While Reason Slept

by Thomas F. Brier Jr.

For the past several decades, America has propelled itself into a cruel state of mass unreason. In While Reason Slept, Brier elegantly traces the history of America back to its founding principles, showing in no uncertain terms that the world as an idea of reason is not merely a fool's fable; it is a practical imperative. Beginning in the early twentieth century, however, America slowly began to shift away from a country of rational citizens and toward a country of irrational consumers. Brier persuasively contends that America's irrational transformation has its origins in the work of Edward Bernays, the forefather of modern propaganda (the "engineering of consent," as he called it) whose Freudian tactics of manipulation have been misappropriated and expounded upon by every major influencer of the past century, from the Third Reich to Ronald Reagan to Facebook. But after diagnosing the principal causes underlying America's irrational state of affairs, Brier offers an optimistic solution for recapturing the Founders' vision of a rational Republic. If you are a citizen who hungers for reality; if you would rather travel the arduous path of justice than the reassuring path of comfort; if you would rather suffer agony in the quest for peace than sit with ease in the shadow of the cave—then this book is for you.

202 pages, Paperback

Published August 31, 2018

About the author

Thomas F. Brier, Jr., is a native of Hershey, Pennsylvania. He attended Dickinson College, where he played basketball, fell in love with The Wire, and graduated with a degree in Philosophy. He earned his Juris Doctor in 2017 from Penn State Law, where he was elected commencement speaker by his classmates. After graduation, he served as a law clerk on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He is currently working as an Associate at Blank Rome, LLP, in Philadelphia.

Reviews

[Ellie Barnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve had the opportunity to work on Brier’s congressional campaign over the past few months, and this book has done nothing but affirm how desperately our country needs his leadership. In a very readable, page-turning way, he addresses exactly how America has lost its way from the Founders’ vision of a country with educated citizens “dedicated to the pursuit of a great ideal.” After reading this book, you will be deeply informed about the foundation of American government, the reasons why we have failed in the Founders’ vision, and how to combat the issues our nation faces today.

[Emily Reinert · Rating 5 out of 5]

What I loved most about "While Reason Slept" is that it lays out goals that are achievable as a way to get back to what the founding fathers envisioned for our country. I not only learned a lot about how they wrestled with the enormity of giving citizens a say in how they governed themselves, but I was also thrilled to read about the important role education plays in getting back to what our forefathers wanted. In addition, my eyes were opened to the affect propaganda has played in our lives, and as troubling as that was to read and accept, Brier ends his book in a positive way that we - as citizens, willing to have productive conversations about our differences - can unite to pursue the common good. Bravo.

[Mr. Derek Dietz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brier does a wonderful job of illustrating the dark underbelly of advertising that has dominated the past forty years of politics. His love of philosophy and his admiration for classic thinkers is evident. After reading, I feel inspired to become more active in my community and also to sit down with a copy of Plato's Apology and learn.

[Sue Myers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I purchased Tom's book after hearing him speak at the Hershey Indivisible meeting. He is an excellent speaker. In his book, he shows the detriment of propaganda which is what almost all advertising is. He shows the fallacies and the betrayals in our big business oriented culture. His method of overcoming it is education, questioning of sources and becoming involved in the elective process. Always be on the push for the good of the community. Much to think about in this book which was not a fast read, but a meaningful one. Several grammatical errors which need to be fixed.
Author is a Hershey High School graduate! Woo Hoo!

[Nika · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very pleasant read from fellow Penn Stater!

While I would not necessarily agree with many of author's conclusions, I should praise him for crafting a pretty comprehensive timeline of American history and reason.