Letters to a Young Progressive: How to Avoid Wasting Your Life Protesting Things You Don't Understand

by Mike S. Adams

Presented as a series of letters between Adams and his former student, Zach, Letters to a Young Progressive reveals how the "education" of college kids across the country is producing a generation of unhappy, unimaginative, and unproductive adults. The perfect book to help parents prevent--or undo--the ubiquitous liberal brainwashing of their children before it is too late.

Genres: Nonfiction, Politics, Philosophy, Education

256 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Rya Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great introduction to the conservative perspective. If you're looking for a clear and thoughtful defense of conservative values, you can't do much better. Adams is one of the few conservative professors in the state university system, and he is quite outspoken about his views. This has forced him to become quite articulate in defending his opinions.
Unfortunately, you will only get one side of the story in this book. I found myself at several points wondering how a well-versed opponent would respond. Only a naive person would assume that Adams is entirely correct and all of his detractors are entirely wrong. So on the points I agreed with him, I merely had my opinion confirmed. On the points I disagreed, I merely thought he was wrong. At nearly every point I found myself wishing I had a similar book from a liberal perspective in order to see the issue at hand clearly. Without that, it was difficult for me to determine how much or how little I actually agree with Adams.
This of course is no fault of Adams'. He has stated his case clearly. I would recommend this book to anyone on either side of the political spectrum to gain a clear understanding of why conservatives hold the positions they do.

[Julia Bever · Rating 1 out of 5]

My problems with this book fall into two areas: that this book is really a defense of fundamental Christianity rather than conservativism, and that, while Adams recognizes that there are fundamental differences in worldviews that lead to different conclusions, he argues for the conclusion rather than debate the initial assumptions.

Since the majority of this book focuses on abortion and making a case that abortion is murder, I would think Adams argument around abortion would be in communicating why he believes life begins at conception. But he only makes a case for this in one of the final chapters by referencing a film rather than scientific data. The rest of the time he assumes a basis of life begining at conception. Without addressing that fundamental difference of basis, all his arguments surrounding abortion ultimately fall flat.

This lack of explanation and exploration into fundamental differences infects all the other arguments in the book, because while he identifies that progressives tend to believe in the inherent morality of man and Christians believe that man is inherently sinful, he never makes a convincing case for that different base point. He assumes that man is evil and continues from there.

Finally, Adams explicitly views the political landscape as Progressive vs Christian (letter 35) - suggesting that anyone who calls themselves a Christian cannot identify with progressive policies, and also fully excludes any non-christians from the conservative landscape. This narrow view of political identity and religious expression within politics reduces this book from being an argument for conservativism and the nuance missed in some progressive ideals (as the title suggests) to a guidebook for a specific brand of Christians for how to view certain political issues.

[Mary Lou · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved this idea, but not the execution, and I decided to abandon "Letters" after 85 pages. In my opinion, Adams arguments weren't articulated well and, what bothered me most, weren't foot-noted. He made a lot of assertions that even I, as a 50-something conservative, questioned. Unfortunately, Adams didn't cite his sources, so there was no way to follow up. Too bad. As the mother of an intelligent young progressive, I hoped this would help bolster my positions but, frankly, I think she'd chew Adams up and spit him out in a debate backed with actual research. I imagine he expects more thorough work from the students in his classes than he shared with us in this book.

[Priest Apostate · Rating 1 out of 5]

Calling the book "a waste of time" is being overly charitable.

[Helle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I started this book on request from a family member who wanted me to examine my political and religious views. From a right wing Christian perspective, this book has everything you could possibly want, except for decent writing, well-structured arguments, or credible sources. The author makes quick work through a list of logical fallacies and purely assumptive imagination to the resolution that Conservative Christian Politics are the only views ever worthy of consideration. I knew nothing about the author before reading, but found it unsurprising to learn of his problematic behavior in and out of the classroom. I was, however, shocked to learn of his death by suicide. Upon learning this, I view this work as the sad and frustrating appeal to cling to a non-existent reality by an abusive individual who, unfortunately, was unable to receive help enough to save his life.

[Brandon Schexnayder · Rating 1 out of 5]

Speechless.

[Em · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars. The author did well defending his position on the pro-life vs pro-choice debate, but the rest of the book fell flat. The author provided no actual sources for his arguments/statistics.

Additionally, as a teacher myself, his viewpoints on teachers are very upsetting. I do not say, "That's a good idea," to students because of a lack of belief in definitive right and wrong answers. Rather, I do this to encourage students to (1) be willing to engage in conversation about a topic by sharing their ideas and (2) to show them it is okay to struggle as they work towards the correct answer. By encouraging them to answer and/or pose questions (even when their viewpoint is objectively incorrect), I can use their baseline understanding to build upon as I help them learn the true answer to questions posed in class. The fact that the author made the blanket statement that teachers do this purely to force moral relativism onto students was unsettling.

