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Manufacturing Delusion: How the Left Uses Brainwashing, Indoctrination, and Propaganda Against You
A former CIA analyst draws on his experience combatting jihadi terror movements and the history of totalitarian regimes to show how citizens lose touch with reality.
Some of history’s greatest empires have devolved into genocidal lunacy—often with shocking compliance from their own people. What methods can create this madness?
In Manufacturing Delusion, acclaimed conservative commentator and former CIA officer Buck Sexton offers answers. Drawing on his intelligence experience, expertise in crowd psychology, knowledge of propaganda, and research into some of history’s darkest totalitarian chapters, he equips you to identify mind control tactics used to form compliant citizens. He explores the eight tactics of mass delusion through
How Stalin used Pavlovian mind games to establish absolute controlHow Chinese thought reform transformed opposition into terrorized pawnsHow Jihadist preachers replace shared humanity with weaponized fear
Using these examples and others, Sexton walks you through a history of controlling regimes and the methods they used to create passive citizens. More importantly, he shows you how some of the early stages of mass delusion have already occurred right here in the United States of America, on issues of public health, gender, and racial justice.
An unnerving explanation of how Orwell’s 1984 could become reality, Manufacturing Delusion is essential reading for anyone who wants to know how to stand strong when everyone around them is going crazy.
Some of history’s greatest empires have devolved into genocidal lunacy—often with shocking compliance from their own people. What methods can create this madness?
In Manufacturing Delusion, acclaimed conservative commentator and former CIA officer Buck Sexton offers answers. Drawing on his intelligence experience, expertise in crowd psychology, knowledge of propaganda, and research into some of history’s darkest totalitarian chapters, he equips you to identify mind control tactics used to form compliant citizens. He explores the eight tactics of mass delusion through
How Stalin used Pavlovian mind games to establish absolute controlHow Chinese thought reform transformed opposition into terrorized pawnsHow Jihadist preachers replace shared humanity with weaponized fear
Using these examples and others, Sexton walks you through a history of controlling regimes and the methods they used to create passive citizens. More importantly, he shows you how some of the early stages of mass delusion have already occurred right here in the United States of America, on issues of public health, gender, and racial justice.
An unnerving explanation of how Orwell’s 1984 could become reality, Manufacturing Delusion is essential reading for anyone who wants to know how to stand strong when everyone around them is going crazy.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published February 17, 2026
304 people are currently reading
404 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
March 6, 2026
Classic Ideological Inversion:
Sexton attributes social influence to cultural conspiracies while ignoring the material power structures that actually shape institutions.
Sexton’s framing of the main threat as “progressive ideology” misses the more obvious structural question:
Who owns the institutions?
A small number of corporations own most major media outlets, universities rely heavily on corporate and foundation funding and think tanks and policy institutes are funded by wealthy donors and industries.
That means the dominant influence over media, universities, and political discourse comes from corporate ownership and concentrated wealth, not from a left-wing ideological cabal.
Ironically, Manufacturing Delusion then becomes a case study in its own thesis: an argument about manufactured delusion that quietly manufactures one of its own.
Portraying the main threat as a progressive ideological takeover misidentifies where real power lies and replaces actual political discourse with symbolic cultural conflicts.
As an alternative, I recommend the book: Inventing Reality by Michael Parenti
Sexton attributes social influence to cultural conspiracies while ignoring the material power structures that actually shape institutions.
Sexton’s framing of the main threat as “progressive ideology” misses the more obvious structural question:
Who owns the institutions?
A small number of corporations own most major media outlets, universities rely heavily on corporate and foundation funding and think tanks and policy institutes are funded by wealthy donors and industries.
That means the dominant influence over media, universities, and political discourse comes from corporate ownership and concentrated wealth, not from a left-wing ideological cabal.
Ironically, Manufacturing Delusion then becomes a case study in its own thesis: an argument about manufactured delusion that quietly manufactures one of its own.
Portraying the main threat as a progressive ideological takeover misidentifies where real power lies and replaces actual political discourse with symbolic cultural conflicts.
