Official Review: With A Whimper by Fergus OConnor

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Nzube Chizoba Okeke
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Official Review: With A Whimper by Fergus OConnor

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[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "With A Whimper" by Fergus OConnor.]
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3 out of 4 stars
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With a Whimper: A Commentary on Cultural Decline by Fergus O Connor is a creative, non-fiction book on social change dynamics in the West. There seems to be a deracination of western values by the "New Age Revolution" rooted in ancient philosophies. Is this the end of civilization as we know it? Follow Fergus O Connor as he explores the ever-changing world, and be warned, "optimism is cowardice."

The West is on the decline, pushed to the abyss' edge by postmodernist thoughts of the 21st century. The 'woke' culture and 'cancel' culture are being used as tools to impose personal sentiments on the world. The problem is not with the ideas per se but in the foundation of these ideologies. They are rooted in emotions, lacking substance, and fragile. For example, the left preaches the gospel of diversity but is blind to its cost. Multiculturalism does have its merits, but what happens when the foreign culture refuses to assimilate, but through demographic transformation, attempts to swallow its benefactor? The future is not bleak, but optimism is cowardice.

Let me start by saying that this book is not for the faint-hearted. If you're looking for a book to add some spice to your evening, you may be disappointed. The things the author shares in this book are deep and require critical thinking to follow. The analysis of the political climate in the West is apt and quite insightful. However, a good command of English, philosophy, and political theories is needed for a deeper understanding. It is a slow read for the novice and uninitiated, but with persistence and a little bit of research, they might find it interesting. But for the academic in the arts or social sciences, this is a good read. The availability of a table of content and index section that explains concepts and the author's view is also helpful. At the beginning of each chapter, there are one or two quotes to give an idea of what to expect from the chapter.

The editing of this book was okay, but there could be some improvements. Although the usage of English was impressive, the punctuations made the book a little tiring to read. However, I didn't penalize the book for it, as the rules involving commas could be tricky.

I had some issues with this book. The author included clickable in-text reference numbers. These links were supposed to take me to the corresponding source at the end of the book. However, they only led me back to the title page. For readers who would like to verify the source of a statement, it would be a herculean task as it was for me. I would have preferred they were omitted, as the addition caused me distractions.

Though this book was technical, I expected the author to find a way to use simple and straightforward writing to convey his message. Even people interested in this book's theme would have a difficult time reading it. The writing was way too ambiguous. Considering everything, I could only give this book a 3 out of 4.

If you are a fan of political thoughts and analysis, or perhaps a fan of Jordan Peterson, this book is for you.

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With A Whimper
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Michael Jerry_
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Post by Michael Jerry_ »

What attracted me to this book was the cover art, it’s quality stuff. The title of the book is also very unrevealing and without reading the review one can’t tell what they are getting into by picking this book up which I like however according to the reviewer this book isn’t an easy read and I commend the reviewer for the honesty and I recommend this book to critical thinkers.
Joy Phill
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Post by Joy Phill »

Wow, a deep book indeed. I'll pass on this one though. Thanks for an informative review.
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nikechi
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Post by nikechi »

THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I've really just been ranting with my friends about society and the world in general. As teenagers, we're sort of questioning the world and the events that take place in it. Now I've stumbled upon a book that does all the ranting. I hope to be educated by this book as I've already assumed it a masterpiece. Deep topics are my domain so I am sure I would enjoy this book.
Thank you for such an awesome review :tiphat:
Let peace reign in the chaos :reading-4:
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