Fantasyland - How America Went Haywire

Explore the provocative chronicle of magical thinking and make-believe in America with best-selling novelist, public radio host, and acclaimed cultural critic Kurt Andersen. Delve into a 500-year history of how the great American experiment in liberty may have gone off the rails, examining topics such as religious extremism, bohemian relativism, the impact of the Internet, and the role of social media in blurring reality and illusion. Gain insights into historical figures like Cotton Mather, the influence of the Enlightenment, and contemporary issues including GMOs and the presidency of Donald Trump. Investigate the effects of the Hippie 60s, the introduction of the Pill, and the current state of American democracy. Contemplate the future and participate in a thought-provoking question-and-answer session in this hour-long talk featuring Kurt Andersen and Jeffrey Goldberg at The Aspen Institute.

Introduction
The central thesis of the book
Religious extremism
Bohemian relativism
Cotton Mather
Religion
The Internet
The Enlightenment
The GMO Issue
Can we survive social media
Donald Trump
The Hippie 60s
American Democracy
The Pill
The Future
Questions