How to Win Friends and Influence Enemies: Taking On Liberal Arguments with Logic and Humor

by Will Witt

Political commentator and media personality Will Witt gives young conservatives the ammunition they need to fight back against the liberal media in this instant national bestseller.

Popular culture in America today is dominated by the left. Most young people have never even heard of conservative values from someone their age, and if they do, the message is often bland and outdated. Almost every Hollywood actor, musician, media personality, and role model for young people in America rejects conservative values, and Gen Zs and millennials are quick to regurgitate these viewpoints without developing their own opinions on issues.

So many young conservatives in America want to stand up for their beliefs in their classrooms, at their jobs, with their friends, or on social media, but they don't have the tools to do so. In How to Win Friends and Influence Enemies, Will Witt arms Gen Zs and millennials with the knowledge and skills to combat the leftist narrative they hear every day.

Instant National Bestseller!

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Political Science, Audiobook, Cultural, American

Audible Audio

First published September 21, 2021

Reviews

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally. A clear voice amid the chaos.

You wouldn’t think that facts and logic would be rare to find, but alas.

This is a must-read for anyone seeking clarity on today’s issues. Will Witt tackles the most controversial topics permeating our society, taking the bull by the horns armed with facts and logic. He devotes a chapter to each issue, distilling the main arguments from the left and fact-checking their claims, and presenting easy tactics to use in conversation to demonstrate these (gaping) holes.

Most importantly, this book teaches you to think for yourself. No more accepting vague statements about America or the world on blind faith—Will’s whole approach is based around applying logic consistently, and drawing your own conclusions from the facts. Simple as that.

Can’t recommend highly enough.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

[Darlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book offers a refreshing take on bridging the divide in American politics today through meaningful conversations. Although it is written for the millennial and gen z generation, there are important takeaways that span all generations.

The author writes what he knows. Having spent the last several years on college campuses engaging students on their values and what is important to them, Witt speaks from experience and shares the tools he has gained for combatting misinformation and finding common ground.

I'm purchasing this book for my children who are both current college students and will recommend it far and wide.

[Raven Annette · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a mother if 4 children(14,12,11,9).  My oldest two are reading this book for book club with 2 other friends.  I got the audio so I could read ahead & have an idea of the content presented & so we could talk about the book together as well.  I just finished & IT WAS AMAZING!  So clear & well put! I especially loved the end & how Will points people back to the roots of family.  I realize this book probably wasn't geared to the younger audience, BUT IT SHOULD BE!!! Our kids are being infiltrated with leftist ideology everyday....AND WE HOMESCHOOL! It's on billboards, TV, radio, music, books.... no one can simply shut it out- so we've decided to gear up our kids with influences like Will, because they need to know we aren't alone! Thank you Will for this book!  Also, people who review this book & still have the nerve to call Will racist, bigot or anything else... clearly didn't read the book. Buy this book & support a patriot!

[Joy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most useful and well thought out book I've read on how to get your point across and still have friends at the end of the conversation. Each chapter is well organized and the arguments are succinct and clearly discussed. The questions listed at the end are all useful and thought provoking.
I will certainly be using these tactics in future conversation (and I hate debating and confrontation, so that says a lot).

[Read-n-Bloom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book to help with trying to show what America really is and how it works or should work and by winning friends a long the way and helping change the minds of “enemies”. We have got to start being more kind and not argumentative. Also, explain, rather than argue. Don’t treat others as our enemies, they may think we’re an enemy, but treat them as a friend. Treat them as Christ has treated us. Just tell them the truth of things and ask them thought-provoking questions. Will uses wit and humor , but still tells the truth of how things will work in our country and he asks those questions that brings about thought on the subject. Really good book. Thank you to #NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read #HowToWinFriendsAndInfluenceEnemies with my honest thoughts.

[Meagan Andersen · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first read for 2022 was a refreshing and motivating one.
“A Vision For America”, was by far my favorite chapter in this book. It’s a call to action that reminds conservatives to fight offensively, rather than just defensively. Will Witt emphasizes bringing Judeo-Christian values back to America, and establishing healthy family relationships. He also challenges conservatives to take back education in America. This point was especially important to me, because the amount of children I know that claim to be bisexual, or transgender, or socialist (or all three) and believe that our country is a horrible and racist place to live is heartbreaking. Coincidentally, they also seem to be increasingly illiterate which has made it hard for me to hope that they will ever be exposed to truth, or have the critical thinking skills necessary to adapt their worldview.

