Howard Bloom is world-renown for his unique and often controversial views on society. His new book, "The Genius of the Beast: A Radical re-Vision of Capitalism," is filled with more dynamic points and observations.
Judging the book by its cover (or title, to be more accurate), you might think it is devoted to knocking the American way of life, but, as Bloom explained at a signing at the Strand Bookstore last night, it's quite the opposite.
“This is a society that invites questions. This is a society that supports freedom of speech and diversity and pluralism,” he said. “There is no society on the face of the earth outside of Western civilization, and American civilization in particular, that has invited people like you and me to exist.”
Bloom also said that the “beast” in the title of his book referred to the unintended negative aspects of our culture, but that the so-called protest industry also allows us to right such wrongs.
“That is not to say our civilization is devoid of problems. It does some horrendous, horrendous things,” he said. “But it also gives us the power to overturn those things and solve those difficulties.”
