Author: Eric W. Saeger
Publisher: Metro Clarion Media
ISBN: 173258351X
Category : Humor
Languages : en
Pages : 166
Book Description
It's beyond dispute that trolls and automated "bots" helped Donald Trump win the White House in 2016. Some of the troll operations involved were based in Russia, but domestic interests also participated in the invasion. In fact, trolls of all types, from all corners of the internet, came together in a perfect storm of propaganda, disinformation, and political dissent. The confusion wrought by the multi-pronged troll invasion still affects our online spaces today, leaving many questions unanswered. Who are the trolls? What do they want? How do they operate? Why couldn't our intelligence agencies put a stop to Russian and right-wing trolling? Can trolling be stopped? And what's with all the freakin' Nazis? One thing is certain: the troll invasions wouldn't have succeeded if America hadn't been divided on many pressing issues. Deep cultural woes, such as racism, our "New Generation Gap," and the slow destruction of the middle class, were part of the toxic environment that allowed trolls to flourish. This book – the first from software expert, award-winning internet troll and long-time underground-culture fixture Eric Saeger – examines all these issues with an impartial eye. The limitations and realities of current technology are explained in clear, simple language, revealing the tactics of everyday trolls and describing how future technology promises to make the internet a safe, livable place for everyone. Most important of all, along the way, you'll see the humor in our dire but salvageable situation. Once we understand the invaders, we'll no longer fear RUSSIAN NAZI TROLL BOTS!
Russian Nazi Troll Bots!
Author: Eric W. Saeger
Publisher: Metro Clarion Media
ISBN: 173258351X
Category : Humor
Languages : en
Pages : 166
Book Description
It's beyond dispute that trolls and automated "bots" helped Donald Trump win the White House in 2016. Some of the troll operations involved were based in Russia, but domestic interests also participated in the invasion. In fact, trolls of all types, from all corners of the internet, came together in a perfect storm of propaganda, disinformation, and political dissent. The confusion wrought by the multi-pronged troll invasion still affects our online spaces today, leaving many questions unanswered. Who are the trolls? What do they want? How do they operate? Why couldn't our intelligence agencies put a stop to Russian and right-wing trolling? Can trolling be stopped? And what's with all the freakin' Nazis? One thing is certain: the troll invasions wouldn't have succeeded if America hadn't been divided on many pressing issues. Deep cultural woes, such as racism, our "New Generation Gap," and the slow destruction of the middle class, were part of the toxic environment that allowed trolls to flourish. This book – the first from software expert, award-winning internet troll and long-time underground-culture fixture Eric Saeger – examines all these issues with an impartial eye. The limitations and realities of current technology are explained in clear, simple language, revealing the tactics of everyday trolls and describing how future technology promises to make the internet a safe, livable place for everyone. Most important of all, along the way, you'll see the humor in our dire but salvageable situation. Once we understand the invaders, we'll no longer fear RUSSIAN NAZI TROLL BOTS!
Publisher: Metro Clarion Media
ISBN: 173258351X
Category : Humor
Languages : en
Pages : 166
Book Description
It's beyond dispute that trolls and automated "bots" helped Donald Trump win the White House in 2016. Some of the troll operations involved were based in Russia, but domestic interests also participated in the invasion. In fact, trolls of all types, from all corners of the internet, came together in a perfect storm of propaganda, disinformation, and political dissent. The confusion wrought by the multi-pronged troll invasion still affects our online spaces today, leaving many questions unanswered. Who are the trolls? What do they want? How do they operate? Why couldn't our intelligence agencies put a stop to Russian and right-wing trolling? Can trolling be stopped? And what's with all the freakin' Nazis? One thing is certain: the troll invasions wouldn't have succeeded if America hadn't been divided on many pressing issues. Deep cultural woes, such as racism, our "New Generation Gap," and the slow destruction of the middle class, were part of the toxic environment that allowed trolls to flourish. This book – the first from software expert, award-winning internet troll and long-time underground-culture fixture Eric Saeger – examines all these issues with an impartial eye. The limitations and realities of current technology are explained in clear, simple language, revealing the tactics of everyday trolls and describing how future technology promises to make the internet a safe, livable place for everyone. Most important of all, along the way, you'll see the humor in our dire but salvageable situation. Once we understand the invaders, we'll no longer fear RUSSIAN NAZI TROLL BOTS!