As an alternative, I recommend the book: Inventing Reality by Michael Parenti
February 23, 2026
Must read book for all Americans who are blinded with TDS & refuse to see the truth. The mainstream media tells us what to think, what to believe & we’re too lazy to ask questions. Great point that one side complains about the other but refuses to articulate what their position is or what their plan is to fix it.
February 18, 2026
The book’s strongest feature is its breakdown of indoctrination into eight distinct techniques. That framework is thoughtful and clearly draws from serious historical and psychological research.
Unfortunately, the execution is uneven. Many personal anecdotes lack depth, and some quotations (especially Jung) feel under-contextualized. The tone often seems geared toward a right-leaning talk-radio audience, which narrows what could have been a more universal argument.
My biggest criticism is the conclusion. After detailing how powerful and coercive these tactics can be, including forced confession and ideological pressure, the book ultimately offers no concrete strategies for resisting them. It suggests that awareness is enough, but doesn’t explain how individuals are supposed to defend themselves when compliance is the only thing that stops punishment.
Unfortunately, the execution is uneven. Many personal anecdotes lack depth, and some quotations (especially Jung) feel under-contextualized. The tone often seems geared toward a right-leaning talk-radio audience, which narrows what could have been a more universal argument.
My biggest criticism is the conclusion. After detailing how powerful and coercive these tactics can be, including forced confession and ideological pressure, the book ultimately offers no concrete strategies for resisting them. It suggests that awareness is enough, but doesn’t explain how individuals are supposed to defend themselves when compliance is the only thing that stops punishment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2026
Ronnie from Louisiana
The book was very thought provoking. I was almost expecting some wow factor but most of what Buck shows us I was already self aware of. In sales they say the sale is made only after the 7th attempt. That is why propaganda is so effective today. The left repeats certain untruths until most people just accept it. Many on the left are not exercising their brain which leaves them more susceptible to the CNN’s and MSNBC’s. I will not say this was an easy read. At times it was tedious but I wish everyone would read this book just so they could become more self aware.
Love the Clay and Buck Show ! Keep up the good fight.
The book was very thought provoking. I was almost expecting some wow factor but most of what Buck shows us I was already self aware of. In sales they say the sale is made only after the 7th attempt. That is why propaganda is so effective today. The left repeats certain untruths until most people just accept it. Many on the left are not exercising their brain which leaves them more susceptible to the CNN’s and MSNBC’s. I will not say this was an easy read. At times it was tedious but I wish everyone would read this book just so they could become more self aware.
Love the Clay and Buck Show ! Keep up the good fight.
April 19, 2026
3.5 stars. A checklist-style rundown of how totalitarian control works—and how people often don’t realize they’re being manipulated until they’re already in it. Using examples like Nazi Germany and North Korea, Buck makes the point that going along with controlling governmental policies can actually feel like relief to people when fear and instability are baked in.
The biggest strength here is accessibility. Complex ideas about propaganda and group behavior are broken down clearly, and the bibliography alone makes this worth a look—it’s about 30 pages of articles and texts that could fit easily on a rhetoric or propaganda studies syllabus.
That said, it’s definitely partisan, with most criticism aimed at the political left, which may limit its audience. And the audiobook didn’t quite land for me—I expected more energy from professional broadcaster Buck Sexton, but the delivery felt flatter than it should have. His experience as former CIA operative and National Security analyst add gravitas and somewhat shape the narrative, although don’t expect Vince Flynn caliber excitement.
Overall, an interesting easy-to-digest primer on manipulation—but best read with a critical eye (and maybe alongside the more neutral works it references).
The biggest strength here is accessibility. Complex ideas about propaganda and group behavior are broken down clearly, and the bibliography alone makes this worth a look—it’s about 30 pages of articles and texts that could fit easily on a rhetoric or propaganda studies syllabus.
That said, it’s definitely partisan, with most criticism aimed at the political left, which may limit its audience. And the audiobook didn’t quite land for me—I expected more energy from professional broadcaster Buck Sexton, but the delivery felt flatter than it should have. His experience as former CIA operative and National Security analyst add gravitas and somewhat shape the narrative, although don’t expect Vince Flynn caliber excitement.
