Front Burner The books that explained 2025
6 snips
Dec 29, 2025 
In this engaging discussion, Jason Stanley, a philosopher and expert on authoritarianism, explores how Plato's insights on democracy reflect modern politics. Stephen Maher, a Canadian political reporter, connects historical parallels from Canada's 1891 election to today's national identity crises. Rick Perlstein, a historian, analyzes Herman Melville's literary works, drawing lessons on human empathy, immigration, and the dangers of demagoguery. Together, they reveal how literature and history inform our understanding of the current political landscape.
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How Democracy Slips Into Tyranny
- Plato's Book Eight explains how democracy's openness lets demagogues exploit free speech and fear to seize power.
- Jason Stanley warns that portraying freedoms as threats corrodes equal respect and democratic culture.
Fear Transforms Freedom Into Threat
- Fear and scapegoating transform democratic values into perceived threats, attacking freedoms like abortion and women's rights.
- Stanley links open cruelty toward immigrants to erosion of empathy, the basis of equal respect in democracy.
Weaponizing Anti‑Semitism Harms Debate
- Peter Beinart's Being Jewish After Gaza shows anti‑Semitism being weaponized to silence criticism of Israel and suppress debate.
- Stanley argues this shields state crimes and undermines democracy by restricting open criticism.