How I Accidentally Joined the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy (and Found Inner Peace)

by Harry Stein

Book Overview

Bestselling author and renowned ethics columnist Harry Stein didn't start out conservative. But somewhere along the way, real life--and fatherhood--gave him pause. In this passionate and provocative... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 038533396X
• ISBN13: 9780385333962
• Release Date: June 2000
• Publisher: Delacorte Press
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.5" x 1.0" x 6.5"

Customer Reviews

True political honesty

Harry Stein writes one of the most poltically honest memoirs I've read in a long time. In straightforward speak that skirts no liberl ideals, Stein chops down an ideology that he swore by in the 1960s but now sees as a hinderance to our modern-day culture. While his liberal foes cringe, every independently-minded American should give Stein's views a chance. For the naysers of this book, especially hardcore liberals, I found it interesting that many of the facts Stein used to back up his positions were pulled out of the liberally-slanted media he so accurately portrays.

Good

It's interesting that the progression of political thought usually goes from liberal to conservative. You rarely run across someone who was an old conservative, and is now a new liberal. As the old joke goes, "If you're under 30 and a conservative, you have no heart. If you're over 30 and a liberal, you have no brain." Harry Stein managed to develop a brain. And Stein does a fabulous job of de-glamorizing the French view that we are just being puritannical in our judgement of Clinton. And Americans are so in awe of the French sensibility, that a lot of us let that cow us. But Stein lived in France for years, and he gives VERY good reasons for why we should not give a whit of credence to their moral attitudes. There is some overly right-wing sentiment in this book, that annoys less fanatical Republicans like me. But overall, I was truly grateful to come across the breath of fresh air that is this book.

Stein chronicles apostasy in PC land

Most of my reading this summer has been in preparation for a new course on Political Correctness in American Society. The amount of material out there is staggering. A recent search on the phrase "political correctness" had over 50,000 hits. The phrase is all over the culture in skirmishes left and right. I am enjoying this research, but it is professional, not pleasure, reading. Thus it was with great interest and anticipation that I ordered How I Accidentally Joined the Vast-Right Wing Conspiracy (And Found Inner Peace). I was not disappointed.Harry Stein is my senior by almost a decade, but the ideological journey and cultural landmarks he chronicles look familiar to me. Stein is a writer and journalist with 6 books and credits at the New York Times, GQ, Esquire and TV Guide. He is currently an ethics columnist for the Wall Street Journal. His account of his journey is breezy, funny, well-researched, open and honest. It has the distinct advantage, in my view, of being simultaneously pleasurable, professional AND subversive in the cause of freedom. Hard to beat that combination.Stein's journey from 60's radical student activist to 90's conservative begins with paternity and family life circa 1980 (there's that decade difference again) That's probably not a big surprise. But the Manhattan media and literary world and upper middle class Hastings-on-Hudson suburban neighborhood that Stein and his family inhabit might well be the most politically correct environment known in modern America, other than a university campus that is. Stein chronicles how his father's eye view takes in the culture wars on Clinton, abortion, gay rights, feminism, affirmative action and more, and how the disconnect between received liberal wisdom and his perspective on these issues places him and his wife, who is the quiet leader of this expedition, at ideological odds with their professional and local communities.The Presidential election of 1992 is a revealing landmark in ideological journeys. Stein is well aware of Clinton's (now) obvious moral and ethical failings and casts a protest vote for Perot. (It must be noted that this author was not nearly so prescient, but there's that decade again, slightly compressed. I dropped my Democratic registration after Hillary's health care debacle, was an independent for Angus King in '94 and a registered Republican in '97. My journey started later, but progressed somewhat faster in the 90's. Of course it's not over yet.)Stein has done his research, sifting through the cultural archives both recent and historical to chronicle the personal and societal consequences of our debates on gender equality, gay rights, diversity and freedom of speech and association. He writes quite personally about abortion, and his continued support for choice against a backdrop of deep regret for an American culture that takes it so cavalierly. He documents how ideological viewpoint effects what is and is not prese

There is hope

If you're a veteran of the "culture wars", you've been frustrated, beaten-down, labeled, laughed at, and worse by the "mainstream". It often feels like the slippery slope to socialism is just getting slicker and cannot ever by reversed. With the media as an ally, how can the Left possibly lose? After reading this book, I honestly feel hope for the future. One day, we'll look back on this era, as a nation, and marvel at our stupidity -- logic, responsibility, and integrity will win out in the end. Mr. Stein, a former soldier on the front lines of liberalism, has defected. And for all the Right reasons. More than just switching sides, he's brought the code book with him. While he says nothing we didn't already know (and could never convince a Liberal to believe) it somehow rings truer coming from him. Liberal bias in the media? Of course there is. Disdain for REAL free speech -- obviously. Narrow minded? Yeah, we knew it was the Left all along. This book is priceless and should be read by everyone. It's a very good read also. Clever, well-thought out, and written superbly. Thanks, Harry.

Fascinating if you like to think; dangerous if you don't.

Lots of people will dislike this book. Liberals who don't want to think about anyone else's ideas, or to admit that conservatives aren't evil, will hate it. Conservatives who don't like to think won't see any point to it at all.But if you are willing to have your assumptions challenged, if you like to actually re-consider your ideas, then this will be a very good start to some interesting soul-searching.A straightforward liberal will discover, perhaps for the first time, that conservatives are neither selfish nor hateful. A straightforward conservative (like myself) will read a sympathetic portrayal of the liberal mind-set (*not* many of its current policies) from someone who understands the real differences. Both sides will see what the real beliefs of the other side are, as opposed to the trivializing versions of the other side we are so eager to cling toAnd everyone will come to realize that what separates us most is not compassion or ideology or goals, but unthinking discrimination against ideas we don't like, from the McCarthyism of the fifties to the political correctness of today. The people who disagree with you are neither stupid nor evil. If you can't accept that belief, then you aren't mature enough for this book yet.(Or, just possibly, it's exactly what you need.)