Starting out with the notably lofty goal of “urging you to re-examine the values and beliefs that you’ve held for a long time,” SILENT ECHOES by Aldo Grech is a politically-laden book aiming to examine influences and forces that impact personal decisions, as well as the fallout those factors might have.
In doing so, this “call for intellectual autonomy” runs the risk, as many such books do, of not so much examining underlying opinions but attempting to influence readers into new perspectives in its own right. In simple terms, it’s hard to pen a book like this without your own attempt to influence, and that certainly exists here.
That said, a lot of the content here, dealing with a lot of contemporary political issues and their wider impacts, would fall into the category of extremely well-reasoned and researched common sense. The text opens with something akin to a skit: a pair sitting in a coffee shop question whether democracy is working. Then, SILENT ECHOES goes on to focus heavily on the impact of the 1%, taking what is a broadly socialist view on society’s extremities: “The critique of globalization by the elite hinges on several points: it undermines national sovereignty, erodes cultural identity, and exacerbates economic inequality. However, these arguments are often selectively presented, ignoring the broader context.” Grech points out in particular the United States’ substantial wealth disparities, and how the rich are incentivized to cost-cut the poor—with nods to areas as diverse as the impact of the French Revolution and meme culture.
There are also passages dealing with the battle between science and conspiracy theories, A.I., how wealth can be used to manipulate, and a tendency that has confounded many for years: why the poor tend to vote in large numbers for policies that benefit primarily the wealthy. These are all useful and well-reasoned arguments.
At its heart, the text can be read as a critique of capitalism: not necessarily a suggestion that capitalism itself is done away with, but certainly a poignant highlighting of the issues it creates. It’s one that covers high level gaslighting, the fiscal dominance of a small minority, manipulation of policy understanding, lies, conspiracies, and populism.
By the end of the short but detailed text—having explored the realms of green energy, pseudoscience, public services provision, participatory government, and even the impacts of populist leaders around the world—we’re left with what amounts to a convincing argument for center-left, citizen-involved policy presented from lots of oblique but effective angles.
Aside from the slightly lofty claims, there’s a strong yet concise book on the bigger picture of politics here. In a world where it can be difficult to see the woods for the trees, SILENT ECHOES may encourage a lot of people to take a step back and think. Whatever your political views, this is worth a look.
A book that was always going to struggle to stay as neutral as it claims to be, SILENT ECHOES by Aldo Grech is nonetheless a superbly written thesis on the fault lines of modern society—as well as a good argument for greater equality and educated political buy-in.
~James Hendicott for IndieReader