Overall, an interesting easy-to-digest primer on manipulation—but best read with a critical eye (and maybe alongside the more neutral works it references).
March 16, 2026
Fast paced, factual, and foot noted. Excellent read
March 15, 2026
Dnf disturbing
February 26, 2026
Great explanation using examples from the past and behavioral science
I thought I understood brainwashing and indoctrination from my or time in the military. But this book really explained how it works with a lot of detailed examples. Especially useful to read the Instructions used by Dictators in the past to control people.
I thought I understood brainwashing and indoctrination from my or time in the military. But this book really explained how it works with a lot of detailed examples. Especially useful to read the Instructions used by Dictators in the past to control people.
March 7, 2026
Wow. Home run! Slam dunk! Or maybe hat trick works best since I think Buck used to play soccer in his youth. (That's not in the book. I just think I remember hearing that on his radio show, Clay and Buck.) He's not the big sports guy on the show; that would be Clay. I read Clay's book American Playbook a couple years ago, and I have to say that Buck is easily the better writer; no contest. I liked American Playbook as it was very informative, had great ideas, and was easy to read, but it wasn't structurally sound and went all over the place, sometimes transitioning abruptly. It could've used another round of editing to polish it up, but even then it still wouldn't measure up to this from a literary standpoint. Manufacturing Delusion knows exactly what it's trying to be and sticks to it. Buck combines history, personal anecdotes, and current events to make his point, and everything flows together smoothly. It makes for a... less distracting reading experience. Fortunately for both of them, most people reading these are doing so for the info and aren't literary snoots like me who even notice such things.
So, how do people or whole groups of people who seem to be sane turn into psychotic nut jobs who are completely out of touch with reality? Why do North Koreans, the most oppressed people in the world, adore their leader who grinds them under his heel and keeps them in a state of abject terror? How did Nazism even get a foothold, let alone stand the entire world on its head for years? Same for Stalin and the Soviets, Mao and the Chinese. They killed millions and millions of their own citizens. On a smaller scale, how about Jonestown or the Branch Davidians? And here's where I might ruffle some feathers, but I'm going to say it anyway. How about 2020 and our Covid response or the BLM riots? I'm not saying that either of those are anywhere near as heinous as the others I mentioned; those are the cream of the crop when it comes to mass psychosis. Buck points out the same: "On a far less extreme level, there are even some efforts at mass conditioning in liberal democracies, including here in the United States." (Emphasis mine.) How about support for transgenderism which insists that penis possessing persons are girls/women and vagina holders are boys/men? How is it that doctors can tell us with a straight face, not jiving at all, that men can become pregnant? (I wouldn't let that doctor treat me for a hangnail.) How about climate change, nee global warming, nee global cooling which has been telling us that life on Earth will end by XXXX unless we do such and such by YYYY? Just pick a date, any date; that goal post has moved a hundred times in the last 50 years and we're supposed to have become extinct a dozen times by now. In short, how does one become delusional?
Buck explains it all in here. I don't want to give it all away because I think everyone should read the book, but I'll hit you with the chapter headings which gives you the gist. Conditioning, Menticide, Brainwashing, Weaponized Law, Forced Phobia, Isolation, Identity Construction, and Propaganda. (Then there's the conclusion: The Future of Mass Delusion.) So many people are unaware of the tactics leaders will use to influence those under them, but if you spot it, you got it. People may agree with what's going on around them; that's a different matter, but you have no chance if you don't recognize the techniques being used against you. That only applies to the subtle forms of mind bending, though, which is what goes on in the USA and free democracies. People can be forcefully broken which is what happens in totalitarian governments like North Korea, China, the old Soviet Union, the Nazis, and several regimes throughout history.
