The New Right: A Journey to the Fringe of American Politics

When I was younger, I had a picture presented to me of the hippies and other Democrats of the decades between WW2 and when I was born. There was little distinction made between people like LBJ, MLK, any of the Kennedys and the various unionized workers at factories around the country. The picture presented was a caricature of monotone Democrats, arrayed against a similarly two-dimensional portrait of Republicans. There was a cartoonish battle over the soul and direction of the country by these two groups. Time and experience has slowly taught me that the variance between people on either side was vastly greater than the cartoon allows. I grew up on the Republican side of the cartoon and it was decades before it really sunk in to me that not everyone on my own side agreed with me, much less that I may have more in common with some of the people on the other side. I could not get far enough from 'my side' to have this truth revealed to me. I certainly had no historical perspective to tell me where all of the strains of thought had come from. Michael Malice's "The New Right; A Journey to the Fringe of American Politics," is a primer on the intellectual traditions in the postwar era that have led to this major splintering of the rightmost side of American politics. From Lysander Spooner in the 19th century, to Patrick Buchanan and Murray Rothbard in the 1990s, all the way to Jared Taylor, Mencius Moldbug, Ann Coulter and Donald Trump at the present - Malice tackles the ideas that evolved into the New Right. But as importantly, he gets into the details of various aspects of New Right culture, including memes, trolling and the general anti-Progressive attitude of the movement. His research consisted, at least in part, of being alive and aware at the time this movement was forming. As a writer, he was moving in the right circles to meet and be a part of social groups that included a few of the figures. However, many others were sought out for interviews that were not granted to many more mainstream journalists. It is not correct to claim that he was an uninterested, dispassionate chronicler of the events; it would not be honest to claim that for any journalist. But he makes clear throughout the book that his perspective is as Jewish immigrant, born in the Soviet Union who was not exactly welcome in all parts of the New right. He sets his task before the reader very clearly in the first chapter: "As such, I present this intellectual time capsule of the New Right as it burst into the popular consciousness. As the Virgil in this Inferno, I will be attempting to present logical, rational explanations for the New Right's foundational beliefs. They're not crazy. They're not suicidal. They're as American as apple pie." If you are willing to seriously consider why the New Right believes and acts as it does, then you will find this book helpful. If you wish to categorize the New Right as a monolithic Racist and Ignorant bunch of losers, there is no shortage of sources for confirmation bias available elsewhere. **** Malice is best known as the author of the excellent book about North Korea - "Dear Reader: The Unauthorized Autobiography of Kim Jong Il." in that book, he tells the history of North Korea (DPRK) alongside the lives of its despots, from Kim il Sung to Kim Jong il.

In a world of non-stop punditry, it's difficult to add something genuinely new to the discussion. What makes The New Right more than simply an enjoyable read on modern politics is the way Malice is able to artfully meld his own personal experiences and knowledge of the "political fringe" with a larger lens of what changes a society's culture. While much of the focus of the New Right is on a diverse group of individuals Malice believes have had the most significant influence on the movement - including Murray Rothbard, Pat Buchanan, Curtis Yarvin (Mencius Moldbug), Mike Cernovich, and Gavin McInnes - the book is perhaps most effective at defining the forces these figures opposed: namely the "Evangelical Left", the "conservative movement", and the alliance of press and university dubbed "the Cathedral" (a concept of Yarvin's) that serves the interest of both. The result is a book that serves as an enjoyable mix of history, cliff notes reader, and mainfesto for the New Right, all with the humor and style of one of Twitter's best self-proclaimed trolls. The book also benefits from the fact that while Malice is respectful and intimately familiar with the motivations of the New Right, he writes as an almost-dispassionate observer more than either a member or adversary. Though written with an almost Gonzo-style of first person narrative, Malice is able to maintain a level of objectivity even when discussing those who he is personal friends with. While it is clear that Malice shares sympathies with many of the critiques, and - as an anarchist - perhaps even some solutions of those that make up certain factions of the broader New Right, he largely maintains a personal distance from the ideas he describes and avoids outright endorsements. No matter one's political persuasion, there is likely something in this book that will add to your understanding of modern political culture. The audiobook, narrated by the author - complete with impressions of his interviewees - is also a recommended purchase.

Michael Malice effectively “red pills” mainstream popular culture to the most pernicious propaganda organ and political theology of the modern era: The Cathedral. To do this, Malice effectively contextualizes the concept through a variety of chapters with humorous, entertaining, or even morbidly intriguing anecdotes and interviews with thought leaders in the New Right (which does acknowledge the existence of the marginalized subset — and racist — Alt-Right). As Malice explains, the Alt-Right “took the whole bottle” of red pills, precipitating a form of madness in the process. But the New Right taking a single “red pill” of recognizing the invisible and pervasive propaganda of The Cathedral is where this book’s depth of research and insight really shines. Like Neo escaping The Matrix, “you have to see it for yourself” as each chapter’s capsule episode provides. The culmination at the conclusion of the book is reminiscent of Noam Chomsky’s Manufacturing Consent and the agenda-setting function of media. But analysis of The Cathedral goes one step further in identifying ivory tower Academia as the root progenitor of this political theology — a religion just as replete with “sin”, “damnation”, and “absolution” as Catholicism, but instead of judgment before the Lord Almighty, it’s judgment before the court of Public Opinion (i.e. propaganda) and what has come to be glibly termed “political correctness”. Academia originated with monks and monasteries, and truthfully little has changed — only instead of indoctrinating society to belief in Jesus Christ, it functions to instill belief in Utopianism like Mustapha Mond in Brave New World. Once you read this book, you will never see the world in the same way again. “Woah!”

