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How the Force Can Fix the World: Lessons on Life, Liberty, and Happiness from a Galaxy Far, Far Away
From widespread unemployment and mounting international hostilities, every day we are swept into more political chaos—so one brave man looks to the Star Wars universe for answers to our most urgent problems.
“You can’t stop the change — anymore than you can stop the sun from setting.” Anakin Skywalker was never able to live with this wisdom shared by his mother on the day he left home to train as a Jedi Knight. That failure led him to becoming the fearsome villain we all know as Darth Vader.
We’re living in a time of unprecedented and rapid change. An age of chaos. Democracies are in decline worldwide. Dictators are ascendant. Civic organizations are crumbling. People feel lonelier and more rudderless than in any other time in recent history. We’ve tried to slow down, and in some cases we, like Anakin, have tried stop the change, but failed at every turn. The fears that come with living in an age of disruption have produced public anger, and that anger has swelled movements of hate.
Author Stephen Kent believes part of the solution is hiding in plain sight. A story that binds together multiple generations with a common language, a moral framework, and a sense of wonder. It’s Star Wars.
What if we looked to Star Wars for more than just entertainment? How the Force Can Fix the World takes this challenge on by analyzing the core principles of the Star Wars HOPE, CHOICE, HUMILITY, EMPATHY, REDEMPTION, BALANCE and rejecting FEAR. Together, these are the Star Wars roadmap for living better lives, and maybe even fostering a better politics.
The path that we’re on — where fear leads to anger, and anger to hatred — will only end in suffering. But Star Wars shows us the way back from the brink. Shared stories of virtue that are beloved across cultures and political divides are hard to come by, but Star Wars is one such story. Turn on the news; things are pretty broken right now — but the Force can fix the world.
“You can’t stop the change — anymore than you can stop the sun from setting.” Anakin Skywalker was never able to live with this wisdom shared by his mother on the day he left home to train as a Jedi Knight. That failure led him to becoming the fearsome villain we all know as Darth Vader.
We’re living in a time of unprecedented and rapid change. An age of chaos. Democracies are in decline worldwide. Dictators are ascendant. Civic organizations are crumbling. People feel lonelier and more rudderless than in any other time in recent history. We’ve tried to slow down, and in some cases we, like Anakin, have tried stop the change, but failed at every turn. The fears that come with living in an age of disruption have produced public anger, and that anger has swelled movements of hate.
Author Stephen Kent believes part of the solution is hiding in plain sight. A story that binds together multiple generations with a common language, a moral framework, and a sense of wonder. It’s Star Wars.
What if we looked to Star Wars for more than just entertainment? How the Force Can Fix the World takes this challenge on by analyzing the core principles of the Star Wars HOPE, CHOICE, HUMILITY, EMPATHY, REDEMPTION, BALANCE and rejecting FEAR. Together, these are the Star Wars roadmap for living better lives, and maybe even fostering a better politics.
The path that we’re on — where fear leads to anger, and anger to hatred — will only end in suffering. But Star Wars shows us the way back from the brink. Shared stories of virtue that are beloved across cultures and political divides are hard to come by, but Star Wars is one such story. Turn on the news; things are pretty broken right now — but the Force can fix the world.
256 pages, Hardcover
Published November 9, 2021
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
October 28, 2021
Many fans of a galaxy far, far away use Star Wars as an escape from reality - as all have every right to do. But the more you peel back the layers of the franchise’s story, the more difficult it becomes to separate the fictional world’s themes and ideas from our own very real lives.
How the Force Can Fix the World builds its foundations on this very concept - that it’s not only possible, but beneficial to use Star Wars as a means of personal growth. Stephen uses historical examples from the American political landscape to draw parallels between Star Wars and modern society, using the stories we know and love to show us how we can rethink the way we interact with the people around us - both those we agree with and those we don’t.
Reading this book made me feel a sense of hope I haven’t felt in quite some time. I’m beyond grateful to the author for providing me an advanced copy and that I can wholeheartedly recommend the book to all of you.
May the Force be with us. Always.
How the Force Can Fix the World builds its foundations on this very concept - that it’s not only possible, but beneficial to use Star Wars as a means of personal growth. Stephen uses historical examples from the American political landscape to draw parallels between Star Wars and modern society, using the stories we know and love to show us how we can rethink the way we interact with the people around us - both those we agree with and those we don’t.
Reading this book made me feel a sense of hope I haven’t felt in quite some time. I’m beyond grateful to the author for providing me an advanced copy and that I can wholeheartedly recommend the book to all of you.
May the Force be with us. Always.
October 25, 2021
As a longtime Star Wars fan, I would have wagered a considerably large amount of money that no sociopolitical commentary could change the way that I view my favorite films. Thankfully, I didn't. Had I made that wager, I would have found myself much poorer after reading Stephen Kent's How The Force Can Change The World. This book takes familiar characters, scenes, and themes, and produces unfamiliar analysis that makes these stories even more applicable than I ever thought they could be. I cannot recommend this book strongly enough, to Star Wars fans and non-Star Wars fans alike.
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November 11, 2021https://thefederalist.com/2021/11/11/...
In a world with pandemics, violent riots, contentions at a global scale, and a personal Dunkirk in every home, there may still be hope and unity found in the least expected places. We may no longer share the basic building blocks of a healthy society, but we still share a love for the new American myths, and that might be what saves us in the end.
Author Stephen Kent testifies to such hope in his new book, “How the Force Can Save the World: Lessons on Life, Liberty, and Happiness from a Galaxy Far, Far Away.”
Kent is the creator of the popular Star Wars-meets-politics podcast, “Beltway Banthas,” which features guests from all sides of the political spectrum and is just one product of his focus on finding cultural platforms to bridge the political and cultural divisions feeding America’s cantankerous culture war. His new book follows this same ethos.
Kent asks his audience to be willing to humble themselves. Americans, in general, are much too arrogant. Noting an NPR/PBS NewsHour poll found that only 25 percent of Democrats said they were open to new information regarding the Trump impeachment; and on Joe and Hunter Biden, only 24 percent of Republicans believed further information would change their minds.