1984[1] might be a work of fiction, but the techniques used in that are used in real life to break people and even make them praise their tormentors. In fact, as brutal as that book is, it's even worse in real life which is hard to fathom if you grew up in a first world country where that doesn't go on. James Bond went through some brainwashing in You Only Live Twice and The Man with the Golden Gun and turned against his country. I thought that was just Ian Fleming using his imagination, but I had forgotten that that kind of thing happened with some American POWs from the Korean War. I knew about this kind of stuff intellectually, but Buck's book made it hit home in a way it hadn't before. I don't know if I was just in the right place at the right time to hear it, or what, but God damn!
As for the subtitle of the book, How the Left Uses Brainwashing, Indoctrination, and Propaganda Against You, that's covered as well, but it's not really the focus. He gives several examples, though, and anyone who lived through 2020 saw plenty of it and witnessed mass delusion the likes of which we haven't seen in the civilized world in the modern era. It's getting harder and harder to find people who will admit that they thought our response to the Covid mass hysteria pandemic was a good idea, but I remember them. Common sense was thrown out the window and insanity reigned supreme. The media did everything they could to stoke the fear. They were quite successful in their endeavors, and they better be damn glad they have first amendment protections because what they did is worthy of prison sentences. And depending on what state you were in, everyone was compelled to stay home, mask up, get a worthless "vaccine" followed-up by even more worthless booster shots, etc., etc., etc. Big tech, which is run by the left, shut down any dissenting voices.
Fraid not, old bean. The scientific/medical community, government, and media got everything wrong and even contradicted themselves when it suited their purpose. Enter George Floyd, stage right... Or perhaps stage left is more appropriate.
The worldwide BLM riots were a direct result of the lock downs, and this is something I've never heard mentioned anywhere else (and it's not mentioned in this book), though I confess I haven't researched it extensively. Surely I'm not the only person to consider it. It's not the first time people went nuts after an epidemic. Take the June rebellion of 1832 in Paris which serves as a plot point in Les Miserables. That happened right after a cholera outbreak, though there were other factors involved. Human beings are, by and large, social creatures, and if you keep them shut up for a long period of time, trouble will follow. Everyone had been stuck in their houses for three months, the weather was turning warm, and they needed something to do. Going to a protest would serve nicely, but that was a little too tame, and suddenly it return of the Archons.
It was okay to gather en masse for that because the virus doesn't go to protests, at least not BLM protests. Protesting the lock downs, going to the pool (even though chlorine killed the virus), or to any other event was shut down immediately because people might get sick and die. But rioting and doing anything that hurt President Trump's chance for reelection? That was A-okay. Just shut up, and do the will ofLandru Fauci.
Fuck you, eat shit, and die, you little wannabe despot... Looks like I'm still bitter, and I'm definitely getting off track. The point is there was mass delusion on a worldwide scale over the pandemic. The response was so overblown it defies belief. It's like taking fentanyl for a sprained ankle when ice and Advil would work just fine. This book goes over how it can happen.
Anyway, get the book. Read it. It's quite informative.
Just for shits and giggles, I'll drop the note I sent Buck here. They claim that they read everything that's sent to them. I don't know if that's true, especially since I send some rather long messages sometimes, but I do know they read at least one of mine because they read it on the air! (It wasn't this one, though, unless they read it when I wasn't listening.)
[2]: He was considering some kind of deal where if you signed up with Crockett Coffee, or something, he'd send you an autographed copy. He didn't seem thrilled with the idea of signing a ton of books, so I don't know if he went through with it. (I've been hitting the show intermittently during tax season.) I have an autographed copy of Clay's book, and it would be nice to have the set.