My Year in the Online Left
Author: Eric W. Saeger
Publisher: Metro Clarion Media
ISBN: 1732583536
Category : Humor
Languages : en
Pages : 362
Book Description
In 2020, a veteran culture critic took on a social media experiment he called "Supersize Me Twitter" (he refuses to call it "X"). For one full year (which turned into four), he would post about politics every day on "leftist Twitter," but without "choosing a side" between Democrats, socialists, communists or progressives. This is the story of that bad idea and what he learned during that time. Informed by such thinkers as Alvin Toffler, Barbara Ehrenreich, Chalmers Johnson, Mark Blyth, Michael Hudson, Clara Mattei, Robert Ovetz, Steve Keen and dozens of others, this book is intended as a "travel guide" for activists, organizers and curiosity seekers alike. It demystifies such recent developments as the decline of corporate social media platforms, the rise of independent media (the "Fifth Estate") as it replaces the mainstream media, "punk economics," divisions within the "online left" itself, and why the US economic system has entered its "late stage capitalism" phase. The second book from Russian Nazi Troll Bots author Eric Saeger examines what a "unified online left" could accomplish by coming to agreement on real-world objectives, combatting divisive propaganda and joining forces, first by looking at alternative social media platforms, then by looking at the commonalities and differences between liberals and "farther-leftists," and finally by offering practical advice on activist strategies like hashtag campaigns and other techniques that could potentially augment the work of organizers involved in labor, climate and other areas of activism.
Publisher: Metro Clarion Media
ISBN: 1732583536
Category : Humor
Languages : en
Pages : 362
Book Description
In 2020, a veteran culture critic took on a social media experiment he called "Supersize Me Twitter" (he refuses to call it "X"). For one full year (which turned into four), he would post about politics every day on "leftist Twitter," but without "choosing a side" between Democrats, socialists, communists or progressives. This is the story of that bad idea and what he learned during that time. Informed by such thinkers as Alvin Toffler, Barbara Ehrenreich, Chalmers Johnson, Mark Blyth, Michael Hudson, Clara Mattei, Robert Ovetz, Steve Keen and dozens of others, this book is intended as a "travel guide" for activists, organizers and curiosity seekers alike. It demystifies such recent developments as the decline of corporate social media platforms, the rise of independent media (the "Fifth Estate") as it replaces the mainstream media, "punk economics," divisions within the "online left" itself, and why the US economic system has entered its "late stage capitalism" phase. The second book from Russian Nazi Troll Bots author Eric Saeger examines what a "unified online left" could accomplish by coming to agreement on real-world objectives, combatting divisive propaganda and joining forces, first by looking at alternative social media platforms, then by looking at the commonalities and differences between liberals and "farther-leftists," and finally by offering practical advice on activist strategies like hashtag campaigns and other techniques that could potentially augment the work of organizers involved in labor, climate and other areas of activism.
A Firehose of Falsehood
Author: Teri Kanefield
Publisher: First Second
ISBN: 1250370272
Category : Comics & Graphic Novels
Languages : en
Pages : 242
Book Description
Lies destroy. Disinformation tears at the fabric of democracy. A Firehose of Falsehood: The Story of Disinformation breaks down disinformation tactics and offers tools for defending and restoring truth. From Darius I of ancient Persia (522-486 BCE), to blood libel of the Middle Ages, to Soviet disinformation tactics and modern election deniers, Teri Kanefield and Pat Dorian show how tyrants and would-be tyrants deploy disinformation to gain power. Democracy, which draws its authority from laws instead of the whim of a tyrant, requires truth. For a democracy to survive, its citizens must preserve and defend truth. Now that the Internet has turned what was once a trickle of lies into a firehose, the challenge of holding on to truth has never been greater. A Firehose of Falsehood offers readers these necessary tools.
