Book report

Matthew Hoy
By Matthew Hoy on May 22, 2005

Well, last night I finally finished up Daniel J. Flynn's book, "Intellectual Morons."

For the most part it's an interesting -- and infuriating -- read. Flynn takes aim at everyone from eugenist Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood to Alfred Kinsey a wacko pervert, much adored by the sexually evolved left, to Ayn Rand, the non-objective objectivist.

The total lack of honesty by many on the elite left is dismaying and troubling. From the refusal to acknowledge that Alger Hiss was indeed a Soviet spy, to the whitewashing of Sanger's Nazi sympathies, the left holds up these disgusting individuals as some sort of paragons.

The one chapter where Flynn tries his hand at giving equal time to the "intellectual morons" on the right, his argument unfortunately falls apart. Flynn could probaby best be described in today's political climate as a "paleocon" in the Pat Buchanon/Robert Novak mold. In an attempt to slam "Straussian neocons," Flynn hangs his argument on the testimony of one Joseph Wilson, a former U.S. ambassador and discredited liar. The Senate report referenced in the previous link was not available at the time Flynn's book was published, so his error is understandable, if not forgivable.

The rest of the book, however, can be an important reference to the garbage that appears to pass for a liberal arts curriculum nowadays.

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