So, how do people or whole groups of people who seem to be sane turn into psychotic nut jobs who are completely out of touch with reality? Why do North Koreans, the most oppressed people in the world, adore their leader who grinds them under his heel and keeps them in a state of abject terror? How did Nazism even get a foothold, let alone stand the entire world on its head for years? Same for Stalin and the Soviets, Mao and the Chinese. They killed millions and millions of their own citizens. On a smaller scale, how about Jonestown or the Branch Davidians? And here's where I might ruffle some feathers, but I'm going to say it anyway. How about 2020 and our Covid response or the BLM riots? I'm not saying that either of those are anywhere near as heinous as the others I mentioned; those are the cream of the crop when it comes to mass psychosis. Buck points out the same: "On a far less extreme level, there are even some efforts at mass conditioning in liberal democracies, including here in the United States." (Emphasis mine.) How about support for transgenderism which insists that penis possessing persons are girls/women and vagina holders are boys/men? How is it that doctors can tell us with a straight face, not jiving at all, that men can become pregnant? (I wouldn't let that doctor treat me for a hangnail.) How about climate change, nee global warming, nee global cooling which has been telling us that life on Earth will end by XXXX unless we do such and such by YYYY? Just pick a date, any date; that goal post has moved a hundred times in the last 50 years and we're supposed to have become extinct a dozen times by now. In short, how does one become delusional?
Buck explains it all in here. I don't want to give it all away because I think everyone should read the book, but I'll hit you with the chapter headings which gives you the gist. Conditioning, Menticide, Brainwashing, Weaponized Law, Forced Phobia, Isolation, Identity Construction, and Propaganda. (Then there's the conclusion: The Future of Mass Delusion.) So many people are unaware of the tactics leaders will use to influence those under them, but if you spot it, you got it. People may agree with what's going on around them; that's a different matter, but you have no chance if you don't recognize the techniques being used against you. That only applies to the subtle forms of mind bending, though, which is what goes on in the USA and free democracies. People can be forcefully broken which is what happens in totalitarian governments like North Korea, China, the old Soviet Union, the Nazis, and several regimes throughout history.
1984[1] might be a work of fiction, but the techniques used in that are used in real life to break people and even make them praise their tormentors. In fact, as brutal as that book is, it's even worse in real life which is hard to fathom if you grew up in a first world country where that doesn't go on. James Bond went through some brainwashing in You Only Live Twice and The Man with the Golden Gun and turned against his country. I thought that was just Ian Fleming using his imagination, but I had forgotten that that kind of thing happened with some American POWs from the Korean War. I knew about this kind of stuff intellectually, but Buck's book made it hit home in a way it hadn't before. I don't know if I was just in the right place at the right time to hear it, or what, but God damn!
As for the subtitle of the book, How the Left Uses Brainwashing, Indoctrination, and Propaganda Against You, that's covered as well, but it's not really the focus. He gives several examples, though, and anyone who lived through 2020 saw plenty of it and witnessed mass delusion the likes of which we haven't seen in the civilized world in the modern era. It's getting harder and harder to find people who will admit that they thought our response to the Covid mass hysteria pandemic was a good idea, but I remember them. Common sense was thrown out the window and insanity reigned supreme. The media did everything they could to stoke the fear. They were quite successful in their endeavors, and they better be damn glad they have first amendment protections because what they did is worthy of prison sentences. And depending on what state you were in, everyone was compelled to stay home, mask up, get a worthless "vaccine" followed-up by even more worthless booster shots, etc., etc., etc. Big tech, which is run by the left, shut down any dissenting voices.
Fraid not, old bean. The scientific/medical community, government, and media got everything wrong and even contradicted themselves when it suited their purpose. Enter George Floyd, stage right... Or perhaps stage left is more appropriate.
The worldwide BLM riots were a direct result of the lock downs, and this is something I've never heard mentioned anywhere else (and it's not mentioned in this book), though I confess I haven't researched it extensively. Surely I'm not the only person to consider it. It's not the first time people went nuts after an epidemic. Take the June rebellion of 1832 in Paris which serves as a plot point in Les Miserables. That happened right after a cholera outbreak, though there were other factors involved. Human beings are, by and large, social creatures, and if you keep them shut up for a long period of time, trouble will follow. Everyone had been stuck in their houses for three months, the weather was turning warm, and they needed something to do. Going to a protest would serve nicely, but that was a little too tame, and suddenly it return of the Archons.
