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The Radical Mind: The Destructive Plans of the Woke Left
“A harrowing journey through the corridors of the twenty-first century totalitarianism that goes by the name of progressivism. Must read!”
— DINESH D’SOUZA
“David Horowitz is a modern legend. This book is critical to understanding the left and how we defeat them.”
— CHARLIE KIRK
AMERICA IS HEADING TOWARD THE ABYSS
THE RADICAL MIND is both a stark warning and call to arms to protect the country from decline, ruin, and disgrace. It identifies the crisis facing the nation as a crisis of faith — faith in the Constitution that has shaped our destiny, faith in individual freedom and accountability, faith in the principle of equality before the law. At stake? Nothing less than the American way of life and the liberty and freedoms all Americans enjoy.
In his latest broadside against the radical left, New York Times bestselling author David Horowitz pulls back the curtain of secrecy and lies and exposes the dangerous methods and agendas of a woke left mob, and identifies what a decent society needs to do to keep the country from slipping away,
Defend families against the intrusion of outside forces, ideological and governmental, which seek to capture the hearts and minds of children to serve their destructive agendas.
Stop radicals from debasing Judeo-Christian values and silencing Christian communities and voices in favor of political state control.
Reject progressive blindness, including false racist narratives that America is a racist country.
Challenge the existential threat to American democracy from a Democratic Party that has made dialogue, compromise, and bipartisanship impossible and uses a corrupt and compliant media to unleash a constant tsunami of hate toward conservatives and ordinary Americans alike.
Renew faith in the Constitution and in individual freedom.
Read THE RADICAL MIND and join the fight against the destructive plans of the woke
“The hour is late, and the forces of darkness are upon us. To save our freedoms, Americans must renew their faith in their country, relearn its history, reacquaint themselves with the wisdom of the founders, and reject the siren songs of the envious, the resentful, and the haters of human diversity who have malice in their hearts.”
— DAVID HOROWITZ
— DINESH D’SOUZA
“David Horowitz is a modern legend. This book is critical to understanding the left and how we defeat them.”
— CHARLIE KIRK
AMERICA IS HEADING TOWARD THE ABYSS
THE RADICAL MIND is both a stark warning and call to arms to protect the country from decline, ruin, and disgrace. It identifies the crisis facing the nation as a crisis of faith — faith in the Constitution that has shaped our destiny, faith in individual freedom and accountability, faith in the principle of equality before the law. At stake? Nothing less than the American way of life and the liberty and freedoms all Americans enjoy.
In his latest broadside against the radical left, New York Times bestselling author David Horowitz pulls back the curtain of secrecy and lies and exposes the dangerous methods and agendas of a woke left mob, and identifies what a decent society needs to do to keep the country from slipping away,
Defend families against the intrusion of outside forces, ideological and governmental, which seek to capture the hearts and minds of children to serve their destructive agendas.
Stop radicals from debasing Judeo-Christian values and silencing Christian communities and voices in favor of political state control.
Reject progressive blindness, including false racist narratives that America is a racist country.
Challenge the existential threat to American democracy from a Democratic Party that has made dialogue, compromise, and bipartisanship impossible and uses a corrupt and compliant media to unleash a constant tsunami of hate toward conservatives and ordinary Americans alike.
Renew faith in the Constitution and in individual freedom.
Read THE RADICAL MIND and join the fight against the destructive plans of the woke
“The hour is late, and the forces of darkness are upon us. To save our freedoms, Americans must renew their faith in their country, relearn its history, reacquaint themselves with the wisdom of the founders, and reject the siren songs of the envious, the resentful, and the haters of human diversity who have malice in their hearts.”
— DAVID HOROWITZ
- GenresPoliticsNonfiction
109 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 14, 2023
13 people are currently reading
49 people want to read
About the author
David Horowitz
189 books340 followersDavid Joel Horowitz was an American conservative writer and activist. He was a founder and president of the David Horowitz Freedom Center (DHFC); editor of the Center's website FrontPage Magazine; and director of Discover the Networks, a website that tracks individuals and groups on the political left. Horowitz also founded the organization Students for Academic Freedom.