“We need an intervention to liberate us from our culture of pride and self-assuredness,” writes Kent.
You can see this in empathy deficit in studies on college students. A 2010 University of Michigan study found college students’ empathy for each other dropped by more than 40 percent between 1970 and 2000. A 2017 Duke University study examined intellectual humility, finding 66 percent of participants professed themselves as right when asked: “What percentage of the time do you think that you were right” in a specific disagreement with someone.
Not that this data is necessary, as Kent reminds us, the amount of cancel culture stories that utterly dehumanize even teenagers for making that one lousy tweet points to something being very broken in our culture. The knowledge identity deficit Americans have for accurately guessing views for members of the other team is another.
‘Star Wars’ as a Shared Language
The reason for our self-destruction, Kent hypothesizes, is very Jonathan Haidt in scope. The seed of our destruction is the dehumanizing powers of prolific social media and the failing economy and changing cultural tensions we all feel, a la the Big Sort. Americans no longer have a shared moral language, which faith used to bear. When humanity abandons religion, something else must always fill the void.
Unlike the many who see that vacuum and are despondent, Kent finds courage. While Americans increasingly can not tell you the difference between Old Testament figures like Noah and Abraham, 69 percent of Americans can say in detail who Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker are. In this, Kent sees an opportunity to use the great shared fandoms that make up modern American popular culture as that new moral language. In the face of fighting “anger, despair, and nihilism” his goal is to help Americans return to an understanding of moving forward based on “debate, difference, and deference.”
The book is divided across seven chapters with an almost self-help type of framing, covering topics from an emotional standpoint that resonate with themes any “Star Wars” fan will recognize — starting on the subject of humility, jumping feet-first into hope, and concluding with redemption and choice. The book’s first few chapters focus more on his hypothesis for what is broken in us before moving onto controversial topics like Black Lives Matter riots, the Supreme Court fights, and the 2020 presidential election.
A libertarian, Kent sides with leftists’ concerns like structural racism, for example, but agrees with the classical liberal right on the solutions such as ending police immunity and reforming sentencing. Kent isn’t afraid of being labeled with “both-sidesism” nor concerned with appearing anti-anti-whatever. His goal remains trying to get the two tribes to understand each other’s point of view.
Even ‘Star Wars’ Has Problems
There are a few things left to be desired in the book. Kent tilts much too heavily towards the Disney trilogy and tries to treat all “Star Wars” as a cohesive, unified piece of art instead of the very divided creation it currently is. This seems to be his personal belief as much as it is a peace-making strategy.
Those concerns that divide fans aren’t all bluster. Traditional fans would be correct to be outraged over the woke revisioning of the original trilogy’s heroes. These cultural divisions didn’t start from mutual disdain, though they have indeed become that way now.
It wasn’t George Lucas and the nerds who tanked the fandom; that’s on Disney, Kathleen Kennedy, and Rian Johnson. While Kent recognizes “Rise of Skywalker” is an artistic failure, he mostly ignores the fandom Death Star that was “The Last Jedi.”
Those concerns are primarily based on my own passion for nerdery, and I encourage readers to recognize that Kent is trying to speak to all Americans and not just us turbo-nerds. This book isn’t just about “Star Wars,” or even politics, although you can enjoy this book if you are into either of those two topics. This book is about a great deal of good that could be done by using our mutual love of a “galaxy far, far away” as the cornerstone to a healthier culture.
Kent recognizes such a project has limits. “Star Wars isn’t going to solve everything. The saga from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away couldn’t possibly lead us to a new order or to global peace and harmony. But it does point us to some key concepts that, if we take them to heart, could help us on our journey through our flawed world,” he writes.
That push is a great first effort that should give us confidence for a better tomorrow. For as we all know, “Rebellions are built on hope.”
In a world with pandemics, violent riots, contentions at a global scale, and a personal Dunkirk in every home, there may still be hope and unity found in the least expected places. We may no longer share the basic building blocks of a healthy society, but we still share a love for the new American myths, and that might be what saves us in the end.
Author Stephen Kent testifies to such hope in his new book, “How the Force Can Save the World: Lessons on Life, Liberty, and Happiness from a Galaxy Far, Far Away.”
Kent is the creator of the popular Star Wars-meets-politics podcast, “Beltway Banthas,” which features guests from all sides of the political spectrum and is just one product of his focus on finding cultural platforms to bridge the political and cultural divisions feeding America’s cantankerous culture war. His new book follows this same ethos.
Kent asks his audience to be willing to humble themselves. Americans, in general, are much too arrogant. Noting an NPR/PBS NewsHour poll found that only 25 percent of Democrats said they were open to new information regarding the Trump impeachment; and on Joe and Hunter Biden, only 24 percent of Republicans believed further information would change their minds.
“We need an intervention to liberate us from our culture of pride and self-assuredness,” writes Kent.
You can see this in empathy deficit in studies on college students. A 2010 University of Michigan study found college students’ empathy for each other dropped by more than 40 percent between 1970 and 2000. A 2017 Duke University study examined intellectual humility, finding 66 percent of participants professed themselves as right when asked: “What percentage of the time do you think that you were right” in a specific disagreement with someone.
Not that this data is necessary, as Kent reminds us, the amount of cancel culture stories that utterly dehumanize even teenagers for making that one lousy tweet points to something being very broken in our culture. The knowledge identity deficit Americans have for accurately guessing views for members of the other team is another.
‘Star Wars’ as a Shared Language
The reason for our self-destruction, Kent hypothesizes, is very Jonathan Haidt in scope. The seed of our destruction is the dehumanizing powers of prolific social media and the failing economy and changing cultural tensions we all feel, a la the Big Sort. Americans no longer have a shared moral language, which faith used to bear. When humanity abandons religion, something else must always fill the void.
Unlike the many who see that vacuum and are despondent, Kent finds courage. While Americans increasingly can not tell you the difference between Old Testament figures like Noah and Abraham, 69 percent of Americans can say in detail who Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker are. In this, Kent sees an opportunity to use the great shared fandoms that make up modern American popular culture as that new moral language. In the face of fighting “anger, despair, and nihilism” his goal is to help Americans return to an understanding of moving forward based on “debate, difference, and deference.”