It was okay to gather en masse for that because the virus doesn't go to protests, at least not BLM protests. Protesting the lock downs, going to the pool (even though chlorine killed the virus), or to any other event was shut down immediately because people might get sick and die. But rioting and doing anything that hurt President Trump's chance for reelection? That was A-okay. Just shut up, and do the will of
Fuck you, eat shit, and die, you little wannabe despot... Looks like I'm still bitter, and I'm definitely getting off track. The point is there was mass delusion on a worldwide scale over the pandemic. The response was so overblown it defies belief. It's like taking fentanyl for a sprained ankle when ice and Advil would work just fine. This book goes over how it can happen.
Anyway, get the book. Read it. It's quite informative.
Just for shits and giggles, I'll drop the note I sent Buck here. They claim that they read everything that's sent to them. I don't know if that's true, especially since I send some rather long messages sometimes, but I do know they read at least one of mine because they read it on the air! (It wasn't this one, though, unless they read it when I wasn't listening.)
Hello Buck,[1]: This book made me think of 1984 long before Buck mentioned it. Coincidentally, I finished this the same day I finished 1984 a year ago. Also coincidentally, the book I read before this one made me think of Brave New World which I read right before 1984. None of this was planned, nor does it amount to a hill of beans. I just think that kind of stuff is neat.
I thought you might be manufacturing your own delusion when you described how your book was hidden away in bookstores, requiring secret handshakes to find, etc., but after purchasing my own copy of Manufacturing Delusion tonight, I'm afraid my experience tallied with much of what you prophesied.
Figuring I wouldn't be able to get an autographed copy since I don't drink coffee[2] (though I'm sure Crockett is the best if you like that kind of thing), I went to Barnes and Noble. A cursory search of the "new" section where all new books are supposed to reside for a week or so yielded no results, so I went to the info desk, passing a small table dedicated to the Meacham mess with a dozen or so copies prominently displayed. The nice lady at the desk informed me there was one copy in the store, but that it could be in one of several places since it was new and she would have to search.
She was gone long enough that I was able to complete the daily crossword puzzle in the paper I happened to have with me, and after looking in a few places, including the back where she said new books sometimes didn't get out when they were supposed to, she returned with her manager; they were bound and determined to find it for me and I was bound and determined to stay until they did.
The manager found it in the politics section, which is the right area but apparently the wrong time (it seems you really were given the "straight-to-video" treatment), and I think it was tucked away inconspicuously on the shelf. (I suspect Abigail Spanberger, who lives in the area, snuck in and hid it.) The only thing you got wrong is that I didn't have to give a secret handshake or flash a sign and speak the code word. (I was prepared to try flashing my ring and forefingers and saying "read between the lines" to see if that worked, but I didn't have to go there.) Oh, and the lady was very helpful and didn't try to put me off at all once she found out it was a conservative book.
So, you mostly nailed it, and I'm sorry I doubted you. I'll probably start it in a few days after I finish my current book, and I promise to review it on Goodreads when I'm done. Hopefully I can give it a glowing one since right now you have 0 ratings and 0 reviews, but I'm afraid I'm always honest with my reviews. I have high hopes, though. I gave Clay's American Playbook four stars. We'll see if you can beat him. More importantly, we'll see if you can beat Meacham's which already has 9 reviews, though most of them are advance copies from the publisher, and a rating of 4.27. As y'all've pointed out before, early voting works. Well, I've done my part to get you on the bestseller list, even though it left Barnes and Noble without a single copy. Maybe they'll get two the next time they place an order which would double the copies they had before, and that ain't too shabby!
As always, thanks for all y'all do, and keep up the good work.
-Pierce
[2]: He was considering some kind of deal where if you signed up with Crockett Coffee, or something, he'd send you an autographed copy. He didn't seem thrilled with the idea of signing a ton of books, so I don't know if he went through with it. (I've been hitting the show intermittently during tax season.) I have an autographed copy of Clay's book, and it would be nice to have the set.
February 27, 2026
Remember the old Monty Python skits that had you holding your sides with laughter? What made that brand of sketch comedy so much funnier than anything SNL has done in decades? it was that those guys took a clear-eyed view of social absurdities and the off-balance confusion they caused. Take the scene in "Life of Brian" when Michael Palin tells the gang that he wants to have babies and an incredulous John Cleese has to debate that men can't have babies. It was funny because it highlighted how ridiculous and delusional movements become.