[Gene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Letters to a Young Progressive is an attempt to reach college age youth and prevent them from being indoctrinated by the leftist ideology they will face in college. Though parts of the book make good points, I feel that overall the book would not be extremely persuasive in the hands of a young person today.

The opening chapter features a conflict in his classroom. The topic was the way in which Charles Manson used fear to manipulate people. The student blurted out that Glenn Beck does the same thing. The author then shows how one cannot treat Manson and Beck as moral equivalents, rather than deal specifically with the claim of the student. The condescending tone of the author at this point would surely offend most novice progressives and keep them from being open-minded to the remaining arguments in the book. The book is then a fictional correspondence from the teacher to this student

Mike Adams eventually makes his main point that the basic world view descrepancy between progressives and others is that progressives have a positive view of human nature that assumes society's problems can be resolved by a bit of government action. The alternative view is that man is deeply flawed and government action tends to exacerbate society's problems. The anarchist in me leans toward the latter view. But his arguments seem aimed to address each individual issue rather than deal with arguments that favor one view of human nature above the other.

Good points are made throughout. The media silence regarding the impact of elective abortion on the probability of having breast cancer is eye-opening. His insights into how to reduce crime are perhaps wandering a ways from his theme, but as a professor of criminology he perhaps couldn't resist. His story of Mickey Mantle's death bed conversion was touching, too.

It's a good book for preaching to the choir, but perhaps not equipped to reach a fully secularized youth. I learned a bit, but had too many instances of knowing where a progressive would be needlessly offended by some of the tone or the arguments selected.

[Karisa Totah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Letters to a Young Progressive is a very thought provoking read. I heard Mike Adams speak at Summit Ministries in 2013 and to be honest, I was not his biggest fan. I did not understand what he was talking about much of the time (for various personal reasons) and was taken aback by his sometimes abrasive way of speaking.

Long story short, when Mike passed in 2020 his book was brought to my attention again. I very much appreciate the subtitle and his efforts to help students avoid wasting their lives in this way.

I won't say I 100% agree with this book or love it or am all for it in every way possible. I will say that it made me think and I will be going back to it in the future. The issues he brings up are ones I feel the need to chew on long-term. But having this as a resource, my goodness, I feel so much relief. Even if I don't agree with everything Mike says, I am so glad to have someone engaging me on these issues. Without mentors like this, I'd be very confused. I definitely do recommend this book for that reason.

I wish I had given Mike more of a chance when I knew him and learned more from him while he was still with us. But I am grateful for his words in this book and the many lives he positively touched while he was here. And I'm grateful for this book and the launch pad it is for me (and others) as I look into these issues more.

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those that have unfortunately wedded themselves to the progressive ideology without fully understanding the reasons why, this book is directed specifically at you. With humor, objective evidence, and articulate analysis, Adams gives a brilliant assessment of how young college students slide into the progressive way of thinking and how it will deteriorate future generations in America. Adams substantiates his claim that academia is left-leaning by presenting evidence towards the accuracy of the conservative worldview and contrasting it with the left-leaning academicians that are overwhelmingly prevalent among many US universities.

[Malin Friess · Rating 2 out of 5]

Written by a professor of criminology at UNC (who claims he is the only conservative in the department) to his college aged son in Colorado giving advice on various topics including race, government entitlements, abortion, and victimology. The strongest part of this book were his arguments in favor of being pro life. The second half of the book waned and I felt often unfairly demonized liberal arguments.

Just 2 stars.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Professor Adams tackles a series of complicated, often divisive, issues in a series of letters to his student Zack. Using the correspondence, he has an ongoing thoughtful and forthright conversation with his protege (who is a representation of students he has encountered during his teaching career). Adams chronicles his own journey to his current understanding in a charming and graceful way.

[Jason Mccool · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! I miss Mike's clear-headed, insightful, and sharp-tongued wit. He had a a good way with words that was both rhetorically effective but also full of substance rather than just empty emotional string-pulling. A voice gone too soon.

[Roger Leonhardt · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have read on the subject of the political left!

[Steve Mckaig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wisdom from a courageous College Professor.

Mike Adams provides truth and refreshing advice to young impressionable students about the real world as a counter to the evil indoctrination of the leftist University culture. Each year parents all across America sacrifice to send their greatest treasure, their children to "prestigious" universities
only to have them return home as hate filled social justice atheists. The left has made a liberal arts education into a joke. Mike S. Adams exposes the bankruptcy of progressive ideas that Universities routinely self righteously espouse. In this book he is one courageous voice speaking truth to corrupt power. Parents make sure you have your children read this book before they go to college to protect them from the charlatans masking as educational geniuses on America's campuses. Highly recommended reading!