The book is divided across seven chapters with an almost self-help type of framing, covering topics from an emotional standpoint that resonate with themes any “Star Wars” fan will recognize — starting on the subject of humility, jumping feet-first into hope, and concluding with redemption and choice. The book’s first few chapters focus more on his hypothesis for what is broken in us before moving onto controversial topics like Black Lives Matter riots, the Supreme Court fights, and the 2020 presidential election.
A libertarian, Kent sides with leftists’ concerns like structural racism, for example, but agrees with the classical liberal right on the solutions such as ending police immunity and reforming sentencing. Kent isn’t afraid of being labeled with “both-sidesism” nor concerned with appearing anti-anti-whatever. His goal remains trying to get the two tribes to understand each other’s point of view.
Even ‘Star Wars’ Has Problems
There are a few things left to be desired in the book. Kent tilts much too heavily towards the Disney trilogy and tries to treat all “Star Wars” as a cohesive, unified piece of art instead of the very divided creation it currently is. This seems to be his personal belief as much as it is a peace-making strategy.
Those concerns that divide fans aren’t all bluster. Traditional fans would be correct to be outraged over the woke revisioning of the original trilogy’s heroes. These cultural divisions didn’t start from mutual disdain, though they have indeed become that way now.
It wasn’t George Lucas and the nerds who tanked the fandom; that’s on Disney, Kathleen Kennedy, and Rian Johnson. While Kent recognizes “Rise of Skywalker” is an artistic failure, he mostly ignores the fandom Death Star that was “The Last Jedi.”
Those concerns are primarily based on my own passion for nerdery, and I encourage readers to recognize that Kent is trying to speak to all Americans and not just us turbo-nerds. This book isn’t just about “Star Wars,” or even politics, although you can enjoy this book if you are into either of those two topics. This book is about a great deal of good that could be done by using our mutual love of a “galaxy far, far away” as the cornerstone to a healthier culture.
Kent recognizes such a project has limits. “Star Wars isn’t going to solve everything. The saga from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away couldn’t possibly lead us to a new order or to global peace and harmony. But it does point us to some key concepts that, if we take them to heart, could help us on our journey through our flawed world,” he writes.
That push is a great first effort that should give us confidence for a better tomorrow. For as we all know, “Rebellions are built on hope.”
October 12, 2021
Who teaches us loyalty better than Chewy? The way Luke fought Darth Vader with bravery and mercy is a model for standing up to the opposition without viewing or treating them as inhuman. Surprise! We can learn from fiction without it being preachy (and enjoy it too!). This book is a guide for how Star Wars can teach us about the “emotional and ethical nature of humanity.” Who says stories full of aliens or mystical forces can’t teach us how to be better humans?
Entertaining style. Insightful content. This book is a quick, fun read that really gets you thinking. I absolutely loved it. (Although being a die hard Star Wars fan might make me a bit bias.)
The use of Star Wars references as a shared “language” to open a dialogue on moral and social issues is sure to delight Star Wars fans. This “language” lessens tension when discussing highly politically charged issues. It might even add a little fun too.
In these troubled and politically polarized times, Star Wars reminds that even people whose views and actions judge to be horribly wrong are still human. And treating your opposition as anything less would only make it harder for yourself and others to see the humanity in you. The true and tempting dark side is not seeing and treating each other as human.
WARNING: Vague mentions of past sexual abuse in the “FOREWORD: PART II” section.
I received a free copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley
#HowtheForceCanFixtheWorld
Entertaining style. Insightful content. This book is a quick, fun read that really gets you thinking. I absolutely loved it. (Although being a die hard Star Wars fan might make me a bit bias.)
The use of Star Wars references as a shared “language” to open a dialogue on moral and social issues is sure to delight Star Wars fans. This “language” lessens tension when discussing highly politically charged issues. It might even add a little fun too.
In these troubled and politically polarized times, Star Wars reminds that even people whose views and actions judge to be horribly wrong are still human. And treating your opposition as anything less would only make it harder for yourself and others to see the humanity in you. The true and tempting dark side is not seeing and treating each other as human.
WARNING: Vague mentions of past sexual abuse in the “FOREWORD: PART II” section.
I received a free copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
#NetGalley
#HowtheForceCanFixtheWorld
November 16, 2021
Star Wars can be much more than an escape from reality and the author demonstrates how Star Wars can really educate us on what's happening in our every day lives. Kudos!
November 11, 2021
https://thefederalist.com/2021/11/11/...
In a world with pandemics, violent riots, contentions at a global scale, and a personal Dunkirk in every home, there may still be hope and unity found in the least expected places. We may no longer share the basic building blocks of a healthy society, but we still share a love for the new American myths, and that might be what saves us in the end.
Author Stephen Kent testifies to such hope in his new book, “How the Force Can Save the World: Lessons on Life, Liberty, and Happiness from a Galaxy Far, Far Away.”
Kent is the creator of the popular Star Wars-meets-politics podcast, “Beltway Banthas,” which features guests from all sides of the political spectrum and is just one product of his focus on finding cultural platforms to bridge the political and cultural divisions feeding America’s cantankerous culture war. His new book follows this same ethos.
Kent asks his audience to be willing to humble themselves. Americans, in general, are much too arrogant. Noting an NPR/PBS NewsHour poll found that only 25 percent of Democrats said they were open to new information regarding the Trump impeachment; and on Joe and Hunter Biden, only 24 percent of Republicans believed further information would change their minds.
“We need an intervention to liberate us from our culture of pride and self-assuredness,” writes Kent.
You can see this in empathy deficit in studies on college students. A 2010 University of Michigan study found college students’ empathy for each other dropped by more than 40 percent between 1970 and 2000. A 2017 Duke University study examined intellectual humility, finding 66 percent of participants professed themselves as right when asked: “What percentage of the time do you think that you were right” in a specific disagreement with someone.
Not that this data is necessary, as Kent reminds us, the amount of cancel culture stories that utterly dehumanize even teenagers for making that one lousy tweet points to something being very broken in our culture. The knowledge identity deficit Americans have for accurately guessing views for members of the other team is another.
