An innovative, deeply researched portrayal of power in society, this "comes along once in a lifetime from out of the blue" 1st book by a poet and patriot requests we do better as an American people. His is an argument we need to hear. A bit tough love with a dose of encouragement, he seeks to shake us out of an unconscious confusing cultural spell causing hatred and tribalism. It's eating away at our sense of what it means to be "American". Jeff's gentle intellectual "kick in the ribs" of our failing body politic tells us to get up and rise to a higher standard of being.
Jeff takes readers thru three deliberate sections: Power, Doomerism, and Remedy. A three in one combination of scholarship in history, cultural geography, and sociology draws out a unifying values' set theory that explains how we got into such a mess, and what we must do. It's a lyrically written cadence of a compelling calling to every citizen. We should be open to it to rid society of doomerism and resume our voyage to become an exemplar republic, a representative democracy with liberty and justice for all. If not, we all fall down. Villainous doomerism brings forth future gloom to posterity.
To remedy this, Jeff provides sociological theory with several analytical tools. Using these to negotiate our differences, to understand one another, and society, we can bond to avoid despair. Like a good neighbor, he helps us come to the table for necessary crucial conversations. We need this for our country's solvency, for liberty. In inspiring motivational speech, he asks us to look past our egos, be brave, and transfer authority to 25 to 40 year old's who have integrity, are civically minded, and team players. It takes a commitment to the survival of our republic, democracy, and liberty to do this. This age group is the same as the founders and of geniuses' greatest discoveries. We face an emerging dystopian digital age. Our children's and grandchildren's livelihoods depend upon us making this adjustment. We need capable creative minds to find solutions to societal and species' survival problems. (Sorry boomers but the time has come to retire. You did your best. You followed your path. But we are now off course. We don't want to crash & burn. Please let go of the levers of power. We need you to do this. Don't worry, you will be fine. Help us rebuild social capital in civil society, volunteer!)
Reflecting on 1776, compared to the last 40 years, Jeff offers a unique perspective on how culture, power, and the dynamics of American society are not driving us toward a more perfect union. He invites us all to recall our Pledge of Allegiance. Ask: "What happened with me? Have I given up? Have I quit on the American ideals?" Doomerism is an engagingly intriguing read to:
- Reflect inwardly
- Detect forgotten wisdom's truths
- Engage in rediscovering a belief in our Constitution. It aims to arouse us to pursue the Preamble's goals and objectives as our purpose as a People.
We must come together in unity against concentrators of power to face the uncertain future of algorithmic automating technologies that are going to make decision for us through computerized computations and communications.
In Doomerism, Jeff is candid about the moral and demographic challenges we confront. He is forthright about how we all are responsible for our predicament and how we must reaffirm and live up to the American ideals and virtues. These are our common ground. We can unify as Americans. If we are to survive the damage done, we must understand power, risks to a republic, democracy as culture, and liberty.