Horowitz wrote several books with author Peter Collier, including four on prominent 20th-century American families. He and Collier have collaborated on books about cultural criticism. Horowitz worked as a columnist for Salon.
From 1956 to 1975, Horowitz was an outspoken adherent of the New Left. He later rejected progressive ideas and became a defender of neoconservatism. Horowitz recounted his ideological journey in a series of retrospective books, culminating with his 1996 memoir Radical Son: A Generational Odyssey.
Horowitz wrote several books with author Peter Collier, including four on prominent 20th-century American families. He and Collier have collaborated on books about cultural criticism. Horowitz worked as a columnist for Salon.
From 1956 to 1975, Horowitz was an outspoken adherent of the New Left. He later rejected progressive ideas and became a defender of neoconservatism. Horowitz recounted his ideological journey in a series of retrospective books, culminating with his 1996 memoir Radical Son: A Generational Odyssey.
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December 10, 2023I was baffled trying to read this as I tried to align what it said compared to obvious reality. There were lots of accusations about how deranged Democrats are, but the explanations were bizarre.
Then I got to the end and saw that, while the author used some legitimate sources to cite historical context, he actually cited: himself, YouTube, Fox News, and other nonsense sources.
I've considered myself conservative for decades but this was just nonsense politics.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this
Then I got to the end and saw that, while the author used some legitimate sources to cite historical context, he actually cited: himself, YouTube, Fox News, and other nonsense sources.
I've considered myself conservative for decades but this was just nonsense politics.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this
February 4, 2024
"The Radical Mind" reads like a fever dream of a right-wing pundit, mistaking social progress for societal meltdown. Horowitz fear-mongers about the "woke left" with the subtlety of a sledgehammer, offering zero nuance and relying on tired right-wing tropes. Save yourself the eyestrain and skip this one.
November 20, 2024
Concise
December 11, 2023
Short read explains the breakdown of our societal institutions.
p. 3 Progressives are focused on reimagining American institutions and principles to conform to an ideological conception of the future they describe as equitable and socially just. To achieve this, the left's first goal is to dismantle the constitutional order that has created the prosperity and freedoms that have grown since the American founding. The left views this order as racist and oppressive, and in need of a fundamental transformation.
p. 10 Radicals believe that social justice requires them to dismantle the social order. They are not reformers willing to make their changes within the framework of the law. They refuse to be bound by the societal regulations and procedures. They believe, as all Marxists have in the past, that the end justified the means. No moral standard.
p. 15 Today's left is driven by a cultural Marxist ideology, which is a product of the transformation of America's universities and schools into one-party training and recruitment centers for the political left. (We see this clearly with the whole "context" thing.) A similar transformation has taken place in philanthropic institutions and the corporate world, enabling this ideology to become conventional wisdom nationally, and the strategic outlook of the Democratic party.
p. 25 The issue is never the issue. The issue is always the revolution, the re-imagining of American society and its transformation. These goals are so worthy and so necessary that they justify any and all means to achieve them. We see this that under the surface of the crises we face is a sinister force that poses and existential threat to our way of life - far more immediate than the so called climate apocalypse.
p. 58 Instead of taking over the means of industrial production as the fulcrum for transforming society, as Marx had advised, the revolution would instead be advanced by taking over the means of cultural production - the universities, churches, philanthropic institutions and media. Having achieved that goal, the radical vanguard would be able to manipulate the ideas, beliefs, perceptions and values as a whole to support its revolutionary goals.
p. 61 Once in control of the universities, the left leveraged its cultural power by establishing diversity programs to indoctrinate the unenlightend into their radical world view - using lucrative profession of diversity trainers to take their anti-white passions into the world at large.
p. 63 In the ideological worlds of the radical left, facts are irrelevant. It's all about skin color deployed as a weapon to advance anarchistic and totalitarian agendas. p. 69 Today's progressive fascist left ahs embraced a racist doctrine in which white people are scapegoats who serve a political purpose similar tot he Jews of the Third Reich.