Enter radio talk-show host Buck Sexton with his book "Manufacturing Delusion" which takes a deep dive into what causes this magical thinking and, more importantly, why it has been used to control people for millennia. Buck looks at everything from social isolation and the innate need for group acceptance to our current propaganda wars. From the French Revolution to the covid madness; from Pravda to the current lineup at CNN, Buck takes you on a journey of discovery into why certain people in your life live in Fantasyland and will do whatever it takes, including hurting you, to stay there.
The cool part is the research. Unlike some media personalities, Buck did his homework. This one is full of historical references and footnotes mixed in with Buck's own experience working at the CIA and the NYPD Intelligence Unit. He's not quite as funny as Ann Coulter when she was writing a book a year, but the research and citations are just as good.
It's a quick read - about 250 pages in hardcover, if you can find it, which leads to another important point. I went to my local Books-a-Million in the most conservative county in Georgia and saw it nowhere. I had to ask a sad, young clerk for help. She went to the back and found the only copy in the store. At the time it was No.4 on the Amazon bestseller list. That example proves much of Buck's thesis. When you hide information, when you control all narratives, it is easy to move populations.
Don't fall for it. Buy this book, read it, digest it, and avoid the delusional manipulation in your life. You will be happier and we will all be better for it.
Enter radio talk-show host Buck Sexton with his book "Manufacturing Delusion" which takes a deep dive into what causes this magical thinking and, more importantly, why it has been used to control people for millennia. Buck looks at everything from social isolation and the innate need for group acceptance to our current propaganda wars. From the French Revolution to the covid madness; from Pravda to the current lineup at CNN, Buck takes you on a journey of discovery into why certain people in your life live in Fantasyland and will do whatever it takes, including hurting you, to stay there.
The cool part is the research. Unlike some media personalities, Buck did his homework. This one is full of historical references and footnotes mixed in with Buck's own experience working at the CIA and the NYPD Intelligence Unit. He's not quite as funny as Ann Coulter when she was writing a book a year, but the research and citations are just as good.
It's a quick read - about 250 pages in hardcover, if you can find it, which leads to another important point. I went to my local Books-a-Million in the most conservative county in Georgia and saw it nowhere. I had to ask a sad, young clerk for help. She went to the back and found the only copy in the store. At the time it was No.4 on the Amazon bestseller list. That example proves much of Buck's thesis. When you hide information, when you control all narratives, it is easy to move populations.
Don't fall for it. Buy this book, read it, digest it, and avoid the delusional manipulation in your life. You will be happier and we will all be better for it.
February 28, 2026
This is a great book to read if you want to understand the history and methods of mass delusion. Using a great deal of scholarly resources, the author goes into the history and methods used in turning the minds of the masses into a desired mindset that allows a government, religion, or person to gain complete control and devotion from the people. The book looks a little long, but that's only because the author has researched his subject well. Also, don't be looking for your tin foil hat. This book does not give you the current (and often silly) conspiracy theories popular today. The book is essential for getting a grasp on the delusions that the mainstream politicians and media try to thrust on us. Unfortunately, the people who could benefit most from this book are already under the control of the leftist ideology and would reject the book solely on the author's conservative world view. Well worth the read.
March 30, 2026
Learned allot on this one. This book explains the art of convincing people they are doing good by committing evil. Certainly explains the brainwashing going on in These United States. The difference between today and the years of Vlad the Impaler is that so much of the evil is done slowly and by stealth so that before we know it we have accepted the lies and claim them as truth. The delusion and distortion of fact becomes sacred and in many cases something to be worshipped. This book should be required reading in High School. ENJOY!
April 30, 2026
Manufacturing Delusion argues that mass belief systems can be shaped—sometimes deliberately—through propaganda, fear, and social pressure. Drawing on history, Sexton shows how societies have fallen into collective thinking that distorts reality, then applies that framework to modern America.
