Our Culture of Pandering [Hardcover]

Paul Simon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 13, 2003

As we broaden our views, embrace our differences, foster advancements in science and technology, and collaboratively strengthen the political, social, and educational underpinnings from which we build informed and productive lives, we have much to be proud of as a nation and as a people.

 

But we are tempted—particularly during times of political unrest and unbridled patriotism—to ignore the far-reaching repercussions of a society that caters to money and power. In Our Culture of Pandering, former U.S. Senator Paul Simon interrogates the arenas of politics, media, religion, and education to decry the disturbing practices that confuse public service with profit-making ventures or popularity contests, that compromise the best interests of the broader population to appease a powerful few. Boldly and eloquently contributing to a cumulative understanding of how we can build a sturdier, more ethical foundation for the future, Simon suggests proactive, long-term solutions to the problems that threaten our country’s moral, financial, and intellectual well-being—problems that are increasingly exacerbated by our culture of pandering. 

 

Lest we grow complacent and our nation static, Simon urges us to demand more from the political candidates who chase dollar signs and cater to polls, to raise our expectations of local and national media outlets that recycle gossip and peddle scandals while foreign policy and international news receive back-page treatment or no treatment at all. He asks us to consider the implications of churches that spend more money remodeling their buildings than helping those in need within their own communities and throughout the world, and he presses us to acknowledge the staggering, long-term consequences of schools that drop their academic standards to sustain their reputations and maintain funding.

 

Our Culture of Pandering is a stalwart and earnest call to action from a steadfast and trusted advocate of progressive public policy. Leavened with altruism and rich with compassion for citizens of America and beyond, present and future, this important and cautioning treatise advocates genuine leadership in the realms of politics, media, religion, and education. In his trademark lucid and synoptic style, Simon supplements up-to-date examples of pandering in our society from a breadth of sources with commentary and interpretive wisdom garnered from a lifetime of public service.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Former Illinois senator Simon (Freedom's Champion: Elijah Lovejoy) joins the growing chorus of commentators from the left, right and center who believe there is something seriously wrong with the United States' most cherished institutions. Simon, who now is a director of the Public Policy Institute at the University of Southern Illinois, sets out his major thesis in the book's title. Simon passionately believes that politicians, the media, religious leaders and educators have, individually and collectively, abandoned their responsibility to lead. In place of a commitment to do what is best for America, even if it means proposing unpopular policies, leaders in each of these fields have substituted a commitment to tell their constituencies, particularly those with money and power, what they want to hear, in a way they want to hear it. In doing so, says Simon, they have made us vulnerable to future political, moral and economic disasters. Simon's diagnosis that politics is driven by money, pollsters and above all else a desire for reelection, has been already made by other commentators, as have his complaints about the media. More novel and more interesting are his comments about how religious leaders have failed to provide meaningful spiritual guidance. Simon argues that religious leaders pander to their congregations by asking them only for capital contributions rather for than the sacrifices he feels define the Judeo-Christian ethic, mainly to provide assistance for the poor and the less fortunate. Missing in this book, and others like it, is an analysis of why Americans are willing to settle for being pandered to.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Before joining the faculty of Southern Illinois University in 1997, Simon was a U.S. senator from Illinois. He posits that his book "is a call to alter our course, to encourage those who hold the titles of leadership to actually lead, and to prod those who are not leaders to demand more of those who hold the titles." He contends that our leaders in politics, the media, religion, and education are guilty of pandering, of giving in to what is easy instead of fighting for what is right. Simon goes on to urge the public to demand that political candidates speak frankly and truthfully about issues, and he charges that the media is interested only in higher ratings or larger circulation. His position is that our religious leaders are unwilling "to do the unpopular" and that our leaders in the field of education are not doing enough to adequately prepare students to compete with "the rest of the world." Although Simon gives no specific solutions, he deftly outlines the problems, and he should be listened to. George Cohen
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Southern Illinois University Press; 1st edition (October 13, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0809325292
• ISBN-13: 978-0809325290
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,804,980 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good to reflect on it, not to make a world wide case, December 20, 2010

By 

El Alcazar - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Our Culture of Pandering (Paperback)

It was refreshing to me to read the opinion of someone from the inside, at the end of the book one can reflect on what Senator Simon reflects upon, namely, our own responsibility, the book is insightful, we can argue it is not the best book in world or United States Internal policy, but it is a very honest book, Senator Simon acknowledges his own short comings, what needed to be done(and didn't do).

I believe it was the intent of the book, to call us to fulfill our own responsibility as citizens, leading bears a great burden, it was easier for them to lead us by sweet lies, and half truths, but we shouldn't allowed our leaders to tells us what we all know is not true, and we should never accept the pandering that for so long we have accommodate in or thinking, this was too costly, and we have a 13 trillion dollars debt to probe it.

One specially interesting point is the example of his father, that a Pastor was willing to do menial chores every Thursday in an institution for the mentally ill, and how people remember his father deeds helping them out with an array of very diverse financial woes, more than they remember him for the eloquence of his sermons, I like the book, it invites me to reflect on what I can do to make this a better place, and not to give lectures on how to fix the world. "He who can do good and doesn't, it is sin"

4 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars misses chance for solid case, January 2, 2004

By 

Nathan Hertel (Monterey, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Our Culture of Pandering (Hardcover)

The book was an interesting commentary on contemporary American issues but left much to be desired. Instead of building a rock-solid case for the urgent need for responsible leadership, Mr. Simon simply gives his opinions in a somewhat disjointed four chapters.
In the first chapter "Pandering in Politics," the examples he gives of politicians pandering all happen to be domestic priorities of the Republican Party. In my opinion, he missed an opportunity to talk about the need for selfless leadership and just wrote another partisan rant on the shortcomings of the opposite party. It cheapens the rest of his book.
My other main criticism was that the chapters didn't flow or connect very well. The book could have made a much stronger case that the public is being pandered to in many different aspects of our life, but instead deviates more from his original premise in each successive chapter. It almost gave me the impression that he rushed to get the book finished.
The book wasn't a waste, however, you could get more for your buck (and time) from many other sources.

0 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Many Logical Points but Promotes Tolerantism Garbage, October 7, 2006

By 

Daniel J. Knight "Hate evil, love good, maint... (Albuquerque, NM) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Our Culture of Pandering (Paperback)

Ironically, tho Mr. Simon preaches against pandering well, his argument backfires by promoting what I call neutralism or tolerantism or what most people call tolerance (for all religions and philosophies). The problem with promoting tolerance of all people who promote any and every religion and philosophy is that not all religions and philosophies lead to true good and in the end, lead to ruin. Examples: Islam and Catholocism have demonstrated themselves to be religions of murder when left unrestrained, and atheism and agnostocism have demonstrated themselves to be just as chaotic when left unrestrained. The philosophy of skepticism has shown itself to be a way that provokes contentious and hateful arguments and guess what that leads to if both parties lack decent self-control... yeah, injury or murder. Or consider serial killers and what they believed, should any corrupt views they spread be tolerated, should they be allowed to go about promoting child abuse or harming others for fun?

I am not advocating going about killing anyone who disagrees with you, but my point is that to marry, hire, or live next to a person BECAUSE OF (think affirmative action or being around those of like mind) or REGARDLESS of their religion or philosophy is clearly not wise. Or, would anyone like to argue that you should tolerate living next to or in the same house with a child-abusing and child-murdering person with your children for the sake of being tolerant?

I didn't think so.

There was some great truths in his book, such as that some (but I say many) churches care more about the church-building then being more obedient to Christ, and that many Christians severely neglect the poor.