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Individual Blog Post From Marina Fontaine
A Russian-American with a passion for liberty and storytelling. Author of Chasing Freedom, a dystopian tale of geeks and outcasts fighting an oppressive regime in near-future America.
Saturday, September 5th 2015
Posted Sat Sep 5 2015 22:09
2 of 2 liked this
A clear, concise and useful summary of today's SJW (Social Justice Warriors) movement, including their influence on the culture, infiltration of major institutions and, more importantly, the threat they present to regular unsuspecting people in everyday life. Whether you are an up-and-coming author or a corporate cubicle dweller, a scientist with a list of impressive achievements under your belt or a college student--chances are, sooner or later you will encounter these members of the new authoritarian movement who want nothing less than total control over your speech, your behavior, your very thoughts. If this book were nothing else but a guide for how to survive one of the SJW attacks, it would deserve undying gratitude of every free thinking person in the country. It is, however, more than that.
After reciting the "3 laws of SJWs," the book, somewhat oddly, spends time demonstrating them in action through a detailed discussion of the dispute between Day and his perpetual foe John Scalzi (an SJW) over the popularity of Scalzi's website. It is a puzzling choice at first glance; however, it plants the pertinent question in the reader's mind. If Mr. Scalzi is willing to lie and obfuscate about something as trivial and easily verified as website page views, what are the chances he would be truthful on things more substantial? Thus, in proper storytelling fashion, the hook is set, and the reader wants to know more.
Most of the rest of the book is, once again, full of effective storytelling techniques applied to non-fiction. The chapters alternate between disturbing demonstrations of SJW methods and tactics used against people who should have been fairly indestructible (thus bringing the reader close to despair) and showing proven, reliable ways that could be used to actually defeat such attacks (giving the reader hope and the reason to read on). I have not read Vox Day's fiction except for a few short stories, but the very structure of this book makes me curious to check out his longer fiction work. Aside from his... interesting...personality, the man knows how to write.
Substance-wise, the book is packed with information, from full history of GamerGate, to the Hugo Awards situation, to very understandable and valuable explanation of 4th Generation Warfare and how it applies to non-military struggles, to crash course in dialectic vs rhetorical debate techniques. If you have never cracked open a sci-fi book or pressed an ON button of a game system controller, you will still understand the basics of every issue discussed in the book.
There are a few special treats for the readers as well, not the least of which is a Foreword by the always fabulous Milo Yiannopoulos a.ka. Nero, a fearless European journalist whom you should just discover for yourself. Also, if you're reading on Kindle, do yourself a favor and keep moving to the next page even after the software tells you the book is "complete" because there are some Appendices you will likely enjoy (or at least find educational).
Is it a flawless book? Probably not. There are a couple of typos that the detractors will doubtless harp on, and one or two spots where the pacing sags a bit (most notably in the first two chapters). However, I have no problem giving it 5 stars and my ringing endorsement. Nowadays, loosely defined "pro-freedom" movement is overrun by pessimism and dire warnings, and it it inspiring indeed to see, for once, a book that offers a path towards the light, however difficult and uncertain it might be.
Highly recommended.
After reciting the "3 laws of SJWs," the book, somewhat oddly, spends time demonstrating them in action through a detailed discussion of the dispute between Day and his perpetual foe John Scalzi (an SJW) over the popularity of Scalzi's website. It is a puzzling choice at first glance; however, it plants the pertinent question in the reader's mind. If Mr. Scalzi is willing to lie and obfuscate about something as trivial and easily verified as website page views, what are the chances he would be truthful on things more substantial? Thus, in proper storytelling fashion, the hook is set, and the reader wants to know more.
Most of the rest of the book is, once again, full of effective storytelling techniques applied to non-fiction. The chapters alternate between disturbing demonstrations of SJW methods and tactics used against people who should have been fairly indestructible (thus bringing the reader close to despair) and showing proven, reliable ways that could be used to actually defeat such attacks (giving the reader hope and the reason to read on). I have not read Vox Day's fiction except for a few short stories, but the very structure of this book makes me curious to check out his longer fiction work. Aside from his... interesting...personality, the man knows how to write.
Substance-wise, the book is packed with information, from full history of GamerGate, to the Hugo Awards situation, to very understandable and valuable explanation of 4th Generation Warfare and how it applies to non-military struggles, to crash course in dialectic vs rhetorical debate techniques. If you have never cracked open a sci-fi book or pressed an ON button of a game system controller, you will still understand the basics of every issue discussed in the book.
There are a few special treats for the readers as well, not the least of which is a Foreword by the always fabulous Milo Yiannopoulos a.ka. Nero, a fearless European journalist whom you should just discover for yourself. Also, if you're reading on Kindle, do yourself a favor and keep moving to the next page even after the software tells you the book is "complete" because there are some Appendices you will likely enjoy (or at least find educational).
Is it a flawless book? Probably not. There are a couple of typos that the detractors will doubtless harp on, and one or two spots where the pacing sags a bit (most notably in the first two chapters). However, I have no problem giving it 5 stars and my ringing endorsement. Nowadays, loosely defined "pro-freedom" movement is overrun by pessimism and dire warnings, and it it inspiring indeed to see, for once, a book that offers a path towards the light, however difficult and uncertain it might be.
Highly recommended.