The book is clear, fast-paced, and thought-provoking, especially in its historical comparisons. However, it leans heavily into a specific political viewpoint, which may feel compelling to some readers and overly partisan to others.
The book is clear, fast-paced, and thought-provoking, especially in its historical comparisons. However, it leans heavily into a specific political viewpoint, which may feel compelling to some readers and overly partisan to others.
March 17, 2026
A great insight into how throughout history, the tactics used to break down the individual has dire consequences. Seeing it connected to the world we live in today is a bit frightening. The chaos, manipulation, name calling is intentional. With 30 pages of footnotes, well researched book. I enjoyed Buck's insight. Would recommend it to anyone who wants to avoid being a victim of the enemy. 100% mega dittos Buck Sexton.
March 27, 2026
excellent concept, rambled with examples a bit. They were good but lost the concept amongst the examples. I wanted a clear concept then the examples. Others will probably not notice that but I was looking for education and then I wanted examples in the everyday news not just the big ones.
I had no idea the author was so well versed and positioned to write about this. That was excellent to know.
I had no idea the author was so well versed and positioned to write about this. That was excellent to know.
April 27, 2026
This book is right wing conservative propaganda espousing the severely biased and simple minded world view of a former CIA analyst. He perpetuates false premises and "common sense" reasoning. Falsely labeling the scientific process as a conspiracy and used by the left with Pavlovian propaganda like the Soviets did. Listen to him talk and he's all over the place, tangential ranting on with illogical fallacies and Trumpian word salads.
How he qualified to be in the CIA is perplexing.
How he qualified to be in the CIA is perplexing.
April 4, 2026
Buck Sexton, former CIA man, shows the myriad ways we can be programmed to believe almost anything. It behooves all of us to remain skeptical and questioning (but not to become a cynic). The introduction of fear, as was done at the origin of the pandemic, is the quickest way to create willing adherents to a particular ideology. I definitely recommend this book for one's own moral clarity.
April 8, 2026
Buck Sexton paints a dark future for humanity in this important review of the tools of totalitarianism. He illustrates the use of these tools with contemporary examples ranging from COVID mandates, government preferences for EV vehicles and Woke genderism to mainstream media political preferences. A timely reminder to beware of technology.
April 15, 2026
The author does an excellent job of identifying the despicable tactics historically used by totalitarian governments to control their citizens. Unfortunately totalitarian governments aren't the only ones using these tactics. He ties tactics, such as weaponized law, forced phobia, and propaganda, to events in all-too-recent history. Forewarned is forearmed.
February 22, 2026
Excellent book on the history of mass mind control through out the decades. Covers many countries and topics like Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, the French Revolution, cults, North Africa, the environment and Covid. It was a little depressing to remember the worst of human history but a great read.
February 24, 2026
A lot of food for thought
Very well written and an easy read filled with historical evidence. The speculation regarding AI is frightening as it should be. My conclusion is, question everything, which I hope I always do.
Very well written and an easy read filled with historical evidence. The speculation regarding AI is frightening as it should be. My conclusion is, question everything, which I hope I always do.
February 24, 2026
As great book on what is happening to you!
Buck describes how millions of people have had their minds altered and how it has been done through out history.
If you know how it is done you will find be able to protect yourself your family from mass delusion.
Buck describes how millions of people have had their minds altered and how it has been done through out history.
If you know how it is done you will find be able to protect yourself your family from mass delusion.
March 28, 2026
Excellent very thought provoking book. Everyone should read it. I’ve never been a huge fan of Buck Sexton, only listen when he’s a guest on someone’s podcast. I’ll be paying closer attention to him now!
February 23, 2026
Worthwhile
March 8, 2026
Interesting book. Must read even if ur a far right.
March 25, 2026
must read
April 19, 2026
A brilliant book written by a brilliant and courageous man.
April 26, 2026
He gives good examples of brainwashing, indoctrination and propaganda but doesn't give us ways to combat those things.
April 29, 2026
A survey of leftist attempts at mind control.
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