Reviews
Pandemia: How Coronavirus Hysteria Took Over Our Government, Rights, and Lives by Alex Berenson
stephen11's review
5.0
I admit: I was one of the scared and suckered.
This book has revealed many truths for me. Thank you Mr. Berenson. I hope, in your written conclusion, that your continued faith in this American experiment of freedom is correct.
This book has revealed many truths for me. Thank you Mr. Berenson. I hope, in your written conclusion, that your continued faith in this American experiment of freedom is correct.
alina_the_banana's review
1.0
Why is this dude bragging about being called the "Worlds Most Wrong Person About COVID"?
He keeps talking about how if you "look at the actual facts", you’ll find that COVID wasn’t a big deal, but he never really presents us with any facts. No data points, no graphs, very few numerical values. He fluffs this book up with a bunch of subjective adjectives and over generalizations, without providing any real hard-core evidence to support his claims.
Also, in the very beginning of the book, Alex Berenson says, that "aside from a couple bad days in New York," everything was just peachy. Mhm. By "a couple bad days in New York, do you mean the death of 6 Million people worldwide, and the infection of 572 Million?
And again, he keeps using these patronizingly false over generalizations, claiming that, quote, "hospitals were nowhere near being overrun". Tell that to the people who had to lie in cars and hallways because hospital beds were full. Tell that to all the nurses and doctors who were "drafted" to serve inhumane hours in order to save other's lives. They had to lower the bar on what qualified as legally dead in order to save time and prioritize lives! I'd say that's a pretty big deal!
The most irritating part of this book is the way Alex Berenson flippantly jokes about a global catastrophe that ended in millions of deaths, billions of jobs lost, and worldwide suffering. Even if you believe that people overreacted, or that scientists were lying or whatever, you still need to acknowledge that people suffered and died, and treat this subject with the seriousness and respects it deserves.
In the end, Berenson talked a big game and delivered nothing. He claimed that he - a lowly New York Times castoff - could debunk and disprove the expert analysis of people like Dr. Fauci, recipients of the John Hopkins awards, presidential medal of freedom, and so many more. In the end, he proved nothing, disrespected a great number of people who unnecessarily lost their lives and the families that grieved them, and wasted paper and everyone's time. I'd burn my copy if I didn’t respect books too much.
He keeps talking about how if you "look at the actual facts", you’ll find that COVID wasn’t a big deal, but he never really presents us with any facts. No data points, no graphs, very few numerical values. He fluffs this book up with a bunch of subjective adjectives and over generalizations, without providing any real hard-core evidence to support his claims.
Also, in the very beginning of the book, Alex Berenson says, that "aside from a couple bad days in New York," everything was just peachy. Mhm. By "a couple bad days in New York, do you mean the death of 6 Million people worldwide, and the infection of 572 Million?
And again, he keeps using these patronizingly false over generalizations, claiming that, quote, "hospitals were nowhere near being overrun". Tell that to the people who had to lie in cars and hallways because hospital beds were full. Tell that to all the nurses and doctors who were "drafted" to serve inhumane hours in order to save other's lives. They had to lower the bar on what qualified as legally dead in order to save time and prioritize lives! I'd say that's a pretty big deal!
The most irritating part of this book is the way Alex Berenson flippantly jokes about a global catastrophe that ended in millions of deaths, billions of jobs lost, and worldwide suffering. Even if you believe that people overreacted, or that scientists were lying or whatever, you still need to acknowledge that people suffered and died, and treat this subject with the seriousness and respects it deserves.
In the end, Berenson talked a big game and delivered nothing. He claimed that he - a lowly New York Times castoff - could debunk and disprove the expert analysis of people like Dr. Fauci, recipients of the John Hopkins awards, presidential medal of freedom, and so many more. In the end, he proved nothing, disrespected a great number of people who unnecessarily lost their lives and the families that grieved them, and wasted paper and everyone's time. I'd burn my copy if I didn’t respect books too much.
delaneystarr's review against another edition
5.0
This is 100% worth the read. No matter what your opinions may be, you can’t argue with how insane the world has become.
smlozinski's review
4.0
Very enjoyable and educational. Well, as enjoyable as a book on such a topic really can be. I highlighted over two dozen passages on my kindle, often with my jaw hanging open. I already knew quite a lot about the topics Berenson discusses, but there were some shocking facts I had not heard elsewhere, or had just understood/taken in when I read them the first time.
