The Authoritarian Moment: How the Left Weaponized America's Institutions Against Dissent

“Authoritarians rarely recognize their own authoritarianism. To them, authoritarianism looks like simple virtue.” So Ben Shapiro explains up front in his most recent book. It is a book dedicated to exposing the insanity on the illiberal left (which is perhaps the most efficient way to describe the cohort of people on this side of the cultural divide; better than, say, “progressive” left, which may denote mere political or policy preferences). It is a book whose time has come. Indeed, reviewing this book a year after its publication, exposing the authoritarianism on “the left” is a project that is obviously necessary, and is one that has been undertaken by some of the most important intellectuals and academics and pundits in the country, by way of book, podcast, column, television, and debate. This insidious “authoritarian moment” is now mainstream, and its reasonable opposition is mainstream too.However, the most reasonable opposition of this movement comes from erstwhile classical liberals, those who may sympathize with the illiberal authoritarians on other progressive policies or principles. Shapiro, on the other hand, is a conservative, and attacks the left from the right. And in so doing exposes some of his own weaknesses (if not the general weaknesses of the conservative position). For example, while almost every example he gives of the problems on the illiberal left is accurate, he falls into selective amnesia with comparable problems on the right. Now, it is certainly possible to dedicate an entire effort to one serious set of issues, while setting aside another serious set of issues. But it is not that Shapiro recognizes and merely sets aside the problems from the authoritarian right. He begins the book by offering a facile comparison, arguing that the real and enduring threat comes from the left. He downplays entirely the real threat from Trumpism, the fringe right, the borderline psychotic conspiratorialism, and the very real threat of treason - the destruction of democracy – coming from this side of the cultural divide. There is one big problem with this. Most people don’t live in this binary bubble, and most of us can hold two positions, two understandings simultaneously. The problem is not that Shapiro focuses on one serious problem – the illiberal left. It is that he tries to dismiss the problems from the illiberal right at the same time. He is mostly successful in the first project. But, because he is unsuccessful in the second project, it diminishes the punch to some of his valid arguments.Shapiro weakly offers a concession to rational people that the events on January 6th were off-putting, and undertaken by “clowns.” But that is about all he offers. That is not good enough. Shapiro himself is not an authoritarian, but for all his laser insight into the nature of the problem, he cannot recognize it fully from the right. While the sack of the capitol in an attempted coup may not look like “simple virtue,” as it does from the left, it is remarkably illiberal and authoritarian, a fact to which Shapiro is plainly blind. Cognitive and ideological compartmentalization is a feature, not a bug, of Ben Shapiro’s thinking.Yet, again, much of his criticism of the illiberal left is undoubtedly true. And there is evidence galore to substantiate his position. He presents some of the history of the “movement,” mentioning the rise of critical theory in the universities, the problems with postmodernism, etc. He brings us to the present, and then sifts through every major area of life where this insidious authoritarian problem has arisen: the creation of a ruling class of elites, the universities, in science, the workplace, entertainment, established media and news, and then online and through social media and Big Tech. His explanation of how we sort of secretly got to such a scary place of silent submission is creepily convincing. “The only safety from the mob is to become part of the mob.” Intriguingly, Shapiro notes that although most of us do not feel this way or agree with the “woke” mob, the “silent majority” still feels pressured into silence or perhaps even affecting common cause to fit in or avoid excommunication. Fear of contracting pariah status, of becoming persona non grata or worse, has kowtowed many people into sins of omission – and sometimes, perhaps reasonably, commission. As he rightly notes, “Free speech and free exchange of ideas die when the attitude of philosophical tolerance withers. Government authoritarianism isn’t the only way to kill American freedom. Cultural authoritarianism works, too. It has always worked.” There are ways to push back and there is some reason to feel promise. As he also rightly points out: “If authoritarians had broad and deep support, they wouldn’t require compulsion.” So, part of his efforts is dedicated to desensitizing us to mob scare tactics.Largely, the case is made with aplomb. Authoritarianism from the left is now a clear and present danger. He makes the point about how the essential idea of “intent” has been denuded of any meaning by the illiberal left, rendering us unable to navigate a wasteland of mere subjective perception. (“Microaggressions require no intent. […] They do not even require actual evidence of harm. Subjective perception of offense is quite enough.”)The hypocrisy of the woke mob is also on stark display. “The hard Left demands that religious bakers violate their religious scruples and bake cakes for same-sex weddings…and then turn around and cheer when credit card companies decide not to provide services for certain types of customers.” Examples abound of complicit or cowardly companies or organizations dismissing, casting backward aspersions, or terminating relationships with those who do not gleefully preach the woke word. It is all too common now. Shapiro reminds us of story after story of this sort of occurrence, from media to entertainment to the workplace.He weakens his position somewhat, however, by offering cheap or ineffectual points from time to time. As I stated earlier, Shapiro’s propensity to do this makes it difficult to offer a full-force, meaningful stand against leftist illiberalism. One ridiculous example of this is his cheap attack on Jill Biden for preferring to use her doctorate in her title. He finds this tasteless. “It has to do with the fact that only actual doctors – you know, people you’d call if your kid had an ear infection – should be called doctor.” He goes on about this painfully for a paragraph. Only later to unironically refer to an old university president as “Dr.” Why belabor such a cheap point? These soft targets do not do anything to bolster his position. He does it again with an unfair jab at Franklin Roosevelt. He quotes Roosevelt during the creation of the New Deal programs and the national debate over government intervention. “I believe in individualism in all of these things – up the point where the individualist starts to operate at the expense of society.” A perfectly reasonable sentiment, especially with the retrospective of the late 20th and 21st centuries in view. But then Shapiro takes a dig: “Which, of course, meant that he didn’t actually believe in individualism.” An absurd take, naturally with no counterargument in tow. He does this far too much in the book, taking little potshots with no arguments or explanations, these digs supposedly standing on their own, one assumes. This is unhelpful when attempting to establish a solid position against the illiberal left. He would be advised not to cast his net so wide as to immobilize the reasonable positions on the left. Shapiro, however, is not a very advisable personality, which explains much of his popularity. It is an irony that many of the supporters of his position in this book are happy to miss.Nevertheless, toward the end he does offer some crucial insights into the authoritarian problem, how to think about them clearly, and what we might do to counter this deep cultural scourge. “Second, we must firmly reject the notion that speech is violence. Dissent isn’t violence; disagreement isn’t harm. […] They understand that if they wish to be treated as adults, they ought to subject their views to the scrutiny of others.” Arguably against his own disposition and public persona, he offers this insightful truth: “That doesn’t mean we should be deliberately rude. It does, mean, however, that we shouldn’t allow others’ subjective interpretations of our viewpoints to rule our minds. We cannot grant others emotional veto over our perspectives.”Most essential of all, he encourages the “silent majority” – a majority of people that he knows share many other disagreements, outside of this tenuous alliance – to be silent no more. To speak out, not to be kowtowed, not to genuflect to an invisible emperor, this is what is required of us. If we can do this, we can weaken the powerful hold authoritarianism has over our society. And, in another unintentional irony, diminishing this woke authoritarianism will in turn diminish the reactionary, conspiratorial right, which is engaged in its own dangerously acute authoritarian moment. We have to recognize “the diversity of our politics but cherish our common belief in the power of liberty.” Shapiro and classical liberals may have a different historical perspective on what that means in its totality, but can agree that there is no real liberty in our current authoritarian moment.Simple virtue indeed.