p. 110 Every revolution begins with a destruction. Every revolutionary is focused on the means to dismantle the existing social order, not on devising workable blueprints for the future. They are experts at destruction, but criminally incompetent at construction. They did not pause to wonder the consequences of eliminating the police might be. Their inability to assess the impact on human behavior of what they were demanding led to an explosion of violent crime and thousands of defenseless victims.
p. 117 Criminal nature of progressive outlook should be obvious to anyone who take the time to look at its domestic legislative agenda. Very progressive proposal, from the moratorium on rent payments to canceling student debts to handing out other people's money to their favored constituents for doing nothing, is an expression of the fact that socialism is theft.
p. 3 Progressives are focused on reimagining American institutions and principles to conform to an ideological conception of the future they describe as equitable and socially just. To achieve this, the left's first goal is to dismantle the constitutional order that has created the prosperity and freedoms that have grown since the American founding. The left views this order as racist and oppressive, and in need of a fundamental transformation.
p. 10 Radicals believe that social justice requires them to dismantle the social order. They are not reformers willing to make their changes within the framework of the law. They refuse to be bound by the societal regulations and procedures. They believe, as all Marxists have in the past, that the end justified the means. No moral standard.
p. 15 Today's left is driven by a cultural Marxist ideology, which is a product of the transformation of America's universities and schools into one-party training and recruitment centers for the political left. (We see this clearly with the whole "context" thing.) A similar transformation has taken place in philanthropic institutions and the corporate world, enabling this ideology to become conventional wisdom nationally, and the strategic outlook of the Democratic party.
p. 25 The issue is never the issue. The issue is always the revolution, the re-imagining of American society and its transformation. These goals are so worthy and so necessary that they justify any and all means to achieve them. We see this that under the surface of the crises we face is a sinister force that poses and existential threat to our way of life - far more immediate than the so called climate apocalypse.
p. 58 Instead of taking over the means of industrial production as the fulcrum for transforming society, as Marx had advised, the revolution would instead be advanced by taking over the means of cultural production - the universities, churches, philanthropic institutions and media. Having achieved that goal, the radical vanguard would be able to manipulate the ideas, beliefs, perceptions and values as a whole to support its revolutionary goals.
p. 61 Once in control of the universities, the left leveraged its cultural power by establishing diversity programs to indoctrinate the unenlightend into their radical world view - using lucrative profession of diversity trainers to take their anti-white passions into the world at large.
p. 63 In the ideological worlds of the radical left, facts are irrelevant. It's all about skin color deployed as a weapon to advance anarchistic and totalitarian agendas. p. 69 Today's progressive fascist left ahs embraced a racist doctrine in which white people are scapegoats who serve a political purpose similar tot he Jews of the Third Reich.
p. 110 Every revolution begins with a destruction. Every revolutionary is focused on the means to dismantle the existing social order, not on devising workable blueprints for the future. They are experts at destruction, but criminally incompetent at construction. They did not pause to wonder the consequences of eliminating the police might be. Their inability to assess the impact on human behavior of what they were demanding led to an explosion of violent crime and thousands of defenseless victims.
p. 117 Criminal nature of progressive outlook should be obvious to anyone who take the time to look at its domestic legislative agenda. Very progressive proposal, from the moratorium on rent payments to canceling student debts to handing out other people's money to their favored constituents for doing nothing, is an expression of the fact that socialism is theft.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2024
As someone who identifies with the "woke left" that David Horowitz critiques in this book, I approached this read with an open mind but low expectations simply because I hold the belief that one should occasionally engage with opposing viewpoints. However, I was disappointed.
The only pros I can say this book had for me were the following:
1) The book is short and straightforward, making it an easy read.
2) Despite my disagreements with the content, I did learn about the Weather Underground movement of 1969, which was previously unknown to me.
The list of issues I have with the material, however, is much longer:
1) Horowitz's writing style comes across as angry, lacking in humor, and devoid of any space for meaningful discussion. It feels like being yelled at throughout the text.
2) The author frequently uses unreliable sources such as YouTube videos, blog posts, and even references his own work, alongside some legitimate news sources. However, the lack of rigorous sourcing undermines the credibility of his arguments.
3) Horowitz often omits crucial nuances, skewing the representation of facts to fit his narrative.