Publisher: First Second
ISBN: 1250370272
Category : Comics & Graphic Novels
Languages : en
Pages : 242
Book Description
Lies destroy. Disinformation tears at the fabric of democracy. A Firehose of Falsehood: The Story of Disinformation breaks down disinformation tactics and offers tools for defending and restoring truth. From Darius I of ancient Persia (522-486 BCE), to blood libel of the Middle Ages, to Soviet disinformation tactics and modern election deniers, Teri Kanefield and Pat Dorian show how tyrants and would-be tyrants deploy disinformation to gain power. Democracy, which draws its authority from laws instead of the whim of a tyrant, requires truth. For a democracy to survive, its citizens must preserve and defend truth. Now that the Internet has turned what was once a trickle of lies into a firehose, the challenge of holding on to truth has never been greater. A Firehose of Falsehood offers readers these necessary tools.
Russia's Imperial Endeavor and Its Geopolitical Consequences
Author: Bálint Madlovics
Publisher: Central European University Press
ISBN: 9633866529
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 358
Book Description
Aside from the near-complete devastation of a sovereign state and reversal of the global balance of power, the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 is leading to a radical transformation in the Eastern European and Eurasian regions – including Russia itself. The 12 chapters in this volume examine the main geopolitical consequences of the resurgent imperialist aspirations of the Russian Federation. They examine the ideological tools of history falsification as an integral part of hybrid warfare. Turning to the economy, the book discusses how the war and economic sanctions imposed on Russia are redrawing the geopolitical map and how economic relations would change following a regime transformation. The book discusses the reactions of members of the international community to the invasion, whether threatened or neutral parties or allies. The collection therefore offers a comprehensive picture of the main consequences of the resurgent imperialist aspirations of the Russian Federation. Equipped with the conceptual tools of the analysis with a focus on the patronal features of the political-economic system, the book considers the aftermath of the war. This collection complements the book entitled Ukraine. Patronal Democracy and the Russian Invasion.
Publisher: Central European University Press
ISBN: 9633866529
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 358
Book Description
Aside from the near-complete devastation of a sovereign state and reversal of the global balance of power, the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 is leading to a radical transformation in the Eastern European and Eurasian regions – including Russia itself. The 12 chapters in this volume examine the main geopolitical consequences of the resurgent imperialist aspirations of the Russian Federation. They examine the ideological tools of history falsification as an integral part of hybrid warfare. Turning to the economy, the book discusses how the war and economic sanctions imposed on Russia are redrawing the geopolitical map and how economic relations would change following a regime transformation. The book discusses the reactions of members of the international community to the invasion, whether threatened or neutral parties or allies. The collection therefore offers a comprehensive picture of the main consequences of the resurgent imperialist aspirations of the Russian Federation. Equipped with the conceptual tools of the analysis with a focus on the patronal features of the political-economic system, the book considers the aftermath of the war. This collection complements the book entitled Ukraine. Patronal Democracy and the Russian Invasion.
Public Influence
Author: Mira Sucharov
Publisher: University of Toronto Press
ISBN: 1487587473
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 230
Book Description
How can twenty-first-century scholars and other experts engage with wider audiences beyond their peers? In Public Influence, Mira Sucharov walks readers through the ins and outs of op-ed writing and social media engagement. Enlivened with discussions of an array of hot-button issues and sharp analysis of the delicate dynamics of social media, this book is essential reading for anyone who wants to harness the opportunities of public engagement in this vital digital age.
Publisher: University of Toronto Press
ISBN: 1487587473
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 230
Book Description
How can twenty-first-century scholars and other experts engage with wider audiences beyond their peers? In Public Influence, Mira Sucharov walks readers through the ins and outs of op-ed writing and social media engagement. Enlivened with discussions of an array of hot-button issues and sharp analysis of the delicate dynamics of social media, this book is essential reading for anyone who wants to harness the opportunities of public engagement in this vital digital age.
