I usually post reviews about books that I enjoyed or would think that other readers might enjoy and find worthwhile. This is not such a book I would pass on as a recommendation. But it is helpful to understand how the other side thinks or doesn’t think.
I approached David Mamet’s The Disenlightenment: Politics, Horror, and Entertainment with some suspicion, given its endorsements by Mark Levin, Megyn Kelly, and Ben Shapiro. Still, I try to remain open to viewpoints different from my own.
That said, my initial doubts proved correct. Mamet portrays the “American Left since the Obama years as an existential threat to constitutional democracy—accusing it of seizing power, corrupting the media and universities, erasing borders, and waging an ongoing coup through “unwarranted prosecutions” of Donald Trump.” For Mamet, Trump is not just a political leader but a heroic defender of the Constitution whose heirs will, he hopes, preserve the American Experiment.
This framing is far removed from my own understanding of politics, history, and current events. At times, Mamet’s rhetoric veers into caricature: President Biden is described as “an obviously senile crook,” and Vice President Harris as an “incoherent nullity.” Meanwhile, Trump—whom Mamet celebrates as a constitutional protector—is spared any similar scrutiny, though many would argue he is equally vulnerable to charges of diminished capacity.
To be fair, the book has a few redeeming qualities. It is short, the chapters are brisk, and Mamet’s word choice may stretch your vocabulary. But after reading several chapters, I found little in the way of fresh ideas or convincing analysis.
In the end, The Disenlightenment felt more like a polemic than a serious examination of politics, horror, or entertainment.
Esot-eric 