Witt also takes on the topic of big pharma and the corporatization of America. I lean libertarian so the words “public option for campaign funding“ made all the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Admittedly though, his explanation made sense and seems to be a good strategy for cutting out lobbyists and preventing crony capitalism. I’m not entirely sold, but I’m open minded.

Speaking critically, there seemed to be a surplus of generalizations and absolute statements in the book. If I were a liberal or an “independent”, I might have had a hard time trusting the facts presented because of the generalizations written alongside them.
Will Witt’s writing style mirrors his speech patterns, and I think verbal communication is more of his strong suit. There were some noticeable grammatical errors, and the language kept switching from formal to informal. However, I still appreciated this book and I feel more confident and prepared for political discussions because of the strategies he shared.

[Alesha · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fast, easy to follow read. It was clear, to the point, and informative. I did have a couple issues with it though. It was almost TOO simple. While I don’t disagree with anything Will said and argued, he didn’t spend much time on each topic (just one chapter). His only “tactic” was really to just ask some questions of those that disagree and to provide counter evidence. While this is not a bad thing by any means, I just wish he would’ve dove deeper. The chapters were simply too short to get into this very well.

My favorite part of the book was the final chapter titled “A Vision For America.” This was excellent and I SO appreciated that Will actually mentioned that we as a culture need to bring back Christian values. Far too many conservatives fail to mention this and it is such an important aspect that I wish he would’ve highlighted in every chapter. And while I totally agree that we need to be a God-fearing country, I wish Will would’ve talked about how the ultimate solution is preaching Christ crucified for sinners. All of these leftist policies and evils are SIN problems, and while it’s so important to combat them with facts and logical questions, Christ is the only thing that ultimately matters and will change the hearts of people.

My only other hang up was that I didn’t really learn anything I didn’t already know. I don’t say this to toot my own horn, but it really was just a regurgitation of all of his Instagram posts/videos.

Anyway, this was still a great book, especially for someone that may not know a whole lot about politics and wants to learn some ways to talk to leftists to change their minds. I think I will recommend this book to my 15 year old sister because I think she’s at a perfect age to get so much out of this book.

[Boston · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for conservatives who want a better, basic understanding of conservative values and policies. It’s also great for those who want a simple response to left-leaning friends and family who have questions or concerns with their conservative ideals.

That’s said, the arguments the author presents are very basic, and will do little more than help in a short or initial conversation. The author presents these simple arguments as all that’s really needed to change the minds of liberals, but in todays political climate I have to disagree.

Still, this is a good read for conservatives and a good launching point for shoring up arguments and points of view about the primary conservative policies and values.

[Michael Stevenson · Rating 1 out of 5]

A great book if you want less-thoughtful and water downed Tucker Carlson talking points.

I read this with an open mind at the request of a conservative friend, but the arguments presented were just more divisive ‘us v them’ examples and how to create ‘gotcha’ moments with liberals.

I’d love to hear more about how conservatives plan on improving the US and less about Nancy Pelosi getting a haircut during lockdown. Can we start discussing issues and stop using our terrible politicians (looking at Dems too on this) as examples of how everyone is terrible?

[Katie Norris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to the audiobook. Will Witt sure has some wit! He explains his thoughts so clearly and kindly. I feel like he could’ve dove deeper on some of the topics, but I get that each topic could be a book by itself. This quote stood out to me: “The key principle to remember when it comes to changing minds, is that you are not the person to change their mind. They change their own mind by how you ask them to support their own information.”

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a great book. Would highly recommend to high school/college age kids to learn some tips for successful debating. The audiobook is read by the author and that is always an added bonus.

[Jade (beauty.andherbooks) · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wish I could say that I loved this book. I think Will Witt is a persuasive, charismatic speaker, but I don't think writing is his forte. This book really fell flat.

The grammar and writing really bothered me. It was really hard to determine who Will's audience was when reading. He kept switching between formal and informal language. There were also giant blocks of text that really should have been broken up either by new paragraphs or section breaks. His writing felt very high school, 5 paragraph essay, esque. I had to skim the last few chapters because I was so bored.