The Dark Side of Speech
Author: Carlo Penco
Publisher: Vernon Press
ISBN:
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 631
Book Description
What is disinformation, and why does it matter? How can we understand and detect different kinds of disinformation? With an analysis of relevant events of the period 2012-2022, the book attempts to answer these questions. The book is organized into four parts. (1) The first part presents the notions of post-truth and fake news using some of the most recent critical studies, analyzing some typical examples and the environment in which some of them originated. (2) The second part introduces the notion of conspiracy theory and describes the emergence of the idea of white supremacy and its ramifications, together with the narratives developed during the COVID restrictions. (3) The third part describes the emergence of the algorithms behind social networks and their role in propaganda, making examples of US and European elections and the Brexit referendum. An analysis of 'Cambridge Analytica' shows the tip of an iceberg of disinformation that is spreading around the world. Some remarks by comedians and philosophers help to give a new view on the concept of freedom of speech, with particular attention to the more and more difficult freedom of the press. (4) The fourth part gives some “emergency tools” for detecting disinformation at an individual level, understanding the most hidden mechanisms of disinformation, and the biases that almost unavoidably enter our minds. These tools come from the results both of traditional theories and the most recent social philosophy of language, not despising references to statistics. This is a fundamental book for having a general survey of this period of political turmoil, consulting a wide list of references and official documents, and having a grasp of the means of intellectual self-defense. This book is non-standard: it relies on the most sophisticated theories of language and yet it gives everything in simple and colloquial language. Differently from sophisticated analyses of linguistic phenomena, it gives the feeling of participating in a tour around what happened in the last decade, with a disenchanted eye that uses some results of the critical literature, without compelling one to become a theoretician in the field of philosophy or critical analysis. The hidden focus of the book is freedom of speech and freedom of thought, and what they mean today in an era of more sophisticated and widespread disinformation permitted by the algorithms governing social networks...
Publisher: Vernon Press
ISBN:
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 631
Book Description
What is disinformation, and why does it matter? How can we understand and detect different kinds of disinformation? With an analysis of relevant events of the period 2012-2022, the book attempts to answer these questions. The book is organized into four parts. (1) The first part presents the notions of post-truth and fake news using some of the most recent critical studies, analyzing some typical examples and the environment in which some of them originated. (2) The second part introduces the notion of conspiracy theory and describes the emergence of the idea of white supremacy and its ramifications, together with the narratives developed during the COVID restrictions. (3) The third part describes the emergence of the algorithms behind social networks and their role in propaganda, making examples of US and European elections and the Brexit referendum. An analysis of 'Cambridge Analytica' shows the tip of an iceberg of disinformation that is spreading around the world. Some remarks by comedians and philosophers help to give a new view on the concept of freedom of speech, with particular attention to the more and more difficult freedom of the press. (4) The fourth part gives some “emergency tools” for detecting disinformation at an individual level, understanding the most hidden mechanisms of disinformation, and the biases that almost unavoidably enter our minds. These tools come from the results both of traditional theories and the most recent social philosophy of language, not despising references to statistics. This is a fundamental book for having a general survey of this period of political turmoil, consulting a wide list of references and official documents, and having a grasp of the means of intellectual self-defense. This book is non-standard: it relies on the most sophisticated theories of language and yet it gives everything in simple and colloquial language. Differently from sophisticated analyses of linguistic phenomena, it gives the feeling of participating in a tour around what happened in the last decade, with a disenchanted eye that uses some results of the critical literature, without compelling one to become a theoretician in the field of philosophy or critical analysis. The hidden focus of the book is freedom of speech and freedom of thought, and what they mean today in an era of more sophisticated and widespread disinformation permitted by the algorithms governing social networks...
Weaponizing Conspiracy Theories
Author: Eirikur Bergmann
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1040100007
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 144
Book Description
This book analyses the discursive weaponization of conspiracy theories. In an era where truth and fiction converge, nativist populist leaders wield conspiracy theories as political weapons. This text examines the interplay between populism and conspiracism, probing their impact on democratic processes and exploring their broader political implications. The work dissects three predominant conspiracy theories: The Eurabia theory in Europe, the Deep State in the United States, and anti-Western narratives in Russia. It shows their evolution from fringe ideas to mainstream political tools and reveals the leaders’ triple strategy: Constructing external threats, demonizing internal elites, and positioning themselves as protectors of the ‘true people.’ It also examines how digital media facilitates the spread of these narratives, undermining institutional trust and fuelling extremism. Weaponizing Conspiracy Theories serves as a guide to recognize and navigate the distorted realities reshaping our world. It offers essential insights into the complex dynamics of 21st-century global politics. The author argues that to properly understand the functions of contemporary politics, into which conspiracy theories and populism are now deeply integrated, we must both examine the impact that conspiracy theories have on people’s understandings of the world and how populist politicians can appeal to these beliefs. The book will be of interest to students and scholars of conspiracy theories, populism, and contemporary politics.
