Customer Reviews

Superpatriotism

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a brilliant book. With his customary lucid style, careful research and humor, Parenti delivers a desperately-needed palliative to all the paranoid hysteria and ignorance that keeps the plutocrats in power. This timely, disturbing and fascinating book is a must-read if there ever was one.

Superpatriotism is a brief summation of thoughts and ideas that are not exclusive to Michael Parenti. He is effective in presenting the idea that the people of the USA should, perhaps, wake up and take a look at the country and think clearly about things.

Superpatriots are, in Parenti's estimate, those who stand, often blindly, in defence of anything done under American auspices, and those who back the president regardless of rational argument. Superpatriots are not 'bad' people--rather, Parenti illustrates that it is a dangerous, arrogant tendency, and one that does not benefit the citizenry.

While many people want to believe that the realm of accepted debate in this country is 'serious', there are some who rightly point out that the 'serious' debate about American power and influence is anything but, and that defenders of the faith are successful not in enlightening people, but in indoctrinating them, narrowing the spectrum of acceptable thought, and neutralizing any dissenting forces.

There are some who may read this book and think Parenti is a 'Communist', say, throwing around terms that are divorced from reality but are successful in connoting effective imagery (Communist = USSR = bad), but this is hardly serious at all, and is an example of the extent people will go to avoid thought.

The book is short, but as a summation of some of the ideas of dissent that are finding a larger and larger audience in America today, it is valuable.

This book is not for the weak of heart, political partisans, or those exhibiting symptoms of what the author calls superpatriotism, that is "...the readiness to follow national leaders unquestioningly in their dealings with other countries, especially in confrontations involving military force."
In a total of just 160 pages the author examines how hype, fear, and mindless flag-waving have replaced informed debate and a commitment to democracy and social justice in America. The relationship between US leaders and the media to promote fear and win support for military interventions and out of control budgets and insure political orthodoxy both at home and abroad is explored as are such vital questions as: What does it mean to love one's country? What determines America's "greatness"? and What is the messianic message behind much of nationalism?
I am reminded of John Prine's song titled "Your flag decal won't get you into heaven anymore" when reading this book. This one is guaranteed to get your juices flowing!

Parenti's latest work questions everything and anything. The reader will learn what superpatriotism actually is and why it is so pervasive in America. Parenti argues that not only is superpatriotism a social disease but it is endorsed by those who are hypocrites such as President Bush and his administration. This book is not left or right wing but rather shows how things really work. Parenti also delves into the concept of Two Americas, Plutocracy, Superpatriotism in sports, and a history of George W. Bush's war on terror which Parenti argues is going in the wrong direction.

I wish everyone could read this book -- and read it with an open mind! It is a comprehensive essay that focuses in on the manipulative devices employed on a daily basis by our politicians and the media that serves them! It's a hard hitting punch that keenly illustrates its point -- One that should be obvious to us all, but rarely is!

Anyone who reads this book will plainly see how the "big wheels" readily turn out the crazy "Henny Penny" scams that (since 9-11 and long before) have far too many people running around doing the hysterical dirty work of an all too powerful collective of dangerous and self-motivated manipulators!

In our national state of hysteria, it seems that we have forgotten the greatest lessons we learned over the past 40 years: Always Question Authority! There IS an ulterior motive!

Parenti explores the common devices (religion, sports and a host of nationalistic slants on every front) used to foster mouth-frothing, mob-mentality, patriotism -- the same old tricks with new dogs applying them!

This should be read as a companion to the political essays of George Orwell and Mencken's essay, "Disease of Democracy!"

Great read!

The reviewer who gave this lucid and truthful book only one star accused Parenti of being a communist. I assume the reviewer disapproves of communism. Does that then mean that he/she approves of nazism? I'd really like to know. Read page 119 in "Superpatriotism" describing how George W. Bush's grandfather, Prescott Bush "made lush profits off Auschwitz labor. His Union Banking Corporation helped Thyssen make the Nazi steel that killed Allied solders, and helped finance Thyssen's coal mines which regularly worked Jewish prisoners to death." Read the rest of this page, and then explain to me why it is patriotic to have been in league with Nazis.

Super Patriotism puts in to focus: reasons for wars, why middle and lower class Americans are so eager to comply, what makes a patriot and who is truely American. Parenti, in few words, brilliantly examines our leaders, their minds and willingness to mislead the American people. Find out what it means to be a patriot and what America really is.

Politics is always a curtain in front of corruption. Those who call it like it is are in danger of isolation and defamation. Too many people are getting rich at the expense of others getting hurt and this book is an eye opener for those who are tired of it.

A succinct, persuasive and penetrating lifting of the curtain on who rules for who's benefit and how. If it were required reading in every high school history class, across the planet, we'd probably live in a different world.

Parenti's book really makes you think about patriotism. Is it blind or not. A good look at the country and poses some interesting questions.