‘Star Wars’ as a Shared Language
The reason for our self-destruction, Kent hypothesizes, is very Jonathan Haidt in scope. The seed of our destruction is the dehumanizing powers of prolific social media and the failing economy and changing cultural tensions we all feel, a la the Big Sort. Americans no longer have a shared moral language, which faith used to bear. When humanity abandons religion, something else must always fill the void.
Unlike the many who see that vacuum and are despondent, Kent finds courage. While Americans increasingly can not tell you the difference between Old Testament figures like Noah and Abraham, 69 percent of Americans can say in detail who Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker are. In this, Kent sees an opportunity to use the great shared fandoms that make up modern American popular culture as that new moral language. In the face of fighting “anger, despair, and nihilism” his goal is to help Americans return to an understanding of moving forward based on “debate, difference, and deference.”
The book is divided across seven chapters with an almost self-help type of framing, covering topics from an emotional standpoint that resonate with themes any “Star Wars” fan will recognize — starting on the subject of humility, jumping feet-first into hope, and concluding with redemption and choice. The book’s first few chapters focus more on his hypothesis for what is broken in us before moving onto controversial topics like Black Lives Matter riots, the Supreme Court fights, and the 2020 presidential election.
A libertarian, Kent sides with leftists’ concerns like structural racism, for example, but agrees with the classical liberal right on the solutions such as ending police immunity and reforming sentencing. Kent isn’t afraid of being labeled with “both-sidesism” nor concerned with appearing anti-anti-whatever. His goal remains trying to get the two tribes to understand each other’s point of view.
Even ‘Star Wars’ Has Problems
There are a few things left to be desired in the book. Kent tilts much too heavily towards the Disney trilogy and tries to treat all “Star Wars” as a cohesive, unified piece of art instead of the very divided creation it currently is. This seems to be his personal belief as much as it is a peace-making strategy.
Those concerns that divide fans aren’t all bluster. Traditional fans would be correct to be outraged over the woke revisioning of the original trilogy’s heroes. These cultural divisions didn’t start from mutual disdain, though they have indeed become that way now.
It wasn’t George Lucas and the nerds who tanked the fandom; that’s on Disney, Kathleen Kennedy, and Rian Johnson. While Kent recognizes “Rise of Skywalker” is an artistic failure, he mostly ignores the fandom Death Star that was “The Last Jedi.”
Those concerns are primarily based on my own passion for nerdery, and I encourage readers to recognize that Kent is trying to speak to all Americans and not just us turbo-nerds. This book isn’t just about “Star Wars,” or even politics, although you can enjoy this book if you are into either of those two topics. This book is about a great deal of good that could be done by using our mutual love of a “galaxy far, far away” as the cornerstone to a healthier culture.
Kent recognizes such a project has limits. “Star Wars isn’t going to solve everything. The saga from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away couldn’t possibly lead us to a new order or to global peace and harmony. But it does point us to some key concepts that, if we take them to heart, could help us on our journey through our flawed world,” he writes.
That push is a great first effort that should give us confidence for a better tomorrow. For as we all know, “Rebellions are built on hope.”
In a world with pandemics, violent riots, contentions at a global scale, and a personal Dunkirk in every home, there may still be hope and unity found in the least expected places. We may no longer share the basic building blocks of a healthy society, but we still share a love for the new American myths, and that might be what saves us in the end.
Author Stephen Kent testifies to such hope in his new book, “How the Force Can Save the World: Lessons on Life, Liberty, and Happiness from a Galaxy Far, Far Away.”
Kent is the creator of the popular Star Wars-meets-politics podcast, “Beltway Banthas,” which features guests from all sides of the political spectrum and is just one product of his focus on finding cultural platforms to bridge the political and cultural divisions feeding America’s cantankerous culture war. His new book follows this same ethos.
Kent asks his audience to be willing to humble themselves. Americans, in general, are much too arrogant. Noting an NPR/PBS NewsHour poll found that only 25 percent of Democrats said they were open to new information regarding the Trump impeachment; and on Joe and Hunter Biden, only 24 percent of Republicans believed further information would change their minds.
“We need an intervention to liberate us from our culture of pride and self-assuredness,” writes Kent.
You can see this in empathy deficit in studies on college students. A 2010 University of Michigan study found college students’ empathy for each other dropped by more than 40 percent between 1970 and 2000. A 2017 Duke University study examined intellectual humility, finding 66 percent of participants professed themselves as right when asked: “What percentage of the time do you think that you were right” in a specific disagreement with someone.
Not that this data is necessary, as Kent reminds us, the amount of cancel culture stories that utterly dehumanize even teenagers for making that one lousy tweet points to something being very broken in our culture. The knowledge identity deficit Americans have for accurately guessing views for members of the other team is another.
‘Star Wars’ as a Shared Language
The reason for our self-destruction, Kent hypothesizes, is very Jonathan Haidt in scope. The seed of our destruction is the dehumanizing powers of prolific social media and the failing economy and changing cultural tensions we all feel, a la the Big Sort. Americans no longer have a shared moral language, which faith used to bear. When humanity abandons religion, something else must always fill the void.
Unlike the many who see that vacuum and are despondent, Kent finds courage. While Americans increasingly can not tell you the difference between Old Testament figures like Noah and Abraham, 69 percent of Americans can say in detail who Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker are. In this, Kent sees an opportunity to use the great shared fandoms that make up modern American popular culture as that new moral language. In the face of fighting “anger, despair, and nihilism” his goal is to help Americans return to an understanding of moving forward based on “debate, difference, and deference.”
The book is divided across seven chapters with an almost self-help type of framing, covering topics from an emotional standpoint that resonate with themes any “Star Wars” fan will recognize — starting on the subject of humility, jumping feet-first into hope, and concluding with redemption and choice. The book’s first few chapters focus more on his hypothesis for what is broken in us before moving onto controversial topics like Black Lives Matter riots, the Supreme Court fights, and the 2020 presidential election.
A libertarian, Kent sides with leftists’ concerns like structural racism, for example, but agrees with the classical liberal right on the solutions such as ending police immunity and reforming sentencing. Kent isn’t afraid of being labeled with “both-sidesism” nor concerned with appearing anti-anti-whatever. His goal remains trying to get the two tribes to understand each other’s point of view.