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
ISBN: 1040100007
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 144
Book Description
This book analyses the discursive weaponization of conspiracy theories. In an era where truth and fiction converge, nativist populist leaders wield conspiracy theories as political weapons. This text examines the interplay between populism and conspiracism, probing their impact on democratic processes and exploring their broader political implications. The work dissects three predominant conspiracy theories: The Eurabia theory in Europe, the Deep State in the United States, and anti-Western narratives in Russia. It shows their evolution from fringe ideas to mainstream political tools and reveals the leaders’ triple strategy: Constructing external threats, demonizing internal elites, and positioning themselves as protectors of the ‘true people.’ It also examines how digital media facilitates the spread of these narratives, undermining institutional trust and fuelling extremism. Weaponizing Conspiracy Theories serves as a guide to recognize and navigate the distorted realities reshaping our world. It offers essential insights into the complex dynamics of 21st-century global politics. The author argues that to properly understand the functions of contemporary politics, into which conspiracy theories and populism are now deeply integrated, we must both examine the impact that conspiracy theories have on people’s understandings of the world and how populist politicians can appeal to these beliefs. The book will be of interest to students and scholars of conspiracy theories, populism, and contemporary politics.
Face to Face With Russia
Author: Vilis Vitols
Publisher: Mosaic Press
ISBN: 1771613637
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 220
Book Description
While there are many books published in English about Russia, the vast majority of them are written from the perspective of Western academics and journalists. Very few studies are conducted by people who live at the frontiers of this newly constituted Russian empire, under the leadership of Vladamir Putin. Face to Face with Russia offers this critical perspective to English-speaking audiences worldwide.
Publisher: Mosaic Press
ISBN: 1771613637
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 220
Book Description
While there are many books published in English about Russia, the vast majority of them are written from the perspective of Western academics and journalists. Very few studies are conducted by people who live at the frontiers of this newly constituted Russian empire, under the leadership of Vladamir Putin. Face to Face with Russia offers this critical perspective to English-speaking audiences worldwide.
The Revenge of Power
Author: Moisés Naím
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
ISBN: 1250279216
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 191
Book Description
Named one of the New Yorker's Best Books of 2022 “An authoritative and intelligent portrait of the global spread of authoritarianism and its dangers...what sets [this] work apart from books like Timothy Snyder’s On Tyranny and Michiko Kakutani’s The Death of Truth is its unusually comprehensive armada of facts about the international drift over the past two decades toward authoritarian leaders, whether old-style dictators like Kim Jong Un or nominally elected presidents like Vladimir Putin.” —Kirkus An urgent, thrilling, and original look at the future of democracy that illuminates one of the most important battles of our time: the future of freedom and how to contain and defeat the autocrats mushrooming around the world. In his bestselling book The End of Power, Moisés Naím examined power-diluting forces. In The Revenge of Power, Naím turns to the trends, conditions, technologies and behaviors that are contributing to the concentration of power, and to the clash between those forces that weaken power and those that strengthen it. He concentrates on the three “P”s—populism, polarization, and post-truths. All of which are as old as time, but are combined by today’s autocrats to undermine democratic life in new and frightening ways. Power has not changed. But the way people go about gaining it and using it has been transformed. The Revenge of Power is packed with alluring characters, riveting stories about power grabs and losses, and vivid examples of the tricks and tactics used by autocrats to counter the forces that are weakening their power. It connects the dots between global events and political tactics that, when taken together, show a profound and often stealthy transformation in power and politics worldwide. Using the best available data and insights taken from recent research in the social sciences, Naím reveals how, on close examination, the same set of strategies to consolidate power pop up again and again in places with vastly different political, economic, and social circumstances, and offers insights about what can be done to ensure that freedom and democracy prevail. The outcomes of these battles for power will determine if our future will be more autocratic or more democratic. Naím addresses the questions at the heart of the matter: Why is power concentrating in some places while in others it is fragmenting and degrading? And the big question: What is the future of freedom?