The author has a knack for writing to normal people. I just wish any of my family members would be willing to read it. That’s the second biggest flaw of this book - those who would benefit most probably won’t read it. Of course, that’s no fault of the author.
The first-biggest flaw comes in regard to the author’s points about schools. Particularly his claim that if kids don’t go to school teachers won’t catch abuse, and that it’s somehow vital for outside government employees (he didn’t use that wording of course) to check up on our kids.
While I agree schools need to exist, and for many kids they are necessary in our society as it is, I resent the implication that they are a necessity /for education/. They’re not. They’re necessary because of the two income family structure we’ve incentivized, that has worsened poverty for many families (see the very left wing Elizabeth Warren’s “To Income Trap”).
The fact that so many communities absolutely require free daycare for their kids to be properly cared for and fed is an indictment of our society pre Covid, not post covid.
As far as education goes, I was not surprised at how lacklustre distance learning was. Again: this is a problem because most mothers have to work. Mothers who are home full time could have provided a superior education to what their kids were getting in in-person school. Even on their own, especially in the younger grades who had the toughest time with screen learning (there is of course a place for virtual learning, especially in the older grades). Many families temporarily pulled their kids from school and did just that.
What so many miss in the talk of closing schools is that /their kids were not getting a great education there either/. While it is true teachers were expected to throw together virtual stuff, especially for young children who really can’t learn in that way very well, it’s not like the quality went from 90% to 10%. The fact is that no teacher, no matter how wonderful, can give full attention to a massive class of children, cover everything the government wants covered, and prepare for testing. Schools have gotten worse and worse. Add the insane wholeness being taught and I’m amazed how many still put up with them.
The state of education in the era of lockdowns should prompt parents everywhere to ask real, hard questions about the state of the classroom before this all began.
Indeed, the brightest silver lining of this whole thing is how many parents have chosen to homeschool their children for good. Maybe if parents taught their own children, we wouldn’t have a generation so willing to go along with tyranny without so much as a question. Food for thought.
The author has a knack for writing to normal people. I just wish any of my family members would be willing to read it. That’s the second biggest flaw of this book - those who would benefit most probably won’t read it. Of course, that’s no fault of the author.
The first-biggest flaw comes in regard to the author’s points about schools. Particularly his claim that if kids don’t go to school teachers won’t catch abuse, and that it’s somehow vital for outside government employees (he didn’t use that wording of course) to check up on our kids.
While I agree schools need to exist, and for many kids they are necessary in our society as it is, I resent the implication that they are a necessity /for education/. They’re not. They’re necessary because of the two income family structure we’ve incentivized, that has worsened poverty for many families (see the very left wing Elizabeth Warren’s “To Income Trap”).
The fact that so many communities absolutely require free daycare for their kids to be properly cared for and fed is an indictment of our society pre Covid, not post covid.
As far as education goes, I was not surprised at how lacklustre distance learning was. Again: this is a problem because most mothers have to work. Mothers who are home full time could have provided a superior education to what their kids were getting in in-person school. Even on their own, especially in the younger grades who had the toughest time with screen learning (there is of course a place for virtual learning, especially in the older grades). Many families temporarily pulled their kids from school and did just that.
What so many miss in the talk of closing schools is that /their kids were not getting a great education there either/. While it is true teachers were expected to throw together virtual stuff, especially for young children who really can’t learn in that way very well, it’s not like the quality went from 90% to 10%. The fact is that no teacher, no matter how wonderful, can give full attention to a massive class of children, cover everything the government wants covered, and prepare for testing. Schools have gotten worse and worse. Add the insane wholeness being taught and I’m amazed how many still put up with them.
The state of education in the era of lockdowns should prompt parents everywhere to ask real, hard questions about the state of the classroom before this all began.
Indeed, the brightest silver lining of this whole thing is how many parents have chosen to homeschool their children for good. Maybe if parents taught their own children, we wouldn’t have a generation so willing to go along with tyranny without so much as a question. Food for thought.
melisscharber's review
5.0
It reads like a history book. Really well written. Filled with all of the information you definitely did not hear if you watch cnn! I enjoyed it, reading it from the perspective of having lived through it. Something to pass on to future family. It’s all in this book! He will likely n Ed to write a part 2 as we are still living!
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