Books › The Assault on Reason
The Assault on Reason
589 pages
An urgent, methodical diagnosis of a democracy losing its grip on truth, and a rallying cry to reclaim the power of rational thought.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like sitting in a lecture hall with a deeply concerned, highly articulate professor who is sounding the alarm on the state of our civic life. The pace is steady and methodical, building a meticulous case against the forces of fear, secrecy, and blind faith that have hijacked public discourse. The mood is undeniably sobering, steeped in an apprehension about the fragility of democratic institutions, yet it never tips into pure despair. Instead, the earnest, impassioned prose acts as an intellectual stimulant, challenging you to look critically at the media ecosystem. It will deeply resonate with politically engaged readers who crave a thoughtful, historically grounded framework for understanding—and ultimately repairing—the fractures in modern democracy.
- Mood
- sobering
- apprehensive
- intellectually stimulating
- resolute
- Tone
- earnest
- urgent
- analytical
- impassioned
- didactic
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- erosion of truth · democratic decay · media manipulation · the politics of fear · civic responsibility
- The writing
- Clear, structured, and persuasive, blending historical context with sharp, accessible political critique.
- The arc
- Moves from deep apprehension about the degradation of public discourse to a resolute, empowering call for civic renewal.
- Who it's for
- Politically engaged citizens and critical thinkers who worry about the intersection of media, truth, and democracy.
Content notes
- political anxiety
- discussions of war
- terrorism references
About the book
A: A visionary analysis of the degradation of our public sphere and its consequences for our democracyNobel Peace Prize winner, bestselling author, activist, and political icon, Al Gore has become one of the most respected and influential public intellectuals in America today. The Assault on Reason takes an unprecedented look at how faith in the power of reason—the idea that citizens can govern themselves through rational debate—is now under assault. The marketplace of ideas, once open to everyone through the printed word, has been corrupted by the politics of fear, secrecy, cronyism, and blind faith. By leading us to an understanding of what we can do to restore the rule of reason, Gore has written a farsighted and powerful manifesto for clear thinking.
Description from Open Library.
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