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
ISBN: 1250279216
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 191
Book Description
Named one of the New Yorker's Best Books of 2022 “An authoritative and intelligent portrait of the global spread of authoritarianism and its dangers...what sets [this] work apart from books like Timothy Snyder’s On Tyranny and Michiko Kakutani’s The Death of Truth is its unusually comprehensive armada of facts about the international drift over the past two decades toward authoritarian leaders, whether old-style dictators like Kim Jong Un or nominally elected presidents like Vladimir Putin.” —Kirkus An urgent, thrilling, and original look at the future of democracy that illuminates one of the most important battles of our time: the future of freedom and how to contain and defeat the autocrats mushrooming around the world. In his bestselling book The End of Power, Moisés Naím examined power-diluting forces. In The Revenge of Power, Naím turns to the trends, conditions, technologies and behaviors that are contributing to the concentration of power, and to the clash between those forces that weaken power and those that strengthen it. He concentrates on the three “P”s—populism, polarization, and post-truths. All of which are as old as time, but are combined by today’s autocrats to undermine democratic life in new and frightening ways. Power has not changed. But the way people go about gaining it and using it has been transformed. The Revenge of Power is packed with alluring characters, riveting stories about power grabs and losses, and vivid examples of the tricks and tactics used by autocrats to counter the forces that are weakening their power. It connects the dots between global events and political tactics that, when taken together, show a profound and often stealthy transformation in power and politics worldwide. Using the best available data and insights taken from recent research in the social sciences, Naím reveals how, on close examination, the same set of strategies to consolidate power pop up again and again in places with vastly different political, economic, and social circumstances, and offers insights about what can be done to ensure that freedom and democracy prevail. The outcomes of these battles for power will determine if our future will be more autocratic or more democratic. Naím addresses the questions at the heart of the matter: Why is power concentrating in some places while in others it is fragmenting and degrading? And the big question: What is the future of freedom?
The Death of Truth
Author: Michiko Kakutani
Publisher: Crown
ISBN: 0525574832
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 210
Book Description
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the Pulitzer Prize–winning critic comes an impassioned critique of America’s retreat from reason We live in a time when the very idea of objective truth is mocked and discounted by the occupants of the White House. Discredited conspiracy theories and ideologies have resurfaced, proven science is once more up for debate, and Russian propaganda floods our screens. The wisdom of the crowd has usurped research and expertise, and we are each left clinging to the beliefs that best confirm our biases. How did truth become an endangered species in contemporary America? This decline began decades ago, and in The Death of Truth, former New York Times critic Michiko Kakutani takes a penetrating look at the cultural forces that contributed to this gathering storm. In social media and literature, television, academia, and politics, Kakutani identifies the trends—originating on both the right and the left—that have combined to elevate subjectivity over factuality, science, and common values. And she returns us to the words of the great critics of authoritarianism, writers like George Orwell and Hannah Arendt, whose work is newly and eerily relevant. With remarkable erudition and insight, Kakutani offers a provocative diagnosis of our current condition and points toward a new path for our truth-challenged times.
Publisher: Crown
ISBN: 0525574832
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 210
Book Description
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the Pulitzer Prize–winning critic comes an impassioned critique of America’s retreat from reason We live in a time when the very idea of objective truth is mocked and discounted by the occupants of the White House. Discredited conspiracy theories and ideologies have resurfaced, proven science is once more up for debate, and Russian propaganda floods our screens. The wisdom of the crowd has usurped research and expertise, and we are each left clinging to the beliefs that best confirm our biases. How did truth become an endangered species in contemporary America? This decline began decades ago, and in The Death of Truth, former New York Times critic Michiko Kakutani takes a penetrating look at the cultural forces that contributed to this gathering storm. In social media and literature, television, academia, and politics, Kakutani identifies the trends—originating on both the right and the left—that have combined to elevate subjectivity over factuality, science, and common values. And she returns us to the words of the great critics of authoritarianism, writers like George Orwell and Hannah Arendt, whose work is newly and eerily relevant. With remarkable erudition and insight, Kakutani offers a provocative diagnosis of our current condition and points toward a new path for our truth-challenged times.