I haven’t read the book, but I have heard him speak about the book.
My impression was that generally he comes off a bit… dunno the word, brash, a curmudgeon, something like that… but he’s generally correct. IDpol is poison when it’s weaponized the way liberals first did and now the other liberals, American conservatives/republicans and whatever they are elsewhere in the world, have also been doing pretty much nonstop for maybe 10 years or so. The way the democrats were doing it was mostly cringe but ultimately if you just ignored the radlibs it could be fine. With the addition of republicans doing it plus both sets of libs pretending that they earnestly believe in this shit… well, we’re living in multiple layers of hell being tortured from every possible angle and this is just another one.
But yeah, anyone (and I do mean anyone) who insists on placing identity above class does not understand, usually from ignorance, well, anything. They (idpol, radlib types) often use a phrase like “class reductionism” and I have to say, I really don’t like calling people out for doing federal agent shit, but, well…
If they (idpol, radlib types… gotta keep redefining this because if you’re ever slightly vague… ask Bernie what happens) understood anything or believed in material analysis of the world and understood that fundamentally there are those who own capital and control resources and there are those who produce value, do all the labor, and own no or very little capital and society is divided along these lines and all hierarchies result from these divisions, including racial, religious, sexual, gender, whatever else, then they wouldn’t be acting like they do. (And yes I know there’s more nuance in here, but this has to be the basis. It has to start with control over resources and how that is achieved and maintained. That is effectively politics in a nutshell.)
But they’re libs, they’ve never engaged with Marxism in any serious way, they don’t understand anything.
It’s incredibly hard to speak to people who are so mad at the wrong thing or group of people. The anger is legitimate, but it has to be directed correctly or it’s all pointless nihilism.
Norm is usually correct or “correct enough” but the topics he chooses make him a fucking magnet for basically everyone. And he comes out early on everything, way ahead of the general curve, so he’s been practically treated as like the OG “lulcow” for like 40 years. I’m glad that he’s had this end of life redemption arc of sorts where everything be ever said about Israel was proven correct, his thoughts on radlib/idpol weaponization eventually coming full circle to blast libs in the ass was correct, and I’m not totally sure about his opinion on Ukraine, but I know he spent a lot of time explaining why Russia/Putin had legitimate grievances. He’s been anti-Israel, anti-woke, and anti-NATO. Like no wonder everyone fucking hates him (lmao). But he’s right! Mostly, anyway. 100% right on Israel and Palestine.
Norm wrote a book about how Israel was weaponizing and utilizing the memory of the Holocaust to carry out its horrific agenda and goals. And he was 1000% correct. And he got called a holocaust denier for that despite the premise of the argument being the Holocaust obviously did happen (his fucking family was annihilated in it besides his parents) but that can’t justify Israel’s actions. And now look today, we can all see so clearly nearly daily what Norm was telling everyone like 20 years ago. The IOF goes around calling everyone Nazis, calling everything pogroms, comparing every death of a Jewish person to the Holocaust with nothing at all similar between them. Norm was so fucking correct, called out an entire terrible nation, but they’re so deep in their own asses they still keep doing it even though someone has totally exposed what they’re doing and how disgusting and disrespectful it is/was.
I dunno, I love Norm. He’s still hot too. I didn’t know it was possible to be hot at his age, but there he is.
I read a couple chapters and it just came across as just him lashing out against people who wronged him. Which, I totally get. Because many have. But it’s not something I was interested in reading.
And look, I have purchased lots of his books and listen to his interviews.
It just didn’t keep me turning the pages. Like I get it, Amy Goodman betrayed you Norm, I feel you! But it’s not what I was looking for I guess.
Yeah I feel you. He did seem a bit defensive. after all these years of being correct while people around him are just trying to drag him down probably did a number on him. Still and all though he’s the goat in my book. Mad respect for his intellect
she’d have won. 
