Book Review: Profiles in Ignorance

Andy Borowitz, Profiles in Ignorance: How America's Politicians Got Dumber and Dumber. New York: Avid Reader Press, 2022. ISBN: 9781668003886.

Genre: politics, history

Subgenre: humor

Format: hardcover

Source: Via Interlibrary Loan at Hutchins Library, Berea College. The book came from the Jessamine County (KY) Public Library

 

Andy Borowitz's book in a way does a public service as it looks at how the U.S. as been getting dumber and dumber, especially when it comes to politics. I don't think it's so much that leaders have gotten worse. As we read through the stories the blame really falls on voters who have gotten more and more tolerant of dumb, ignorant, and stupid politicians. After the voters, the media deserves blame for failing at their job of being accurate and calling out the bullshit. 

Borowitz starts with Ronald Reagan, and works his way up through politicians like Dan Quayle, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, and Sarah Palin among others all the way to Donald Trump. To illustrate his points, Borowitz divides the narrative into three stages. First, the dumb politicians are ridiculed. Reagan survived the ridicule stage due to his acting ability and seriously good handlers. Quayle ended up in ignominy. Next is acceptance where politicians still need to pretend to be smart, but folks accept the stupidity or rather ignorance. By the third stage, the willing ignorance and cluelessness are celebrated. In the last stage the last thing a politician wants is to be perceived as an intellectual. 

A strength of the book is that is well documented. Borowitz has done the research, often referring to specific books and sources. In addition, notes are included at the end of the book. 

The big issue for me is this is just not an interesting book. It reads more like a dry history textbook. Plus, if you already know much of this history already, including having lived through much of it, then this book is going to be depressing rather than amusing. For many readers, this may be history they need to learn, but it may still be depressing. In addition, the humor is a lot lighter than advertised. Borowitz gets snarky here or there, but otherwise the text presentation is fairly straightforward. 

I don't think it was worth breaking my politics/social issues/activist stuff reading moratorium to read this. I do like he brings a lot of good information in one place, but it is very dry reading and depressing at times. He goes on to give some suggested solutions in his epilogue, but given the current state of the United States, I wonder if he may be a bit too optimistic. Your mileage may vary here. 

Despite some issues, I think public libraries should consider acquiring this book. This a very optional selection for academic libraries; it is not one I would acquire for our library unless a patron requested it. With books like this, the real sad thing is the people who should be reading it will likely ignore it, so it ends up preaching to the choir. 

Overall it was OK for me, so 2 out of 5 stars.