Hard America, Soft America: Competition vs. Coddling and the Battle for the Nation's Future [Hardcover]

TEMPTATION to ostentatious,meretricious Materialism has mutated a should-be upper middle class(with affectation to education)into a bottemless/valueless maw of appetites targeted by New Age breed of Ad-men/Shamen: "You are what You eat; he who dies with the most Toys Wins"...has been Yuppster Law for 3 decades(as in decadence). Bro-ism...mutation of radical and necessary Civil Rights Movement of late 50's and early 60's...is a degraded relic specializing in whining,"high-siding" and Victimology. The "race card" is played not only against the Anglo-Culture/oppressor, but against should-be icons within The Community(labled arch-traitors:the Powell's;Cosby's;Thomas's;)by "crabs in the bucket"...who resent not merely escape from, but shedding THE SHELL. Consequences of Bro-ism have been most destructively exploited by(to use Barone's term)elitist CAREGIVERS who patronized THE PEOPLE into utterly dependent clients.This is most evident in The Public School System where standards have been reduced to near non-existence. [ACHIEVE INC.has assessed (examining six key states constituting 1/4 of USA student body)the newest battery of "exit" exams...minimal requirement for graduation...as comprising NO MORE than basic 8th grade material.] BRO-ism has also created industries of victimology in Feminism or any "minority" ready to sell-itself by perfecting THE BLAME GAME and B....Pitching.

Radical SECULARism is,perhaps, most striking and deadly of the SOFT-isms DECONSTRUCTING American society's architecture of the SPIRIT. Nothing(except SMOKING)is wrong or sinful; merely "inappropriate". Hence: 85% of American students...from grades 3 to Grad school cheat. There is an abortion every 23 seconds. (46,000,000 since Roe. v Wade. This is equivalent to the Population of the United States at the time of the Civil War). MARRIAGE(prime, sacred institution for 4000 years of Western Tradition)has been profaned into a province of desperate political cultism...

HARD AMERICA-SOFT AMERICA is effectively a piece of "soft" criticism. It cossets...barely skirting PC...readers it should challenge or affront,yet provides little comfort to readers (like myself) who agree with Barone. THE BEST LACK ALL CONVICTION WHILE THE WORST ARE FILLED WITH PASSIONATE INTENSITY.(Yeats,"The Second Coming"). Michael Moore might be a clown, but he knows how to stir(by stealing from a literary master)his claque into hysteria if not action. Barone could have done much better.(Three soft-stars for effort.)

I enjoyed it very much but could see where it might not be well received by some.

The premise is this.

The author describes our "Hard America" as the core of competition and accountability. He argues though that "Soft America" is protected and coddled through government regulation and such.

He argues that Soft America is parasitic on Hard America. The productivity, efficiency and "grin and bear it" of Hard America feeds the weak and unproductive Soft America. We can only afford a Soft America if we encourage a Hard America. Then he seems to say that a highly disciplined military is an example of a Hard America that protects and preserves Soft America.

I repeat I really enjoyed this book even though I guess I see the world somewhat differently to the extent that I do not see competing juxtapositions. I see a remarkable blend in my America. To me fellow Americans who are gifted with talents, intelligence and socioeconomic benefits of health and privilege willingly extend themselves with benevolence to those less fortunate. Our country thrives on charitable foundations that create harbors for those willing but possibly incapable of managing a life of extraordinary productivity. I do (as the author seems to) believe in discipline but I also believe in empathy. I see the magnificence in balance of moderation. I also believe that noone should be disparaging of someone who can afford luxuries. The wonderful thing though is that most who can afford luxuries also share their wealth philanthropically.

Terrific thinking book.