Even ‘Star Wars’ Has Problems
There are a few things left to be desired in the book. Kent tilts much too heavily towards the Disney trilogy and tries to treat all “Star Wars” as a cohesive, unified piece of art instead of the very divided creation it currently is. This seems to be his personal belief as much as it is a peace-making strategy.
Those concerns that divide fans aren’t all bluster. Traditional fans would be correct to be outraged over the woke revisioning of the original trilogy’s heroes. These cultural divisions didn’t start from mutual disdain, though they have indeed become that way now.
It wasn’t George Lucas and the nerds who tanked the fandom; that’s on Disney, Kathleen Kennedy, and Rian Johnson. While Kent recognizes “Rise of Skywalker” is an artistic failure, he mostly ignores the fandom Death Star that was “The Last Jedi.”
Those concerns are primarily based on my own passion for nerdery, and I encourage readers to recognize that Kent is trying to speak to all Americans and not just us turbo-nerds. This book isn’t just about “Star Wars,” or even politics, although you can enjoy this book if you are into either of those two topics. This book is about a great deal of good that could be done by using our mutual love of a “galaxy far, far away” as the cornerstone to a healthier culture.
Kent recognizes such a project has limits. “Star Wars isn’t going to solve everything. The saga from a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away couldn’t possibly lead us to a new order or to global peace and harmony. But it does point us to some key concepts that, if we take them to heart, could help us on our journey through our flawed world,” he writes.
That push is a great first effort that should give us confidence for a better tomorrow. For as we all know, “Rebellions are built on hope.”
February 14, 2024
An interesting dive into the ethics of Star Wars, but with several problems. Kent highlights many of the fascinating ways Star Wars parallels real-world issues and explores philosophical questions (he's made me see the Naboo in a whole new light), but he also bends its message to fit his Christian-Conservative worldview and even draws parallels between the Jedi and Christ. He is also uncritical of the franchise, even drawing lessons from the much-derided sequel trilogy (which lack the integrated moral themes of the other trilogies), and accepts Lucas's ideas about ethics and his dubious concept of "selfishness" (see my article "George Lucas Gets the Moral Meaning of Star Wars Wrong") without question. Lastly, the book is VERY focused on a US political context and makes no effort to explain it for international readers or bring in examples from outside the US, resulting in the impression that this is another American writer who doesn't realize that the rest of the world is out there.
December 29, 2025
Book started great but got somewhat predictable and repetitive towards the end.
October 2, 2021
I’m a longtime listener of the Beltway Banthas podcast, so I’m familiar with Stephen Kent’s thoughts on the intersection between politics and Star Wars. How the Force Can Fix the World is a distillation of some of his discussions on the podcast. However, it’s probably better to characterize this book as a self-help manual than a political analysis. Howt the Force Can Fix the World does discuss how Star Wars can inform our approach to politics, but more than that it’s about how Star Wars can help us live more mindful lives and become better citizens.
Each chapter of the book discusses a moral or philosophical concept, such as free will or redemption, and draws explicit lessons from the Star Wars films (and occasionally the TV shows). For example, Kent argues that the redemptions of Anakin Skywalker and Ben Solo are urgent reminders of how forgiveness and empathy aren’t just naive ideals, but help keep our society civil. The chapters on hope and choice are pleas to remain optimistic even during Dark Times. Each chapter ends with several mindfulness techniques designed to help readers live the values of Star Wars in their own lives. In this sense, How the Force Can Fix the World is less about fixing the world and more about fixing ourselves.
Building on his background as a political commentators, many of Kent’s examples involve politics or political discourse. Kent is a self-described conservative/libertarian. Sadly, that might put off some readers, but shouldn’t. Kent is that rare breed of thoughtful, compassionate conservative; he’s not a conspiracy theorist and he believes in social justice. How the Force Can Fix the World does critique excesses of both the Left and the Right, but generally focuses less on specific policies and more on how we conduct ourselves in the political sphere. In other words, How the Force Can Fix the World doesn’t push a conservative or libertarian policy agenda, but does challenge readers to disagree respectfully. In this respect, Kent reminds me of Arthur Brooks, another conservative “happy warrior” whose work focuses at least as much on emotional wellbeing as on deregulation.
My favorite parts of the book are the most autobiographical. Kent sometimes discusses his personal struggles and how Star Wars helped him put his problems in perspective. The epilogue’s message of allowing the moral lessons of Star Wars to live inside us despite the toxicity in fandom particularly resonated with me. Even if you don’t agree with Kent’s politics or his interpretations of each film, How the Force Can Fix the World is a useful reminder that we should strive to live the virtues embodied in our favorite franchise. Star Wars is more than entertainment; it’s a moral education.
[NOTE: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.]
Each chapter of the book discusses a moral or philosophical concept, such as free will or redemption, and draws explicit lessons from the Star Wars films (and occasionally the TV shows). For example, Kent argues that the redemptions of Anakin Skywalker and Ben Solo are urgent reminders of how forgiveness and empathy aren’t just naive ideals, but help keep our society civil. The chapters on hope and choice are pleas to remain optimistic even during Dark Times. Each chapter ends with several mindfulness techniques designed to help readers live the values of Star Wars in their own lives. In this sense, How the Force Can Fix the World is less about fixing the world and more about fixing ourselves.
Building on his background as a political commentators, many of Kent’s examples involve politics or political discourse. Kent is a self-described conservative/libertarian. Sadly, that might put off some readers, but shouldn’t. Kent is that rare breed of thoughtful, compassionate conservative; he’s not a conspiracy theorist and he believes in social justice. How the Force Can Fix the World does critique excesses of both the Left and the Right, but generally focuses less on specific policies and more on how we conduct ourselves in the political sphere. In other words, How the Force Can Fix the World doesn’t push a conservative or libertarian policy agenda, but does challenge readers to disagree respectfully. In this respect, Kent reminds me of Arthur Brooks, another conservative “happy warrior” whose work focuses at least as much on emotional wellbeing as on deregulation.