Malice is the kingtroll of Twitter. His writing is both lucid and erudite. This book serves as an excellent primer for anyone not savvy to the multilayered right-wing phenomenon that had been brewing during Obama’s second term and bursted onto the scene when Trump gained momentum in early 2016. Those who follow his work will be familiar with much of this book’s content but become pleasantly surprised here and there. As he often says, “The Left/Right is not a monolith.” In this case, Malice explores the many flavors confined within the New Right umbrella to show it is not purely a gang of tiki-torch-wielding racists and freaks. His definition of the New Right: <i>A loosely connected group of individuals united by their opposition to progressivism, which they perceive to be a thinly veiled fundamentalist religion dedicated to egalitarian principles and intent on totalitarian world domination via globalist hegemony.</i> He includes interviews and memorable interactions with those loosely and tightly associated with the New Right. Malice affords them a platform to speak their truth and does not hold back on picking apart their arguments or world views. The following people (and their ideas, work, etc.) are mentioned in the book albeit some more than others, but not all are included under the New Right moniker: Thomas Sowell, Milton Friedman, Murray Rothbard, David Duke, Albert Camus, Donald Trump, Richard Spencer, Ayn Rand, Lysander Spooner, George Stigler, Superman, Ron Paul, Justin Raimondo, Hans-Hermann Hoppe, Mencius Moldbug, Jeb Bush, Judith Rich Harris, David Lynch, Alexander Hamilton, Pat Buchanan, Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, Mao, the hacker known as 4chan, his brother 8chan, Rosie O’Donnell, Ludwig von Mises, Andrew Napolitano, Richard Nixon, William F. Buckley, Vox Day, Jonathan Haidt, James Burnham, Arthur Herman, Andrew Breitbart, Ann Coulter, Gavin McInnes, Jim Goad, Shannon Sullivan, Cody Wilson, Thomas C. Leonard, Jim Acosta, Scott Adams, Ryan Holiday, James Alefantis, Radley Balko, Steve Bannon, Owen Benjamin, Milo Yiannopoulos, Ross Ulbricht, Jessica Valenti, Georges Sorel, Ben Shapiro, Joe Rogan, Mike Cernovich, Charlie Nash, H. L. Mencken, and many more. <u>Some favorite quotes:</u> <I> “To be unable to associate with those you disagree with (within limits), to think there is an absolute correlation between one’s politics and one’s character, is something I find reprehensible. “The personal is the political” is a totalitarian progressive decree that I reject entirely.” “For the evangelical left, every Facebook update can be a personal march on Selma.” “In that moment Gavin was my personal Picture of Dorian Gray, a reflection of my conscience but one that was far older, far uglier, and with a weak chin. Also far uglier—yes, it bears repeating. Far older. ‘Well,’ McInnes said, aging and uglifying right before my eyes, ‘she looks pretty busy.’” “Similarly, we will no longer ever have an America that sits down together to watch one of the three network anchors. For leftists, invoking ‘Fox News’ is enough to get them to dismiss something out of hand, as it is for right-wingers and CNN. Thanks to the emergence of social media, websites, newspapers, and all other aspects of the press are publicly held accountable by their respective ideological enemies in real time, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.”

I do not believe I have read a book in a shorter amount of time. The content was like the proverbial onion being peeled. I mean this as a sincere compliment. This is the book form of urbandictionary for the New Right info. When you see info out there and it involves Milo or Cantwell or Buchanan, for that matter, most people don't get the terminology or the "slang" of the 4chan information dissemination. This book is the resource of the current dumpster fire with history. I guess I am New Right adjacent but really I joined Team(not a team) Anarchy a while ago. For me, this book clarified the difference of the New Right and the Alt-Right and why an ethno state is the US is not workable. Nor would one want it. However, we can also let White guilt go and get one with interpersonal discussions devoid of tribalism and sterotypes. Michael has helped crystallize some important realizations about the future of the US. It will be multi-racial and multi-ethic and probably segregated by held beliefs. Michael and Dave Smith's though experiments on a broken Country seem likely. Or maybe we will go back to THESE United States instead of THE United States. Also, being a Troll or an Imp is allowed and encouraged and neither the clutching of pearls nor the fainting couch used by the "offended" offer any defense. I think this still is a coastal book in the sense that Malice(and Dave Smith, of instance) are NYC Joos(I mock with Love). I think some time in "flyover" Country would make for an additional book full of "Ah hah" moments. The book is great. New neurons are connecting. It is a truly approachable book with interesting insights.