This book really didn't teach me anything new. Okay, maybe you don't know a lot about conservative values, maybe this book would be helpful to you. But because I listen to conservative commentators and I'm very involved in politics, I knew the counter-arguments to the talking points in this book. If you're interested in a specific topic, there are countless other books out there on conservative topics that go into more depth. Sure, the book provided data and statistics and a few questions at the end of the chapter, but other than that, I could have gone without reading this book. I don't think the book really lived up to its title. I didn't learn how to influence people, and I for sure didn't learn how to make friends. (I know it was a play on Dale Carnegie's book, but still) I learn more from watching Will's PragerU videos than I did from this book. I would say, just watch all of those videos where he interviews people and you'll learn pretty much the same things.

Overall, if you're not a stickler about grammar, I think you'd be fine reading this, but I often found myself focusing so much on the writing rather than the content. If you're really into politics and know a lot about the conservative movement, I don't think this book will benefit you.

[Luke Ingalls · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is really not that good. I picked it up because it is pursuing an issue I care about. It seems like the tide of the country is headed in the wrong direction and that shifting societies views is becoming a necessity. I hoped this could speak to how that might be achieved.
It sort of made an attempt at this. Mostly, if focuses on the author's grassroots efforts but falls short of being useful. Most of the 'debates' the author poses aren't done so in good faith. Even for someone who agrees with most of the positiones posited I often found myself reacting to the obvious holes in the arguments posed. An example is that within the abortion chapter the author seeks to demonstrate that a the fetus shouldn't be considered a part of the mother's body and instead its own thing by comparing the situation to having a tapeworm. His point is that surely noone would consider the worm a part of the woman's body. What he completely neglects to address is that the worm would be considered a parasite and that it would be subject to eradication.
Essentially every chapter has an argument like this and it is very dissapointing. I would not recommend.

[Mariel Llewellyn · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book… I was excited to read a book that could potentially connect two political parties that are so polarized. Unfortunately Witt spent a majority of this book criminalizing the left and claiming the right as the only savior of America (with the exception of a few small criticisms in the final chapter). He bashes “boys with nose rings” and “women with blue hair” and even goes so far to suggest women would be happier if they didn’t have careers and went back to the kitchen. The author talks a lot about the importance on doing research, then makes large generalized claims throughout the book in a majority of his arguments. If he truly wants a better future for America I hope he will start by sitting down, shutting his mouth, and hearing out those around him, rather than focusing all his energy on proving others wrong. The nail in the coffin was the final chapter when the author praises his favorite book series and quotes a line from “The Lord of the Rings” and pronounces Tolkien’s name wrong… I would rate this zero stars if that was an option.

[Lacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! So much truth packed into one book. This is something that every conservative should read. It gave me a lot of courage and incentive to really stand up for what I believe in. Will Witt has a way with words that makes this very factual but still simple and easy to understand. Highly recommend and hope this is the first of many books from Will!

[Fez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learned a lot from this one! Don’t be fooled by how short it is! It’s brimming with lessons you can take away. Each chapter is easily digestible and goes straight to the point.

Definitely recommend this one.

[Def not Sophia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an excellent read. Will Witt addressed political issues that are extremely important to today's world. I certainly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in their country, in politics, or in any social circle they belong to.

[Cassie H · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Be courageous, stand up to evil whenever you see it, and fight for what you know is right and good. It is better to stand and fail for what you believe in than to live on your knees.”

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Angy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed his slightly humorous, easy-to-read, yet informative writing style. At times, it was a bit too simple of a writing style for me, though. His arguments were very well-organized (I appreciated his chapter layout and the ending that ties things together), and it's super clear what kind of points he was trying to make. Conservatives and college dropouts (both of which describe the author) tend to get a reputation for being stupid, but Witt proves these stereotypes wrong. With this book, you get exactly what you would expect based on the title, and I agree completely with him that the best way to argue is to provide tangible facts but also not to be forceful, let what you say speak for yourself.

I must say that I really do not agree with everything he states (without going into specifics, I find some of his arguments against abortion to be quite flawed), but it is clear that he is adhering to his own beliefs and is consistent about them. I doubt that anyone reading would 100% agree with what he says, because I often find him deviating from his own political party at times. That is not an issue, and I expected that before diving into this book. However, I think that he could have dug in deeper explaining things at times. Sometimes he moves on too quickly between topics and I think it's better to make a point with a couple of very solid arguments rather than a bunch of little ones.

Overall, not a bad book at all, and I'd definitely read more from this guy in the future.

