Don't burn this book Thinking for yourself in an age of unreason

"It's Time to Come Out" The original title of this book was Why I Left the Left . For many months, the master plan was to give a definitive account of my political evolution. But, as soon as I cashed the publisher's advance check, I decided that wasn't the book I wanted to write. You don't need me to go on for 250 pages about how the left has completely lost its mind. You already know this--at least on an intellectual level--and you can probably appreciate why I, a former lifelong lefty, have changed my allegiance. This is because (as if I haven't said it on The Rubin Report enough already!) the left is now regressive, not progressive. What was once the side of free speech and tolerance--the one that said, "I may disagree with what you say, but I will fight to the death for your right to say it"--now bans speakers from college campuses, "cancels" people if they aren't up to date on the latest genders, and forces Christians to violate their conscience. They also alienate sensible grown-ups who dislike high taxes, oppose open borders, enjoy the free market, and harbor a healthy distrust of socialism. They're equally unwelcoming for sane, decent people who happen to be fiscally conservative, classically liberal, libertarian, or--dare I say it--the worst thing of all: straight, white, and male. Rather than being all-inclusive and fair, the left is now authoritarian and puritanical. It has replaced the battle of ideas with a battle of feelings, while trading honesty with outrage. So, instead of retracing why I left the left, what you need is a book about how to leave the left--and where to go next. You need a path forward--a road map of how to get there. And even if you've left the left already, or never were part of the left in the first place, this book will help you understand our crazy political climate. No matter what brought you to this book, I'm guessing you're trapped in a political purgatory with "tolerant" progressives who are holding you hostage. Perhaps you still cling to a few old-school left-wing principles but deviate from the party line on a few others--which is completely reasonable, yet you spend a lot of time self-censoring for fear of saying something slightly "un-woke" and unleashing the mob. If so, don't worry. You're not alone. Over the past few years, I've received countless emails from various people who bite their tongues and keep their opinions secret every single day. If you're in denial about whether this applies to you, ask yourself: Do you ever find yourself seeking out certain sections of the bookstore when you're alone? Do you crack self-hating jokes to double-bluff your way through the day? Or do you dither over what's diplomatic for your Facebook feed? Do you secretly watch Fox News with your finger on the back button in case somebody enters the room? Do you methodically clear your browser history to erase all evidence of PragerU videos? Do you hide your subscription to Ben Shapiro's podcast? Or worry that your kid brother will catch you laughing at a Stephen Crowder video? Maybe you don't want your friends knowing that you read books by Jordan Peterson or newspaper columns by Bret Stephens? Or you're ashamed of watching YouTube's The Rubin Report, which is hosted by the very scary (but quite dapper) Dave Rubin? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, then I'm afraid you're living in fear of the woke machine. You're politically closeted, and it's time to come out. This book will show you how. Excerpted from Don't Burn This Book: Thinking for Yourself in an Age of Unreason by Dave Rubin All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.