Book review: 'Progressive Myths' by Michael Huemer
A new book by the American philosopher
I recently finished reading Progressive Myths, the 2024 book by Michael Huemer, a prominent professor of philosophy at the University of Colorado and author of ten philosophy books. Huemer, who studies political irrationality and the dangers of misinformation, argues that false beliefs are society's greatest threat, as they prevent the clear, logical thinking needed to address major challenges.
In my previous post, I linked to the below 15-minute TEDX Talk by Huemer titled, “The Irrationality of Our Politics.” If you haven’t already watched it, I highly recommend it.
Huemer writes, "I have written this book because I think truth matters. Society cannot be reliably improved through lies, exaggerations, and misleading stories; it requires knowledge of the real, factual situation we face, in whatever area we seek to improve matters."
In Progressive Myths, Huemer critically and methodically examines many commonly held beliefs in progressive circles that are often accepted without scrutiny. He contends that these beliefs are either factually incorrect or misleadingly simplistic. Below is a brief summary of some of the myths Huemer challenges:
Women in the U.S. earn significantly less than men for the same work, primarily because of sexism.
Generational wealth is the main source of wealth in America, making it nearly impossible for those born without it to climb the income ladder.
The wealthy aren’t paying their fair share of taxes.
Scientists agree that global warming will destroy civilization unless we take drastic action immediately.
Trayvon Martin was murdered due to racism, and his killer was acquitted because of it.
Michael Brown was murdered after surrendering with his hands up, also due to racism.
Kyle Rittenhouse, a white supremacist, traveled to Kenosha Wisconsin to provoke protesters, murdering two people and escaping punishment because of societal racism.
Many unarmed black people are killed by American police each year, largely due to racism.
Psychology has proven that most people hold implicit racist attitudes, which lead to unfair discrimination. These can be corrected through implicit bias training.
Though Huemer is a libertarian and a strong critic of progressivism, he also addresses falsehoods from the far right, such as climate change denial, claims that racism doesn't exist anymore in America, and conspiracy theories about the 2020 U.S. election. He criticizes these as equally baseless.
He writes, "My concern is that over the past decade, the country has been overtaken by ideas that are not only factually incorrect but also deeply divisive and harmful to our core values and institutions.” He believes the demand for these myths stems from a psychological need for ideological commitment. According to Huemer, this commitment provides a sense of community and purpose, but to maintain it, people seek information that reinforces their beliefs, leading to the acceptance of myths.
Huemer also attributes the spread of these myths to intellectual laziness and bias, stating that a majority of people accept information aligning with their ideologies without questioning or researching it further.
The last third of Progressive Myths—which I found most compelling—focuses on academia, progressivism, and "wokeism," and explores the psychological mechanisms that give rise to false beliefs. Huemer critiques the media, accusing it of prioritizing entertainment over truth. He argues that anecdotes that fit a particular narrative are favored over more comprehensive data, stating, "A story is more entertaining than data." Social media exacerbates these issues, promoting shallow discussions and spreading misinformation.
Huemer observes how progressive spaces sometimes function like dogmatic religions, where those who question the myths or provide countering data are attacked and ostracized. He criticizes what he sees as tribalism and virtue signaling, where ideological words are used to politicize even casual social interactions.
In a chapter titled "The Dangers of Progressive Myths," Huemer warns that the dominance of progressive narratives in the media, universities, and other institutions fosters public distrust when people realize they’ve been misled. He argues that these myths contribute to polarization and division, making it harder to address important issues and undermining American institutions.
In his concluding chapter, Huemer offers advice on avoiding myths. He advocates for healthy skepticism, encouraging readers to research claims independently, listen to critics, and seek out reliable thinkers. Above all, he urges people to question ideologies and approach issues with an open, critical mind.
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