Norman Finkelstein has a lot to say about weaponized identity politics in his book ‘ill burn that bridge when I get to it’
Recommended reading
I haven’t read the book, but I have heard him speak about the book.
My impression was that generally he comes off a bit… dunno the word, brash, a curmudgeon, something like that… but he’s generally correct. IDpol is poison when it’s weaponized the way liberals first did and now the other liberals, American conservatives/republicans and whatever they are elsewhere in the world, have also been doing pretty much nonstop for maybe 10 years or so. The way the democrats were doing it was mostly cringe but ultimately if you just ignored the radlibs it could be fine. With the addition of republicans doing it plus both sets of libs pretending that they earnestly believe in this shit… well, we’re living in multiple layers of hell being tortured from every possible angle and this is just another one.
But yeah, anyone (and I do mean anyone) who insists on placing identity above class does not understand, usually from ignorance, well, anything. They (idpol, radlib types) often use a phrase like “class reductionism” and I have to say, I really don’t like calling people out for doing federal agent shit, but, well…
If they (idpol, radlib types… gotta keep redefining this because if you’re ever slightly vague… ask Bernie what happens) understood anything or believed in material analysis of the world and understood that fundamentally there are those who own capital and control resources and there are those who produce value, do all the labor, and own no or very little capital and society is divided along these lines and all hierarchies result from these divisions, including racial, religious, sexual, gender, whatever else, then they wouldn’t be acting like they do. (And yes I know there’s more nuance in here, but this has to be the basis. It has to start with control over resources and how that is achieved and maintained. That is effectively politics in a nutshell.)
But they’re libs, they’ve never engaged with Marxism in any serious way, they don’t understand anything.
It’s incredibly hard to speak to people who are so mad at the wrong thing or group of people. The anger is legitimate, but it has to be directed correctly or it’s all pointless nihilism.
Norm is usually correct or “correct enough” but the topics he chooses make him a fucking magnet for basically everyone. And he comes out early on everything, way ahead of the general curve, so he’s been practically treated as like the OG “lulcow” for like 40 years. I’m glad that he’s had this end of life redemption arc of sorts where everything be ever said about Israel was proven correct, his thoughts on radlib/idpol weaponization eventually coming full circle to blast libs in the ass was correct, and I’m not totally sure about his opinion on Ukraine, but I know he spent a lot of time explaining why Russia/Putin had legitimate grievances. He’s been anti-Israel, anti-woke, and anti-NATO. Like no wonder everyone fucking hates him (lmao). But he’s right! Mostly, anyway. 100% right on Israel and Palestine.
Norm wrote a book about how Israel was weaponizing and utilizing the memory of the Holocaust to carry out its horrific agenda and goals. And he was 1000% correct. And he got called a holocaust denier for that despite the premise of the argument being the Holocaust obviously did happen (his fucking family was annihilated in it besides his parents) but that can’t justify Israel’s actions. And now look today, we can all see so clearly nearly daily what Norm was telling everyone like 20 years ago. The IOF goes around calling everyone Nazis, calling everything pogroms, comparing every death of a Jewish person to the Holocaust with nothing at all similar between them. Norm was so fucking correct, called out an entire terrible nation, but they’re so deep in their own asses they still keep doing it even though someone has totally exposed what they’re doing and how disgusting and disrespectful it is/was.
I dunno, I love Norm. He’s still hot too. I didn’t know it was possible to be hot at his age, but there he is.
I absolutely agree with your points here.
I read a couple chapters and it just came across as just him lashing out against people who wronged him. Which, I totally get. Because many have. But it’s not something I was interested in reading.
And look, I have purchased lots of his books and listen to his interviews.
It just didn’t keep me turning the pages. Like I get it, Amy Goodman betrayed you Norm, I feel you! But it’s not what I was looking for I guess.
Yeah I feel you. He did seem a bit defensive. after all these years of being correct while people around him are just trying to drag him down probably did a number on him. Still and all though he’s the goat in my book. Mad respect for his intellect