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Life at the Bottom cover art

Life at the Bottom

Written by: Theodore Dalrymple
Narrated by: James Cameron Stewart
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Publisher's Summary

Here is a searing account - probably the best yet published - of life in the underclass and why it persists as it does. 

Theodore Dalrymple, a British psychiatrist who treats the poor in a slum hospital and a prison in England, has seemingly seen it all. Yet in listening to and observing his patients, he is continually astonished by the latest twist of depravity that exceeds even his own considerable experience. Dalrymple's key insight in Life at the Bottom is that long-term poverty is caused not by economics, but by a dysfunctional set of values, one that is continually reinforced by an elite culture searching for victims. This culture persuades those at the bottom that they have no responsibility for their actions and are not the molders of their own lives. 

Drawn from the pages of the cutting-edge political and cultural quarterly City Journal, Dalrymple's book draws upon scores of eye-opening, true-life vignettes that are by turns hilariously funny, chillingly horrifying, and all too revealing - sometimes all at once. And Dalrymple writes in prose that transcends journalism and achieves the quality of literature.

©2001 Theodore Dalrymple (P)2021 Tantor

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An antidote to Western confusion

If, during the COVID-19 pandemic, you've watched in bewilderment the collective Western craze that's pushed public health aside to "advocate" for the elimination of police and prisons, the criminalization of family and church gatherings, the sanctification of public protests and riots, the victimization of everyone ridding themselves of personal responsibility, the polarization of what is supposed to be balanced and disinterested scientific dialogue, and the banalization of education with aggressive political agendas, then this book will certainly help you make sense of it with Dr. Daniels' eloquent, amusing, well-constructed and well-paced exposé of the philosophical underpinnings of today's movement(s).

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Interesting and thought provoking

What this author says in this book would most probably not be able to be printed today. The Liberal Elites by denying human nature, continue their disastrous prescriptions for correcting what ails western societies, which today is manifest and continues in the wholesale adoption of so called Woke Critical Theories by those in power. Dalrymple was before his time and his description of the attitudes and failures of the policies of the Elite now called Progressives, continues unabated.

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Read this book!

Especially because of the times the world is presently in, people need to know the negative impacts socialist liberal systems are having on the lower class. They need to know the ineffectiveness of these policies. This is a compilation of factual firdt hand accounts of poverty.

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I love this book because it is real stories

Many western societies have this problem and challenges because there is a confusion over what is right/wrong/morality and individuals rights. Here where I live even criminals have celebrity status or the police care more about mere traffic violations than a serious criminals or orderly society.

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Great Insight into the topic of poverty.

New perspectives for me on the complicated state known as “life at the bottom”. The author demonstrates that this issue is not black and white and the causes are complex and there is enough blame to go around.

Also quite witty in parts even with sobering material.

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Masterfully Written and Narrated

Brilliant book on the true ills of Western Society. This book pairs well with "Intellectuals and Society " by Thomas Sowell.

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Revealing stories and observations plus classic British wit

Give us a vision of the future, society crumples as the bottom, and the less other segment knows about the bottom the faster the rug will be pulled from under.

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very informative!

very good and informative! I recommend to read this book to anyone who care about our future.

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proper title "the Red Pill"

well Witten and well read. Enlightening entertaining and troubling but satisfying perspective on the western cult/ure.

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