My favorite parts of the book are the most autobiographical. Kent sometimes discusses his personal struggles and how Star Wars helped him put his problems in perspective. The epilogue’s message of allowing the moral lessons of Star Wars to live inside us despite the toxicity in fandom particularly resonated with me. Even if you don’t agree with Kent’s politics or his interpretations of each film, How the Force Can Fix the World is a useful reminder that we should strive to live the virtues embodied in our favorite franchise. Star Wars is more than entertainment; it’s a moral education.
[NOTE: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.]
February 16, 2023
I am almost done with this book and I didn’t know what to expect. I would say my expectations were low, yet I gave it a try. Turns out this book made me think a lot about basic questions about society and humanity. Here are a few:
• Yoda’s masterful quote: “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.” I would like to add one more: "and suffering leads to the destruction of oneself." As we follow this whole path we end up doing things we are not proud of and we end up destroying our self-esteem, which in turn prevents us from living to our fullest potential; thus suffering leads to the destruction of oneself.
• Hope - It is how we counter fear.
• Compassion - The author, if I recall correctly, defines it as the ability to think the best of others or that others are acting with the best of intentions.
• Redemption - A personal process in which you can amend past mistakes, yet it doesn’t guarantee absolution of your past transgressions.
There were several other topics the author addressed that I found very relevant yet for the sake of time I will not cover them. The ones I mentioned above were topics I have been pondering for a long time and they hit harder.How the Force Can Fix the World: Lessons on Life, Liberty, and Happiness from a Galaxy Far, Far Away
• Yoda’s masterful quote: “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.” I would like to add one more: "and suffering leads to the destruction of oneself." As we follow this whole path we end up doing things we are not proud of and we end up destroying our self-esteem, which in turn prevents us from living to our fullest potential; thus suffering leads to the destruction of oneself.
• Hope - It is how we counter fear.
• Compassion - The author, if I recall correctly, defines it as the ability to think the best of others or that others are acting with the best of intentions.
• Redemption - A personal process in which you can amend past mistakes, yet it doesn’t guarantee absolution of your past transgressions.
There were several other topics the author addressed that I found very relevant yet for the sake of time I will not cover them. The ones I mentioned above were topics I have been pondering for a long time and they hit harder.How the Force Can Fix the World: Lessons on Life, Liberty, and Happiness from a Galaxy Far, Far Away
November 11, 2021
I have listened to Stephen's podcast "Beltway Banthas" and was very excited to read this. This book was a combination of Star Wars, politics, culture, and personal improvement. Each chapter narrowed in on a specific topic and drew parallels from Star Wars to what we see in the world today. I particularly enjoyed that each chapter ended with specific examples of things one can do to bring the Force into our world. You don't need to remember every detail from Star Wars to understand the examples Stephen shares and you don't need to be a political expert or someone who watches the news every single day to understand the political topics he highlights. You're in very good hands with this author.
While some may be turned off by the fact that Stephen politically leans to the right, you absolutely shouldn't be. I'm someone who leans more to the left and absolutely enjoyed every moment of this book and found a lot to think about in its pages.
I would highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys Star Wars and discussions on society.
While some may be turned off by the fact that Stephen politically leans to the right, you absolutely shouldn't be. I'm someone who leans more to the left and absolutely enjoyed every moment of this book and found a lot to think about in its pages.
I would highly recommend this for anyone who enjoys Star Wars and discussions on society.
December 11, 2021
Much Wisdom Can Be Found Here
I really enjoyed this book. It is a thoughtful considered look at what the story of Star Wars can teach us about the world today, with our rancorous political environment. As Star Wars has become an important part of our modern mythology, it seems very appropriate to compare it critically against our own society, as we might with the works of Shakespeare, Mark Twain or the Greek myths. Important works speak to the condition of man, and Star Wars is no different. It is full of wisdom and wit and draws on deep religious and mythological themes. The author is extremely knowledgeable in regard to his subject matter, and makes great connections and inferences.
I highly recommend this book to any Star Wars fans and any followers of American politics from whatever walk of life, Democrat, Republican, Separatist, Jedi or Sith.
I really enjoyed this book. It is a thoughtful considered look at what the story of Star Wars can teach us about the world today, with our rancorous political environment. As Star Wars has become an important part of our modern mythology, it seems very appropriate to compare it critically against our own society, as we might with the works of Shakespeare, Mark Twain or the Greek myths. Important works speak to the condition of man, and Star Wars is no different. It is full of wisdom and wit and draws on deep religious and mythological themes. The author is extremely knowledgeable in regard to his subject matter, and makes great connections and inferences.
I highly recommend this book to any Star Wars fans and any followers of American politics from whatever walk of life, Democrat, Republican, Separatist, Jedi or Sith.
December 30, 2021
If you love, like me, pulling moral and value details from the Star Wars galaxy into our own, then I promise you this book is for you!
Or on the flip side if you are a reader looking for challenging insights into our culture, into understanding values and morals as part of its roles in society, and like pop culture references, this book is also definitely for you.
I throughly enjoyed Mr. Kent’s book as it was an easy but insightful read. He used one our world’s greatest cultural touchstones - Star Wars - and developed it into a guiding curriculum around it for confronting any challenging time our nation or people see now and in the future.
I will definitely reread this time and time again!
Or on the flip side if you are a reader looking for challenging insights into our culture, into understanding values and morals as part of its roles in society, and like pop culture references, this book is also definitely for you.
I throughly enjoyed Mr. Kent’s book as it was an easy but insightful read. He used one our world’s greatest cultural touchstones - Star Wars - and developed it into a guiding curriculum around it for confronting any challenging time our nation or people see now and in the future.
I will definitely reread this time and time again!
February 1, 2022
As a long time Star Wars fan, I really enjoyed re-thinking some favourite themes of my favourite saga, this combined with a really entertaining writing style was the perfect combination. Even more, this book came in the perfect time for a very crucial presidential election in Chile, so it really felt like the perfect companion in avoiding panic scrolling and encouraging critical thinking about the whole political environment. I found myself wanting to stop and think after every couple of chapters which is why it took me longer to finish probably.