[ไม้ไต่คู้ · Rating 1 out of 5]

คนเขียนโต้แย้งว่า ตำรวจอเมริกาไม่ racist หรอก เพราะถ้าไปดูตัวเลขจะเห็นว่าคนขาวโดนตำรวจยิงตายเยอะกว่าคนดำ ทั้งๆ ที่คนดำก่อคดีอันตรายเยอะกว่าคนขาว

แต่จุดผิดของ argument นี้คือ

ตรรกะผิด - ขอบเขตของ Racist มันมากกว่าแค่เรื่อง police shooting ต่อให้คนดำโดนยิงน้อยกว่าจริง ก็ไม่ได้พิสูจน์ว่าเขาไม่ถูกเลือกปฏิบัติในกรณีอื่น

อ้างตัวเลขมั่ว - ต้นพารากราฟอ้างสถิติที่คนขาวโดนยิงเยอะกว่า แต่สักพักอ้างงานวิจัยของ Fryer ที่พบว่าคนดำถูกตำรวจยิงเยอะกว่า เพราะคนดำก่อเหตุอันตรายเยอะกว่า หนังสือผสมสถิติจากสองแหล่งแบบมั่วๆ และสรุปว่า "คนขาวถูกยิงตายเยอะกว่าคนดำ ทั้งๆ ที่คนดำก่อเหตุอันตรายเยอะกว่าคนขาว"

โอเว่อเคลม - งานวิจัยของ Fryer ที่พบว่าคนดำถูกยิงเยอะกว่า เพราะคนดำก่อเหตุอันตรายเยอะกว่าคนขาว เป็นตัวเลขสถิติของ Houston เพียงเมืองเดียว ซึ่งไม่สามารถนำมาเป็น representation ของทั้งประเทศได้

ไม่บอกข้อจำกัดของงานวิจัย - สถิติที่ว่า"คนดำก่อเหตุอันตรายเยอะกว่า" เป็นการศึกษาจากรายงานของตำรวจ ซึ่งเป็นเรื่องราวด้านเดียวที่อาจจจริงหรือไม่ก็ได้ เป็นเรื่องปกติอยู่แล้วที่ตำรวจจะเขียนรายงานว่าตนเองลั่นไกเพราะอีกฝ่ายแสดงท่าทีอันตราย แทนที่จะยอมรับว่าลั่นไกเพราะอีกฝ่ายเป็นคนดำ

บิดข้อสรุปงานวิจัย - สิ่งที่งานของ Fryer บอกคือ ในสถานการณ์เป็นตาย ตำรวจจะพร้อมยิงทุกคนที่มีท่าทีเป็นอันตรายไม่ว่าอีกฝ่ายจะผิวสีอะไร แต่ไม่ได้บอกว่าตำรวจไม่ racist


ไม่รู้จะร้องไห้เสียดายตังค์หรือจะป้องปากขำดี อ่านไปพารากราฟเดียว เจอจุดที่รู้สึกว่ามั่วตรรกะมั่วข้อมูลเต็มไปหมด ไหนจะยกบทความมาสนับสนุนตัวเลขสถิติที่ตัวเองกล่าวอ้าง ทั้งๆ ที่เนื้อหาในบทความนั้นหักล้าง argument ของคนเขียนโดยสิ้นเชิง เหมาะเป็นหนังสือแนะนำสำหรับคนที่อยากรู้ว่าฝ่ายขวาที่จับแพะชนแกะ มั่วตัวเลข หรือใช้ตรรกะวิบัติ เป็นอย่างไร

[Jonathan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've enjoyed listening to Will Witt on podcast and seeing his "Man on the Street" videos. I think he is a great personality who tends to present his ideas very well. This book is essentially his commentary on a variety of current hot-button issues. If you have seen his videos or listened to his podcasts, you will have heard many of his points already.
Unfortunately, I can't say that this book is very good. It is Witt's first book, so I think that needs to be taken into account. He is a much better speaker and personality than he is a writer. His writing comes across many times like a transcript of his stream of consciousness. It's a bit too casual and not academic enough for my taste. This book seems better suited for high schoolers and young college students. People who have already engaged with these ideas from more scholarly texts will find this book too simple. Additionally, I was a bit annoyed by his use of "they" as a singular pronoun throughout the book.
Although Witt makes some good points within the book and there are a number of good chapters, I think people will enjoy listening to his podcasts and watching him in videos more than they will appreciate this book. As a first book, I can see how Will Witt could improve and develop his skills to write a more engaging and challenging book in the future. I hope he can accomplish this.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've seen some of Will Witt's videos and I really like the question/conversation approach he takes. I think it is effective and I think that getting people thinking is a better tactic than just telling them facts and stats.