[Daniel Dod · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty solid advice given to a fictional college student about the dangers of modern "progressivism" (read: leftism) that is suffocatingly present on many college campuses.

[Nick Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book! So sarcastic but so on point. Very good points made on all the issues.

[Jake Windram-Ashby · Rating 2 out of 5]

As the left plummets into the fiery depths of illogic masquerading as progressiveness, I find myself siding more and more on conservative sides of arguments. This book seemed like a good one to understand this shift.

While this book makes some strong arguments, it's last third isn't just a switch in tone, it is completely antithetical to most of the sentiment in the rest of the book.

After all the arguments about how liberals ignore logic and twist facts he goes one worse. "But now I am asking you to take a leap beyond facts and logic - into faith." Beyond? This isn't the next step, it's 2 steps backwards. Your illogic doesn't become any less foolish if you admit it's lack of basis in fact. It becomes more mindless.

God exists because moral relativism doesn't? Truly unbelievable. God exists because some parts of the world are in different stages of morality? The search for morality is an ongoing one and has been changing and evolving in Christian societies and outside of them for the 100,000 years of the human existence. Even if I admit, and I am not, that our principles of morality have come from the bibles teachings(The bibles teachings likely have progressed certain moral understanding as well as regressed others) it wouldn't prove any kind of divinity. The mere fact that it spread does not prove it's existence, it's probably just the greatest study in human psychology ever conducted.

So yes even though I found the first two thirds interesting, this book was ultimately disappointing.

I still would have given it 3 stars if not for the embarrassingly easy to discredit lie you included, that women who have abortions double their risk of breast cancer. It makes me doubt the 'facts' used to beef up the rest of your arguments.

I would recommend picking and choosing some letters that interest you from the first two thirds of the book and then skipping the last third altogether. But don't spend $20 on it, go buy a couple of pizzas or something.

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

Remembering the many issues, causes, and challenges presented to me in college this book's title got my attention. Feeling overwhelmed I knew I couldn't give each and every issue the time of day and felt it a waste trying to make each issue my own. "Letters to a Young Progressive" was an exciting and fast read that challenged some common assumptions in the American academy. Adams writes with logic, common sense, and covers many undergraduate issues and causes of today from a refreshing and what is often an under-reported perspective. He encourages critical thinking skills about common perspectives among many college professors. This is certainly a good book to give to someone entering college or to one who has experienced a couple of years of it. The tone of the book is not the most winsome but as Adams notes in the book: ridicule is not always a bad thing. There were also a couple of places where a stat was given and I found myself almost begging for a footnote or end note to find the source. Regarding documentation I expected more from a professor. Overall the book was an enjoyable, refreshing and exciting read and I would recommend it!

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

I heard an interview with the author, and thought this would be a good book for myself and for my son. I have been a fan of Mike Adams' columns on Townhall.com for quite some time. Adams didn't disappoint. As a university professor, Adams is uniquely qualified to write on how to tackle issues that young people face on a university campus. His format of a set of letters to a young progressive student over the course of several years is well-suited to his goal of helping young people in their college years to understand the issues that they are facing on a university campus.

I would recommend this to any high school senior who is preparing to enter college, as it will greatly help prepare him for what he will face on the campus and how to think through the issues before he has to face them.

[Natali · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s haunting to know that this man killed himself because he was so persecuted for the ideals in this book. He was perhaps one of the earliest and most tragic victims of the cancel culture.

These are extremely conservative concepts, to be sure, but they’re not dangerous or hateful. These ideas deserve to be discussed, not silenced. I was uncomfortable with his stance on abortion but I felt that it came from a good place. His essay on social security as institutional racism was brilliant and something I’d never thought of before.

A society that bullies and cancels people like this instead of maturely engaging and possibly learning from him is in serious trouble indeed. May God rest his soul.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not a lover of the classic Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh style of conservative apologetics, so Mike Adams is a nice change. I find his writing incredibly intelligent, clear and witty. So many times I wondered why I hadn't thought of a certain point before. His biggest selling point, however, is his conversion story. How can you argue with a man who used to be a raging atheist liberal professor and is now a staunch conservative Christian?

[DrDork · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for sane young minds

As one of many who was led astray, I can identify with Zach in this book. Young people, the way of your fathers is the way for you and your children.

[Mark · Rating 3 out of 5]

A series of "letters" written to a questioning student - there's some good points in here but not much actual discussion of the arguments politically or socially.