Review by Richard Bayer, PhDBen Shapiro is driven to write for the sake of America, and for the future of his children (to whom the book is dedicated) in a country on the brink of the loss of the freedoms promised to us by our founding fathers and mothers. (226) The passion of the author is quite evident in the book, making it a captivating read. The book is exhaustively researched.According to S. the danger in our time is not from an authoritarian right. Those who broke into the capital January 6 imagining they were helping President Trump, wearing bull horns, are little danger. The concern today is the authoritarian left which has captured and weaponized most of our major institutions: elementary education (Critical Race Theory or CRT), academia, politics, the legal system, the media, and so forth. Penalties from the authoritarian left include social ostracizing, career suicide, to name just two.Popular submission to this “new normal” has come relatively swift. S. points out insightfully that “It took just a few weeks from the splitting of the Red Sea for the Jews to embrace the Golden Calf.” (4). S. also points out that human nature has an authoritarian instinct. The Jews dissatisfaction with Judges and preference for the authority of a King is case in point.I would have liked to see S. discuss more of the positive methods of resistance to the new normal. Public schools have students with parents who can influence the process. Local schools also have “Boards of Education” for which anyone in the district can run. The media is truly a plural term these days. Alternative views can be aired and acted upon. News outlets such as CNN, Fox, Msnbc, ABC, etc. bring quite different perspectives and worthy interpretations. So, it seems to me that the system has checks and balances which can be put into action.“The authoritarian moment relies on the acquiescence of a silent majority. We must no longer be silent.” (227) Then a new birth of freedom can begin. S. ends on a hopeful note.The book is a must read for anyone in the field of social ethics. It may well be his fourth New York Times bestseller.RICHARD C. BAYER, PhD.Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, CA (degree granting institution)

Great book, very easy to follow and explains in great detail. Ben is the best. Highly recommend.

A great exposition on the topsy turvy world we are living in due to the dominance of crazy leftism. A bit short on 'what to do'.

Ben Shapiro can always be relied on for the truth, and this book is no different. Just read it.

This book ought to be forbidden. It talks too much sense. We need to protect the Utopia!Imagine the irony... Ben Shapiro does an amazing job at communicating his points with facts and well-thought-out arguments. Better read it before it gets banned.

Ben has a way of presenting his views with a clarity that allows everything we’ve seen and heard lately come together in a picture that confirms what is happening not just in America but in many democratic nations around the world. The epidemic has brought it to the forefront. If we stand for freedom and stand with each other we will survive this.

For everyone who is tired of the centralisation of power in the federal government and the woke cancel culture. A must read. Ben does it again.