In his book, Witt spends each chapter looking at a controversial topic that lots of people are passionate about and ardently defend or think nothing about. He gives you sample questions and lots of examples of how he's used the questions to change minds. Each chapter is short and sweet and you really can just refer to the chapter that covers the topic you need.

The thing to keep in mind, that I don't think Witt covers or acknowledges, is that more and more people these days argue from a place of emotion. There is no longer logic involved. You cannot argue logically with an emotional person. So Witt's questions and practices only work when people will speak with you in a logical way.

I think this is a helpful book and it is written in Witt's excellent style. It's simple and conversational and informative.

Many thanks to NetGalley for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own and a favorable review was not required.

[Shaun Quinones · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, How to Win Friends and Influence Enemies: Taking on Liberal Arguments with Logic and Humor is really good. In this book, Will Witt explains modern political topics and how to refute leftist arguments. I enjoy this book because it gives evidence against these liberal ideas, it shows and equips the reader how to use Will’s arguments in the real world, and Will Witt is really funny. Each chapter is a different topic that Will refutes, he starts with a little story relating to his past, he then states what the liberal minds want you to believe, and after that he gives the real facts. In this book Will Witt teaches the reader how to argue and what to say if/ when the reader is ever faced with this in real life. Will Witt also presents information in a very funny and engaging way. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn and change the mind of their Liberal friend.

[Madi Lillich Lillich · Rating 5 out of 5]

I discovered Will Witt when I started listening to the unapologetic podcast, and I have to say I absolutely loved this book! I am currently in high school and found his argument convincing, interesting, and super helpful/informative. The only part of logic that I thought didn’t really get his point across was in the abortion chapter. When he tried to prove that a baby wasn’t a part of a women’s body, he compared the baby to a tapeworm, saying that a tapeworm found in someone’s body would not be considered part of them. The problem I had with this was that people remove and dispose of tapeworms, and consider them parasitic. I agree with his point, but his comparison wasn’t great. Once again, an otherwise fantastic book! Great starter book for getting into the world of politics. I especially loved the call to action in the last chapter!

[Dan D · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn't a bad book and I recommend to read it but it wasn't for me, or maybe I had different expectations. My rating would be 3.5 to 4 stars but because I could only do whole stars, I gave it a 3.. My bookmarks : I had a vision of what I wanted to do and made it a realty. When you tell someone a fact their brain becomes defensive. Better to ask questions to change minds. 1 and 7 people in the US are immigrants, of those 1/3rd are illegal immigrants. Solar is very destructive because (XYZ) - if we wanted to power the US with solar - we would need an area 5x the size of Texas.. 2.59.34 :Fall of Venezuela.. 3 Socialist countries : Cuba, Venezuela, North Korea.. Only 59% of people graduated college.. Seattle raised their minimum wage and had a net loss of $125 MM

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy Will Witt's videos and podcast. I was excited to see how he approaches writing. This books covers most of current topics/issues in the world of politics. Will Witt breaks down each topic and discuss it in an easy to understand manner. This book not only teaches you about issues and topics but also how to share your beliefs and ideas with others. I would recommend this book to anyone open to learning the conservative perspective on many issues. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Borrowed the audio from my library’s online system, and I will be ordering my own paper copy later today. I don’t usually “argue” politics and shy away from conversations about most topics in this book because I never know what to say to enlighten other people to the truths about those topics. This book definitely made me feel more empowered to lovingly correct friends who do not have their facts straight. Thanks, Will! Hoping there’s another book (or more) from you in the future.

[Daniel Roth · Rating 5 out of 5]

If your struggle to know how to discuss and argue your side, Will Witt does an excellent job in presenting each issue, what the facts and stats are on it, and then how you can use that and counter there argument, and get them to think about there worldview. I especially liked how he ended it with us needing to win back people to Christ and to God's way of how we need families and people living out God's truths in His word.

[Kalen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book was great. I believe it can be extremely helpful for high school students. It wasn’t super in depth but I think that’s what I appreciated about it. It gives you the opportunity to go deeper on your own without bogging down the book. It was also a really fast read. I marked it down because of his chapter on police brutality. There’s a sentence in this chapter that is factually incorrect, I’ve highlighted it and marked it as such before passing along to my high schooler.