This is one of the best books I have seen that really drives into the current political discourse.(without being a hit piece of course) He does an amazing job of breaking the entire history (from the beginning of the current movement) and current events and provides great detail without being overbearing and boring. For those that have not been paying attention to what has been going on, in reference to the shaping of the political landscape, this book hits the nail on the head. He does not hold out on any info. A lot of this I was already privy to but some of this was new info that helped to print an even better picture. I have Michael's other book (Dear Reader) but I have not read it yet. If that book is anything like this one, and I'm sure it is, i cant wait to read it. He has done an amazing job here. I would recommend this to those that have shown they really want to know what's truly going on. Not those that wanna repeat catchy phrases. I would have completed this book sooner but i didnt take it everywhere because I didnt want to mess it up haha.

Malice does a great job in The New Right, illuminating its plethora of divergent sub-cultures - united only in their opposition to progressivism and its cathedral - in hilarious but insightful ways. Malice also sometimes gives his own opinion on things, agreeing in some areas and disagreeing in others, with insights or witty lines explaining why. However unlike the corporate press, he both takes the new right seriously instead of lazily lumping them all together as "nazis," and doesn't pretend to be simply reporting facts in an unbiased manner while actually serving a specific agenda. When he gives his own opinions and thoughts, you know exactly what he's doing and it isn't hidden under the guise of bias-free objectivity, like the corporate press still tries to do, despite being caught at it over and over. Definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants a serious look at this topic. (Full disclosure: I know the author and have appeared as a guest on his podcast)

I got this book the morning of its publication and I am already on Chapter 3. Malice has been my recent intellectual man-crush and my high hopes for this book are being exceeded. He shows his vast knowledge of the groups, the history (and the dirt) of the old and new right wing. Fearlessly tackles taboo subjects (antisemitism, Hitler/Stalin, homosexuality, eugenics) fearlessly and with great insight. The book is (so far) is a great distillation of the manic but brilliant Michael you've seen on you tube--with not much of his occasional mean-spiritedness.. Edit. Finished the book in 2 days, much better informed than when I started. his breadth of knowledge about the new right (the people, the personalities, the behind the scenes dirt) is conveyed in bouncy breezy prose. Great book. Buy it. Read it.

Malice takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the various subcultures and fringe ideas seen on the New Right. From the very sensible anarcho-capitalists to race realists and the idea that there is a "gay virus", Malice explores the reasoning behind these ideas and, most importantly, exposes the holes in that reasoning where they exist. Some groups are treated favourably, others less so. For example, in the chapter on race realism, Malice doesn't take the progressive angle of "They're saying bad things about minorities, and thus they are wrong." Instead, the approach is one of "These are the claims made, this is the evidence they give, but here here and here are why that evidence is flimsy at best. He takes another approach in a chapter looking at anti-Semites, when as a Jewish person himself he could have simply said "They hate people like me and thus aren't listening to." Furthermore, this book exposes many of the tactics and motivations behind the attempted progressive takeover of daily life and digs into some of the various countermeasures that exist. I absolutely recommend this book.

Honestly not a boring second. I learnt so much through this book. Can't praise it enough. Finally someone is able to shed light on the hard right. What you find is not what you expect, most of the time

Disclaimer: Michael Malice is een anarchist, en behoort dus niet tot 1 van de bewegingen waarover hij schrijft. (Nou ja: je hoeft niet van slechte wil te zijn om in hem een anarcho-kapitalist te zien...) Maar het boek gaat dus over de uiteenlopende dissident rechtse bewegingen in het Amerikaanse politieke landschap en hun verenigde afkeer voor het progressieve geloof. De meerderheid van de mensen uit deze bewegingen schaarden zich achter Trump, maar heus niet allemaal. Het is een erg goed geschreven, vaak grappig en objectief journalistiek werk, dat politieke filosofie koppelt aan pop culture (gebruikt men die term eigenlijk nog?). Aanrader.

So, rather than the long one (obviously I don't get delivered a detailed reason like these words or this context or this specific rule of the rules we listed you below), here is a short one. Vul gar ity and ob scen ity not allowed here and that for a review of a book that talks about just that. Whatever counts as that. The style is unique and this is a plus point. But also it will not be liked by some, so I want to make aware of it. This is a minus point. (Seriously, it could be a 1 star book to some people. Get an excerpt or a glimpse into a physical copy if you can.) I had some further criticism about the fashion in which it was written and some specific criticism and counter-examples. That I have to leave out now. Sorry people who wanna know. Not allowed through. The amount of information is okayish. The book was too pricy for it imho. I add something else, which I forgot in the original review, I liked a book recommendation. It is about good white people (title, see here on am a zon). Cheers

I first saw Michael Malice on the Rubin Report in which he talked about his book on North Korea. As someone who knew nothing about the country, I went ahead and purchased it. I have no regrets. The country's ruing family and its workings are laid bare in a manner that is equally scary and farcical. The New Right is another gem by the writer. Read it to get a clear understanding of the Trump phenomenon, the Alt-Right, its origins and its various factions, the phenomenon of memes and trolling, and the author's case against democracy. Extensively sourced and well presented in an easy to read manner, the book is a must read for those who are confused by mainstream media coverage of the Alt Right.