4) Horowitz uses words like "cultural Marxism," "critical race theory," and "pro-abortion" simply to provoke emotional responses.
5) He cites examples like Oprah and Stephen Curry as successful African Americans while ignoring systemic issues that affect millions of others. His interpretation of the Constitution also disregards significant historical contexts, like the Three-Fifths Compromise. In yet another example, he argues that the U.S. can't be a racist nation since 360,000 Union soldiers’ sacrificed their lives to end slavery, but conveniently omits the Confederate motivations and 260,000 Confederate soldiers who died to keep it.
6) A substantial portion of the book is dedicated to personal attacks, notably against Ilhan Omar (who he devotes an entire chapter to bashing), and it includes several debunked conspiracy theories and flawed logical arguments.
I have read other works by other conservative authors and, while I do not agree with their positions, I can at least appreciate their structured arguments, reasoning, and sourcing, Horowitz's book falls short in comparison. The lack of nuanced discussion and heavy reliance on unsound sources and emotional rhetoric makes "The Radical Mind" a challenging read for those seeking a well-rounded perspective on the issues it tackles.
The only pros I can say this book had for me were the following:
1) The book is short and straightforward, making it an easy read.
2) Despite my disagreements with the content, I did learn about the Weather Underground movement of 1969, which was previously unknown to me.
The list of issues I have with the material, however, is much longer:
1) Horowitz's writing style comes across as angry, lacking in humor, and devoid of any space for meaningful discussion. It feels like being yelled at throughout the text.
2) The author frequently uses unreliable sources such as YouTube videos, blog posts, and even references his own work, alongside some legitimate news sources. However, the lack of rigorous sourcing undermines the credibility of his arguments.
3) Horowitz often omits crucial nuances, skewing the representation of facts to fit his narrative.
4) Horowitz uses words like "cultural Marxism," "critical race theory," and "pro-abortion" simply to provoke emotional responses.
5) He cites examples like Oprah and Stephen Curry as successful African Americans while ignoring systemic issues that affect millions of others. His interpretation of the Constitution also disregards significant historical contexts, like the Three-Fifths Compromise. In yet another example, he argues that the U.S. can't be a racist nation since 360,000 Union soldiers’ sacrificed their lives to end slavery, but conveniently omits the Confederate motivations and 260,000 Confederate soldiers who died to keep it.
6) A substantial portion of the book is dedicated to personal attacks, notably against Ilhan Omar (who he devotes an entire chapter to bashing), and it includes several debunked conspiracy theories and flawed logical arguments.
I have read other works by other conservative authors and, while I do not agree with their positions, I can at least appreciate their structured arguments, reasoning, and sourcing, Horowitz's book falls short in comparison. The lack of nuanced discussion and heavy reliance on unsound sources and emotional rhetoric makes "The Radical Mind" a challenging read for those seeking a well-rounded perspective on the issues it tackles.
February 20, 2024
It was mostly all right. He's got a pretty good writing style. He's very clear, makes his points, and he's easy to read. The book was educational at times, like when he wrote about the weathermen, Theodore Allen, and the Black Power slogan, all of which were precursors to far left Marxist ideologies. This book wasn't all good, unfortunately. Not that I was surprised, coming from this asshole. He repeated some typical conservative talking points, like on his faith in the 2020 voter fraud conspiracy, he's weirdly sympathetic tones on Ashli Babbit's death, his criticism on Sam Harris's anti Trump views, or his comments on America being founded on judeo Christian values. On the Harris stuff, he wasn't all bad, but I do think people need to treat Sam as a person with an opinion on Trump, rather than point fingers and whine TDS. We get it, he doesn't like Trump. Why the fuck does everyone care? On that last thing, though, about American values being based on the Bible, that's just a complete lie. I could break down why, but I don't have the room, or the time for that shit. Jefferson cut and the new testament, criticized the old and said it was full of monkishness and superstitions, John Adams signed the Treaty of Tripoli which States America is in no way founded on the Christian religion, Washington kept his religious beliefs private, and Thomas Paine had such a harsh reputation as an "atheist" that it hurt Jefferson's political career simply because they were friends. I think if people like Horowitz really want to tear down liberal safe spaces, they should quit hiding conservative safe spaces.
