Let me say up front that your political viewpoints will more
than likely determine ahead of time whether you love or hate this book.
Honestly, that’s sad. But we’ve become a political world where convenience
seems to trump responsibility. Rather than look deeper than a headline people
tend to base their beliefs on memes and slogans. If that’s you then you’ll miss
something when it comes to this book. You’ll miss a great deal of information
but on top of that you’ll miss some great laughs as well. So if you’re
interested in both then continue reading.
Greg Gutfeld is a commentator, a satirist and a member of
the regular panel on Fox News Channel’s THE FIVE. Among the commentators there
he is by far the wittiest and the most regularly hilarious member. As host for
years of RED EYE, Fox’s late night show, he brought together a divergent group
in individuals to talk about the days topics that was enlightening and funny at
the same time. As his star has risen Gutfeld has taken his words from spoken to
book format authoring four books including this one. All insightful and are
worth reading.
But this new book is something more important. It’s
something that members of the Republican Party need to read, especially those
higher up. It also should be required reading for all of the Republican
candidates as well during this election year. They could use the sage advice
offered here.
Gutfeld makes numerous great points in the book but the most
important is that if the truth of what the right stands for is to get out there
a better presentation is needed to make it happen. What Republicans lack when
it comes to speakers that represent them is a charismatic leader who can reach
people on a level that doesn’t involve fact filled charts and graphs but just
talking to them. The last time this happened was with Ronald Reagan and look
how good he did.
The book opens with a chapter called “Why We’re Evil” which
doesn’t really present that as a desirable description but actually discusses
why Republicans have been saddled with that label and done little to counter it
with the exception of saying “Nuh uh!” Admitting up front that you will be
attacked for saying you are a Conservative, Gutfeld explains how to explain you
stance in a way that’s both quick and difficult to refute. That answer, from
the book, is “Here is the simple stance to why you are Right: It is a more
practical, generous, and compassionate way to live”. The fact of the matter is
he’s right or to be more understandable, he is correct. He then discusses how
to present you case in a way that doesn’t resort to insults or simply saying
I’m right and you’re wrong.
Much of what he carries on with discusses the fact that for
liberalism to exist it needs conservatism there to allow it to be. As he says
“Liberalism can exist only in periods of calm” that “…conservatism doesn’t
compete with liberalism, it sustains it.” Safety and security must be a part of
our society for there to be the free time to consider much of what liberals
have to offer. Well not so much offer as take it from others to offer to
someone else. With each word printed in the book he explains this and how both
views need one another.
But Gutfeld doesn’t let the right off the hook either. As he
states in the book “The left is excellent at extolling horrible ideas; the
right is horrible at extolling excellent ideas.” Therein lies the heart of the
book. While he does lean to the right (Gutfeld says that he’s a libertarian and
all things point this direction though I’m sure the left considers him just shy
of Rush Limbaugh), Gutfeld points out problems with both sides of the issues.
Best of all is that along with the humor he is noted for he presents arguments
that are fact based. Sadly that might not matter. My father has told me more
than once that liberals don’t want to be confused by facts. Which might be why
this book is so important.
That’s because Gutfeld doesn’t rely simply on facts. As I
said from the start, the book is more about being able to argue persuasively.
Eight years ago we had a relatively unknown and unaccomplished nominee for
President running who won not based on his abilities and his record but because
he was persuasive. It’s what young people today in a world of social media
where everything is explained in 140 characters in a tweet expect. This book
helps conservatives find the way to do that. And make you laugh.
Greg Gutfeld takes a lot of flak from his co-hosts for
promoting his books when they come out but the fact is they are enjoyable books
to read. They make you think and they make you laugh. As with many satirists
from the past, he blends those two things together to make an impression on
those willing to look past those memes and slogans, those one worded posters
like “HOPE” and extremely edited campaign commercials and find some truth in a
world where one side controls most media. Now if we could just get Republican
candidates to read this book.
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