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A Nation of Victims : The Decay of the American Character

A Nation of Victims : The Decay of the American Character

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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Some solid arguments, but conclusions born of ideology.
Review: A few years back I would have considered this volume a right-wing screed. However, with experience and presumed "wisdom" I find that persons with opportunities far beyond those of probably 97 percent of the human race label themselves as victims. It's as if their whole identity revolves around that status. If not adequately victimized, I'm valueless.

Indeed, one of my favorite victims now is a woman in her 30s who is independently wealthy enough that she hasn't worked for probably six years. She is a proclaimed radical, with a nightlife rivaling that of a Hollywood "personality." I understand, however, that "she hates it." She's a victim of circumstance, and I should feel sorry for her predicament. Right.

So at this stage in my life, I agree with much of what the author says.

When I began the book, I was a little apprehensive. It seemed to be a document decrying what took place in the 1960s. Mind you, I'm less of an advocate of much of that than I was years ago. But too many of the books doing that decrying are from the religious right which uses whatever didn't work from that era as an excuse to return to a Utopian past which, I remind them, never existed. But the arguments the author used to comment on the 1960s I tend to agree with. We DID tend to disregard "traditional" morality in that era, saying that "ours" was a superior moral code. Indeed, I think "we" were overly moralistic, the mores consisting predominantly of rejection of the morality of our parents which we felt was groundless and insubstantial. And that led to another of the author's arguments that was fairly solid: Much of what "we" demanded in that era was the right to be impulsive, to "do our own thing," to use a cliche of the era. In other words, the author proclaims, it was a culture of YOUTH. Retrospectively, I tend to agree.

I thought I'd coined the phrase "the therapeutic state." But Sykes used it in the book which was published before I ever used the expression. The therapeutic "professions" have used essentially meaningless, multi-syllable expressions to give us things to whine about despite our relative advantage. Issues of race and sex have become comedy: well-to-do persons whining that they're entitled because of the assumed consequences of their race or sex. So a black woman with three Ph.D.s, doubtless obtained with the aid of "affirmative action" who gives speeches coast to coast on the evils of racism; women I know with notable "attributes" who flaunt them, until someone not of their stature shows them too much attention. Then these attributes become impediments simply used by us white patriarchs to our own ends. The stories go on and on.

I'm not a firm advocate of testimonials to make a point. Nor, in fact, is Sykes. So he does use some good arguments to make his point. He wittily describes that silly "Greening of America" which was popular a few decades ago. But he also acknowledges that many of the era didn't condone it, might have "strangled Reich," the author' "with his own bellbottoms," or something to that effect. In that sense, I thought many of Sykes' arguments were pretty well-balanced.

He blames much of the sentimentalism of the 1960s--which extends to today with persons claiming, for example, that the US is in pursuit of the alleged culprit of the September 11 hijacking "because of the color of his skin"--on Rousseau and the Romanticists. I confess a weakness for some of the music of the Romantic period, but the period's literature makes me shiver. So, while I'm hardly a scholar on the era, I am assuming the author's blame is well placed. The Romanticists, according to Sykes, degraded the middle class; they felt oh, so superior to middle class sentiments. In that sense, it became quite fashionable to be "altruistic." Eventually--and I can attest to this as until recently I worked in an organization that was a clear manifestation of the claim--what an organization accomplished was not important. What WAS meaningful was that the staff FEELS good about what it does.

In reasoning not unlike Sykes', I've concluded that much of today's "left" consists predominantly of white persons either talking with each other of how wonderful they are, of how victimized they are, or both.

The book did, however, have its weaknesses. Most of the sources I hadn't heard of before so they didn't LACK credibility. However one I can think of I have heard of, Dinesh D'Souza. He is an extreme ideologue who works for an ideological organization. He should not be a reference for this or any other book, unless the other wants to (1) assume the reader is not familiar with D'Souza or (2) is part of D'Souza's "choir" to whom the author and D'Souza are preaching. I therefore was challenged at a point or two of the text.