February 6, 2025
I appreciate that he came out of the "new left" as he calls it, but this is really an untimely and false book. Of all the bad things them Democrats do... "DACA"? An illegal and unjust law should be opposed and I know pastors that I have asked, is DACA a good program for those that you know? and he said yes...
Similarly, complaints against "sanctuary cities" were one of the things that showed me years back that far right principles harm our cities - the Sheriff/police department THEMSELVES were asking to have a sanctuary-city type legislation in our area because they didn't want to be required to ask for ID, and didn't want to enable gangs and hoodlums taking advantage of their people that may have not complete immigration records and therefore be afraid to tell the cops!
Considering the recent events, this book could not be more backward... Just read this with a straight face on page 20...
"They have broken precedent, tradition, protocol, and the law, and villated the Constitution to hang Donald Trump and demonize his patriotic supporters as domestic terrorists and insurrectionists - traitors- all in order to advance radical policies that have destroyed America's borders, triggered record crime waves in American cities, and blown up the best economy of our lifetimes"
If you have been listening to these guys and not reality for past years - look it up - CBP recorded many thousands of arrests at the border. US deportations under Biden surpass Trump's record.
(BBC, 2024), overALL crime had been coming down from highs although yes it is high in some cities... There is no way I'm going to read more of this book... lies....
Similarly, complaints against "sanctuary cities" were one of the things that showed me years back that far right principles harm our cities - the Sheriff/police department THEMSELVES were asking to have a sanctuary-city type legislation in our area because they didn't want to be required to ask for ID, and didn't want to enable gangs and hoodlums taking advantage of their people that may have not complete immigration records and therefore be afraid to tell the cops!
Considering the recent events, this book could not be more backward... Just read this with a straight face on page 20...
"They have broken precedent, tradition, protocol, and the law, and villated the Constitution to hang Donald Trump and demonize his patriotic supporters as domestic terrorists and insurrectionists - traitors- all in order to advance radical policies that have destroyed America's borders, triggered record crime waves in American cities, and blown up the best economy of our lifetimes"
If you have been listening to these guys and not reality for past years - look it up - CBP recorded many thousands of arrests at the border. US deportations under Biden surpass Trump's record.
(BBC, 2024), overALL crime had been coming down from highs although yes it is high in some cities... There is no way I'm going to read more of this book... lies....
January 26, 2024
David Horowitz is one of America’s foremost experts on the radical left. Why? The son of card-carrying American Communists, he was a prominent member of the New Left until he was almost 40 years old. Because of his unique background, Mr. Horowitz is no stranger to the siren song of the so-called “progressive” agenda that poses an existential threat to individual freedom, Constitutional rights, and American democracy. He understands the inner workings and destructive purposes of today’s Leftist ideologues—radicals who closely resemble their fore-bearers who enabled 20th century Communists as they ravaged entire continents and killed more than 100 million people during peacetime in the name of social justice and the greater good. In his newest book, “The Radical Mind”, Horowitz methodically describes how Marxist radicals have spent more than half a century infiltrating, then taking control of the Democrat Party and the nation’s premier institutions, resulting in a totalitarian monopoly of nearly unlimited power in Washington D.C. Our country is on the brink of crisis and the battle for America’s soul is at stake. This short 140 page book is a quick, concise guide for understanding the grave peril the Progressive Left presents to America. It also provides ideas on how to defeat their destructive plans. This is an essential read in this important election year!
June 4, 2024
I love how people assail this book as being right wing, as David Horowitz was raised by communist parents and was far left ideology to begin with. What I found fascinating was his comments WRT Antonio Gramsci, whose plan for revolution and turning a country Marxist is taking over its means of cultural production - schools, colleges, media, businesses etc.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 8, 2025
David Horowitz nails how cultural Marxism has taken over in the U.S. He explains it in clear and understandable fashion. Useful for anyone who wants to know how this happened and what to do about it.
May 27, 2024
Read it! No matter which side of the aisle you lean toward - read it. 140 pages that sums up what's taking place today.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews