom.
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Cross-posted from Klavan on Culture
Coming soon at PJ Lifestyle: David Swindle will review The Kindergarden of Eden and include it in a future edition of his ongoing collection of recommend books for Counterculture Conservatives.
Related at PJ Lifestyle:
Mr. Klavan,
can you give us an excerpt from the book that is funny with those belly laughs?
Because the excerpt you did give wasn’t funny, and it’s too serious a topic for a Christmas day gift. (Can’t we declare a moratorium on serious politics even for Christmas Day?)
If the book is written like that, I wouldn’t give it as a gift.
I get ALL my books as gifts for christmas and others (b-day, father’s day). Sayet is funny and serious, along the lines of PJ O’Roarke but slightly more serious on the cultural topics.
Go to Heritage arcives and listen to his 40 min talk; for a good idea of what you will get. THe title is something like the mind of liberals etc..
That excerpt perfectly sums up what the left thinks. Thanks for posting it.
The full version of this book is coming out in late winter early spring 2013
This is like a trailer to the full version. It is not real funny but it sure is right on target and when you look at the analysis of what a liberal is it’s a dead on bullseye.
Can’t wait for the full version.
Liberals don’t think. What they call thought is noting more than a mash up of logical fallacies, tautologies, and emoting.
Evan Sayet is a treasure. I watch his two speeches at Heritage about every 6 months to remind myself of the insights. This book is on my wish list for Christmas.