What's more, the final conclusions of the text did not follow from the text. And that's my major beef with the book. He led, for example, into how we should endorse voucher programs. Well, I have mixed feelings on them: They MAY actually give opportunities to some people who are poor and wouldn't otherwise have those opportunities. BUT, they also give enormous tax breaks to the likes of George W. AND Al Gore--if you remember that election--who came from extremely wealthy backgrounds.

My point is, there are two sides to that and other conclusions the author came to, and they didn't necessarily follow from what preceded them in the book.

If you ignore the last chapter, though, the author made some observations that I think many formerly of the "left" will blush when recognizing.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Pointless Scolding
Review: He accuses us of being a nation of whiners. This book proves conclusively that HE is a whiner, but he does not represent the entire nation. It is just another in a long line of pointless books scolding me and you for nothing in particular. If he were honest he would offer some constructive suggestions. He offers no suggestions for how we can overcome the sins he accuses us of -- unless you consider "stop whining" to be a helpful suggestion.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Whining Revolution
Review: In an era where politically correct shibboleth dogmatically trumps common sense, Charles Sykes volume is a breadth of fresh air. His well-known but rarely spoken thesis is that a shrill cry of victimization has obliterated personal responsibility and this degrading mantra has developed into a fast growing and far-reaching industry.

Unlike other books that limit their scope, Sykes issues a broadside against the entire victimization cult. Harebrained lawsuits, expansive therapeutic whims, diversity nonsense, and sensitivity fads are all targets of his animadversion, and he repeatedly hits bull's eyes.

Of the diversity divisiveness, Sykes shows how a silly trend has grown into a suffocating mania. He points out how the craze has stripped Americans of their uniqueness and put them into classifications pitted against each other. Each division must fight to prove how it has been hurt worse than the others have. Women wounded by sexism: blacks blocked by racism: homosexuals hampered by homophophia. And of course a gay black woman would have three strikes in her favor-four if she can claim some real or imagined handicap! While many corporations are actively engaged in the separatist dross, diversity rituals have reached epidemic levels on college campuses. Sykes sites The University of Arizona where "individual style" constitutes minority status and all the special accommodations it affords. The school assures this measure is necessary to prevent discrimination against "nerds and people who dress differently."

Many of his examples would be hilarious were it not for the tragedy of their reality. As an avatar of this absurdity, the author describes a woman in Miami whose "illness"--bigotry made it impossible for her to work with black people. Worker's Compensation paid her $ 40,000 to compensate her disability. Let's hope that the Ku Klux Klan is not using this mockery as impetus to plan a class action lawsuit comparable to the smokers' frivolity against tobacco companies.

One of the saddest reminders of reality is the book's reference to a suggestion made in 1944 "that traditional American values were the greatest foes of racism because they emphasized equality and liberty---values inherently in contradiction to policies of segregation and exclusion." Wouldn't it be wonderful to hear someone bravely articulate such truthfulness today? Unfortunately the mere implication of such veracity would earn the speaker widespread scorn.

Sykes cleverly uses a great deal of humor in presenting this fabricated crisis. At times, it is essential to laugh at such institutionalized foolishness, but as the book thoroughly substantiates the damage of a rampant victimization mindset is massive. Unless an attitude of self-control and personal responsibility comes back in style, America will become a "true victim" of an arguably well-intentioned but deadly dissent into political correctness

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Typical right-wing rant fit for radio
Review: Much like his Milwaukee, Wisconsin based right-wing radio talk show, Sykes' "A Nation of Victims" leaves much to be desired in the way of reasonable and accurate political and social commentary. Being the political Neanderthal he is, Sykes has rarely if ever written or uttered a kind word regarding environmental regulations, strengthening the rights of working people and labor unions, consumer protections, taxing the super wealthy their fair share, raising the minimum wage to a family supporting living wage, reducing the bloated Defense budget, reigning in runaway corporate power, equitably funding public education and reducing class sizes, government run public services, halting U.S. overseas imperialist ventures, and a woman's right to choose a safe and legal abortion. This book is essentially more of the Republican Party snake oil in a quasi-academic guise in order to cloak it with an air of respectability.

