Book Review: How to Destroy Western Civilization by Peter J. Kreeft

How to Destroy Western Civilization and Other Ideas from the Cultural Abyss by Peter J. Kreeft

Kreeft provides eighteen essays on the current state of our Western culture from a (mostly) philosophical view. A lot is going on that undermines the basic principles of our society, often in the name of being "tolerant" or "open-minded." The ongoing sexual revolution highlights the shift away from reality-based thinking. Truth and meaning are not found outside of ourselves; we choose them for ourselves. Reality is not something to discover and explore, which would mean that we need to be beholden to it. We need to accept reality and learn from it according to classical and Christian thinking. According to modern thought, we need to dominate, control, and define reality. 

Kreeft's discussion of the problems that arise is very insightful and interesting. He has a very entertaining style and is easy to read, thus making his ideas easy to understand and digest. He uses a lot of common sense, a tool often neglected in modern thinking. Providing solutions and ways to shift back into a better, more realistic way of thinking is refreshing. So many doom and gloom books are about how terrible things are without any sense of a way out. Kreeft does talk about our problems but provides plenty of answers too.

Recommended.