
The State of Us
The Good News and the Bad News About Our Society
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Narrated by:
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Jon Snow
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By:
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Jon Snow
About this listen
Brought to you by Penguin.
After four decades broadcasting to the nation each night, Jon Snow finally gives vent to his opinions on the state of our nation, from inequality and out of touch elites to the vital work of journalism in the social media age.
It is rare in history that so many nations in the developed world are in crisis at the same time. There has been a disintegration of trust in political leaders and in the media that holds them to account. For all the progress humankind has made, for all the inventions and new technologies, our society is being undermined by inequality. We should care not simply because of its impact on productivity and growth, but because it's wrong. It's wrong that some don't have enough money to eat whilst others fly wagyu beef halfway across the planet for a couple of amusing mouthfuls. It's wrong that there are council residents unable to safely escape their homes if they catch fire. To fix it, we must begin by seeking out the truth about our world.
In The State of Us, Jon Snow traces how the life of the nation has changed across his five-decade career, from getting thrown out of university for protesting apartheid to interviewing every prime minister since Margaret Thatcher. In doing so, he shows how the greatest problems at home and abroad so often come down to inequality and an unwillingness to confront it. But that is not our fate. Despite the challenges, Snow has witnessed profound social progress. In this passionate rallying cry, he argues that at its best, journalism reflects not just who we are now, but who we can be. We've had enough of division; the future is for us.
Critic reviews
Jon is however an optimist and the book ends on a suitably positive note. A wonderful book, thanks for sharing Jon.
An excellent story from a thoroughly decent human being
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Excellent
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inspiring and energising
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Excellent book!
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His optimism beams throughout the book as does his basic humanity.
I would have liked to have had more conversation between Jon and the people who are disengaged, why there us such an enormous level of distrust in the media and politicians, why people feel you can only get along if you conform to what the media and politicians promote as valid values.
An honest impassioned case for engagement
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Optimistic and truthful account of where we are
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He can also be a bit frustrating in his ambiguity on quite a few subjects. “X is doomed, but I can’t help but feel optimistic about X” is pretty much the conclusion of most chapters - all without really giving any analysis, data or even basic reasons for either point.
Some nice personal anecdotes though, which I think brings it up from 3 stars to 4.
Good not great
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and privilege are all correct. It is a real cri de coeur but I suspect will largely reach only the already converted. Specific policy prescriptions rather too imprecise to be useful. John is a great man in my eyes but somehow this book didn't entirely come off.
Valid observations but not scintillating
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