Sykes and his ilk work tirelessly to narrow the spectrum of political debate even further to a debate between their right-wing (the term "conservative" is too inaccurate to describe them, although they misidentify themselves with it all the time, a true Edmund Burke philosophical conservative would be rolling over in his grave) brethren and the centrist sellout DLC type Democrats. Sykes' book carries on about "victimization" which isn't too far off the mark given that listeners are certainly victimized when they call into his radio show to point out the errors of his reactionary thinking only to be screamed at and hung-up on in a jackbooted style. Of course he usually than liberal baits and race baits anyone opposed to his positions.

Sykes bemoans the so called power wielded by liberals while "A Nation of Victims" has a huge pre-packaged audience ready to drop their hard earned cash for it. If Sykes and his dittoheads ever get everything they desire by way of public policy one shudders to think what the U.S. will look like. Although it's not too difficult to imagine: like any third world nation, what one will find will be an America reduced to the way it was in the nineteenth century, consisting of a tiny rich elite, small middle class and huge impoverished mass. "A Nation of Victims" and its fans work to make this a reality. Not that they sadistically want to see these social characteristics, they're simply the off shoot effects of the public policies they advocate.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: The Victim Reigns Supreme
Review: Sykes does a great job of describing the ever growing/replicating pathology of victimhood in this book. Having been on the front lines of Political Correctness (as an art critic for Art Paper and other magazines) I can personally attest to the accuracy/veracity and utter relevance of Sykes's descriptions. I once attended a so called performance at Intermedia Arts in Minneapolis called Six Heads. A very bad actress in a wheelchair with a stack of fake dynamite started ramming the audience who were forced to sit on the floor in this cramped space. As she rammed, she tried to blame/shame ancient Greek civilization for not being handicapped accessible. Need I say more? Yes! Victims of the world: GET A SPINE!

Jaye Beldo:Netnous@Aol.Com

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Elementary my dear Watson
Review: The author exhibits elementary lapses in logic.

1) On the one hand he contends that Americans feel like victims, and aren't victims. On the other, he contends that this attitude victimizes Americans.

2) He does not explain why America, which he obviously believes to be the greatest country on earth, is uniquely prone to victim mentality. Why not Bolivia or India?

This book is a typical example of conservatives badmouthing America while pretending to be great patriots.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Elementary my dear Watson
Review: This book is a desperately needed critique of the victim mentality so prevalent in the USA. At one time you could convict someone just by proving they committed the crime, but that's no longer the case. So many people now say "Yes, I did it, but I'm not responsible".

Yes, the U.S. Constitution includes the Bill of Rights, the first 10 amendments to the Constitution. But the men at the constitutional convention should have balanced the Bill of Rights with a Bill of Responsibilities. Only a fool would bestow rights upon citizens without requiring them to accept responsibility for their actions.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: "A Nation of Victims" Tells It Like It Is
Review: This book pulled no punches in its commentary on the sorry state of modern American society. I am sick and tired of being beaten over the head with "diversity" and being made to feel like I've somehow personally wronged every minority in the world. Sykes' book was humorous at times, but also took a serious look at so-called "victims."

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good Book, but not penetrating enough to hit the genuine pro
Review: While this book is provocative it does not dive deep enough into the main issues at hand. The book does show that many people do tribalize around their victimhood. In other words they have status because they are a victim of some supposed ill of society. (I'm black, I'm a women, I have gray hair, Or perhaps the most ironic I'm a American Caucasian living in southern California)

Mr. Sykes shows elegantly that the "not my fault" syndrome has become the law of the land. However the book fails in showing that this syndrome seems to be an effective gathering agent of the socialist class. In order to have a more egalitarian society the socialist must employ the tactics that the author puts forward. It is the great equalizer in the left's battle against freedom. For in reality, at least for the socialist, we are all victimized by our capitalistic system. Therefore the only way the underperforming of society can get ahead is by invoking the government to help them. IE become a victim.

This book is groundbreaking in the fact that it challenges many notions that go against the politically correct view. However it does not go far enough in connecting the dots. I do recommend it though it is a easy read that shows eloquently some common sense on the issues of victimization.


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