Anyway, highly recommend it! Also, the audible version is read by the author who is also an amazing podcaster!
Anyway, highly recommend it! Also, the audible version is read by the author who is also an amazing podcaster!
November 30, 2021
Social commentary books have always been an interest to me. When you mix in Star Wars, you add an interesting element that is surprisingly relevant, especially in todays divided society.
Stephen Kent does a fabulous job of providing an honest and unbiased interpretation of how we arrived to this current state and how the SW franchise has provided examples that could challenge the divisive path we seem to be on. Plenty of emotion and thought provoking commentary that would be entertaining for most readers.
Stephen Kent does a fabulous job of providing an honest and unbiased interpretation of how we arrived to this current state and how the SW franchise has provided examples that could challenge the divisive path we seem to be on. Plenty of emotion and thought provoking commentary that would be entertaining for most readers.
May 18, 2022
An intriguing idea for a book
The idea of aligning star wars to a philosophy for life was an interesting idea and I think the book does a pretty good job there.
I was never able to see the series as the author did though. Some of his analogies were brutally detailed if you hadn't seen and re-seen the entire series and I got bogged down there. I think this less to some tortuous logic to support some of his points.
I also don't think a book like this could be written without watching the series over and over again, a lot of times.
The idea of aligning star wars to a philosophy for life was an interesting idea and I think the book does a pretty good job there.
I was never able to see the series as the author did though. Some of his analogies were brutally detailed if you hadn't seen and re-seen the entire series and I got bogged down there. I think this less to some tortuous logic to support some of his points.
I also don't think a book like this could be written without watching the series over and over again, a lot of times.
December 28, 2021
Great little read to close out the year. Mr Kent does a great job of connecting the lessons from Star Wars to politics and the issues of today. Can't say I agree with all his points, but as Kent writes, it is important to venture out of one's echo-chamber every now and this.
If you're a fan of Star Wars and you have concerns about the current political atmosphere, this is worth the read.
If you're a fan of Star Wars and you have concerns about the current political atmosphere, this is worth the read.
March 29, 2022
Clever, enjoyable, and well-written, Stephen Kent's How the Force Can Fix the World: Star Wars as a Guide to Personal Growth and Political Reconciliation is a great gift for any Star Wars fan, especially those interested in Sociological, Psychological, and Political Concepts. As a psychology major myself, it doesn't get any better than this!
November 7, 2022
3.5, a fun book with some interesting ideas.
August 26, 2024
I really struggled to get through the end of this book. I wanted to DNF so bad, but I hate DNFing physical books that I purchased. Picking it up, I thought it was just an analysis of how... the force can change the world. Instead, I was met with a loooot of political and religious talk which didn't feel like was the best read for me in my current walk of life. I will say, though, I did not feel it was *too* biased at any given time. His discussion definitely seemed to lean left but he has background from being very right, which resulted in his understanding of viewpoints from both sides. I didn't mind the left leaning opinion, and sometimes appreciated it. I just don't think reading a political book in the discourse of right now was fun. But, in the context of the 2024 election I felt like Kent was ahead of his time, writing this in 2021 while a lot of his points rang true in 2024.
Besides that, I appreciated how Kent dissected a lot of Star Wars lore and related it to real-life context. He had a handful of lessons that he backed up with a variety of examples across the Skywalker Saga, and some other films and shows that are within the same time period, and made cohesive arguments for what the story is telling consumers at a deeper level. As a Star Wars fan, but who only became interested in the stories within the last three years, I do not feel like this was exactly the book for me. There were many scenes I knew and remembered, but so many times I skimmed over chunks of analysis because I could not remember niche scenes that seemed to be the heart of what he was arguing for.
I had a split liking for the end of chapter synopsis of, essentially, how to be a better person by using the lessons of the Force. I liked it because it reminded me what the long chapters were about after not understanding everything. But, I did ask myself many times, what does this guy know? He left his job to pursue writing this book, and while I think that was ambitious and maybe a good move for him, I did not understand how he could be the wise decoder of the Force. Sure, after a lifetime of consuming the books, films, and shows, you can get an idea of it all to convey it to others, but it felt like he was taking on the role of the all-knowing Yoda and telling the audience how to become better humans from what *he* knows. This came without any background information of who he is and how he is qualified, by having adopted these principles, to be the best to discuss it and pass along the principles in the "follow this guide and you will live a better life" way. Maybe it was just me who felt that way, but I overall just have a disdain for anyone who believes they have the key to solving all of life's problems with a simple guide, or a holier than thou mindset. I didn't get the feeling too bad from reading this, but it definitely was not always my cup of tea.
Finally, I sadly just think this book was a little too forgettable for me. While I liked the concept, I think this could have been better written post-2024 election. SO many ideas could have been better fleshed out from this election, no matter what the result will be. I didn't like going into it without knowing it would be so religious and political; I would not have bought it from B&N if that was the case. I can usually pick up and put down a book, reading it over the course of 2+ months while I tandem read something else, but each time I would pick this book up I would forget everything I read before it. I think this was in part due to the nature of the book jumping from concept to concept without a good flow connecting each of the separate ideas. The evidence used to back up each lesson really just came from everywhere, so nothing felt linear in this book. By the time I finished reading it, I could only tell you what the last one hundred pages were about and nothing before that. Maybe I'm just not enough of a mega-fan, and that is okay. Perhaps if this was about Harry Potter, where more of my knowledge and recall skills lay in the context of fantasy stories, I would have had a better reading experience.
Besides that, I appreciated how Kent dissected a lot of Star Wars lore and related it to real-life context. He had a handful of lessons that he backed up with a variety of examples across the Skywalker Saga, and some other films and shows that are within the same time period, and made cohesive arguments for what the story is telling consumers at a deeper level. As a Star Wars fan, but who only became interested in the stories within the last three years, I do not feel like this was exactly the book for me. There were many scenes I knew and remembered, but so many times I skimmed over chunks of analysis because I could not remember niche scenes that seemed to be the heart of what he was arguing for.
I had a split liking for the end of chapter synopsis of, essentially, how to be a better person by using the lessons of the Force. I liked it because it reminded me what the long chapters were about after not understanding everything. But, I did ask myself many times, what does this guy know? He left his job to pursue writing this book, and while I think that was ambitious and maybe a good move for him, I did not understand how he could be the wise decoder of the Force. Sure, after a lifetime of consuming the books, films, and shows, you can get an idea of it all to convey it to others, but it felt like he was taking on the role of the all-knowing Yoda and telling the audience how to become better humans from what *he* knows. This came without any background information of who he is and how he is qualified, by having adopted these principles, to be the best to discuss it and pass along the principles in the "follow this guide and you will live a better life" way. Maybe it was just me who felt that way, but I overall just have a disdain for anyone who believes they have the key to solving all of life's problems with a simple guide, or a holier than thou mindset. I didn't get the feeling too bad from reading this, but it definitely was not always my cup of tea.
Finally, I sadly just think this book was a little too forgettable for me. While I liked the concept, I think this could have been better written post-2024 election. SO many ideas could have been better fleshed out from this election, no matter what the result will be. I didn't like going into it without knowing it would be so religious and political; I would not have bought it from B&N if that was the case. I can usually pick up and put down a book, reading it over the course of 2+ months while I tandem read something else, but each time I would pick this book up I would forget everything I read before it. I think this was in part due to the nature of the book jumping from concept to concept without a good flow connecting each of the separate ideas. The evidence used to back up each lesson really just came from everywhere, so nothing felt linear in this book. By the time I finished reading it, I could only tell you what the last one hundred pages were about and nothing before that. Maybe I'm just not enough of a mega-fan, and that is okay. Perhaps if this was about Harry Potter, where more of my knowledge and recall skills lay in the context of fantasy stories, I would have had a better reading experience.
March 15, 2023
I have always felt like there is a lot of real life truth in Star Wars. While I did not grow up with the films, I have been a big fan since the moment I saw them. The application of the films to real life situations and issues, was something that I actually found myself doing. However, Stephen Kent steps it up.
Using Star Wars, a very universally loved franchise, to address big issues and bring people together, is a fantastic idea. I think it really works, and could work even more if people were aware of this novel. Stephen makes very many good points, my favorite ones being about humbleness.
I had never listened to the podcast before I read this book, in fact, I didn't even know it existed! I think I'll give it a shot now though. Stephen writes genuinely and informatively, not being too cold about human nature, while also giving pointers on how we can use it to our advantage rather than to our demise.
I think the Force can fix the world, we just need more people to be open to being a true Jedi.
Using Star Wars, a very universally loved franchise, to address big issues and bring people together, is a fantastic idea. I think it really works, and could work even more if people were aware of this novel. Stephen makes very many good points, my favorite ones being about humbleness.
I had never listened to the podcast before I read this book, in fact, I didn't even know it existed! I think I'll give it a shot now though. Stephen writes genuinely and informatively, not being too cold about human nature, while also giving pointers on how we can use it to our advantage rather than to our demise.
I think the Force can fix the world, we just need more people to be open to being a true Jedi.
January 24, 2024
I got it discounted, not enough of a discount. It starts strong. How beloved and well known Star Wars is. How the movies are popular across cultures and boundaries.
Empathy. When Kyle Ren takes off his mask to Rey, she sees a human for the first time. Masks and culture assign names that prevent seeing the people inside. Good valid point. Then he says we could apply that to the January 6, 2021 terrorists. He chides Jeopardy champ Arthur Chu for a patriotic Tweet. He says we should see the humans involved not just filthy traitors. No. That is an affront to Americans.
He rambled on about made up terrorists called Antifa.
He picked “let’s get along” slogans from any cheap culture is broken book and finds a Star Wars line to match. It’s pushing it.
Empathy. When Kyle Ren takes off his mask to Rey, she sees a human for the first time. Masks and culture assign names that prevent seeing the people inside. Good valid point. Then he says we could apply that to the January 6, 2021 terrorists. He chides Jeopardy champ Arthur Chu for a patriotic Tweet. He says we should see the humans involved not just filthy traitors. No. That is an affront to Americans.
He rambled on about made up terrorists called Antifa.
He picked “let’s get along” slogans from any cheap culture is broken book and finds a Star Wars line to match. It’s pushing it.
Want to Read
September 17, 2023very cleverly written in order to place our world at hand into the context of the greater philosophy of star wars. One can tell that the author gave a great deal of thought and organization to the manner in which the material was presented. He certainly has a firm grasp of Star Wars.
I received this book from NetGalley at the recommendation of the author. My review is in no way influenced by those facts.
I received this book from NetGalley at the recommendation of the author. My review is in no way influenced by those facts.
April 27, 2024
One of the most insightful books I’ve ever read. Whether you’ve been a fan from day one or joined the fandom recently, there is something for all Star Wars fans. So much can be learned here as Kent uses real world and examples from the Star Wars saga. Different themes are explored in great detail. Captivating from start to finish, a must-read!
Did Not Finish
October 29, 2024DNF
Not affiliated with LucasFilms and you can tell...because the "lessons" put forth in the first few chapters don't even slightly line up with Star Wars' themes. Terribly wishy washy - no grit and no backbone. Which sucks because "Star Wars literary theory and real-life application" is something I'd read a thousand pages about.
Not affiliated with LucasFilms and you can tell...because the "lessons" put forth in the first few chapters don't even slightly line up with Star Wars' themes. Terribly wishy washy - no grit and no backbone. Which sucks because "Star Wars literary theory and real-life application" is something I'd read a thousand pages about.
May 4, 2023
Needs a better editor, but I liked the messages.
February 22, 2024
No us vs. Them. All about coming together to make the world better.
August 30, 2025
One thing that has changed for me as I’ve gotten older is that I’ve become less ashamed of just my rampart nerdiness. It's a book that processes the current political climate through a fair analysis of the Star Wars saga; I’ll get into that. Stephen Kent’s message of empathy and reconciliation and the warning signs that Star Wars is the modern nerdy equivalent of John the Baptist, he is a voice crying out in the wilderness, calling each of us to our better angels—Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Jedi, Sith or Whig. Everyone can get something out of this book if they are fond of the galaxy far away.
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