
The Echo Machine
How Right-Wing Extremism Created a Post-Truth America
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Narrated by:
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David Pakman
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By:
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David Pakman
About this listen
"For anyone who wants to stand up to disinformation and deepen their understanding of politics without getting lost in jargon, this book is essential reading.”—Brian Tyler Cohen, YouTuber and author of Shameless
From the host of The David Pakman Show comes a vital look at how right-wing extremism has led to the fall of critical thinking and rise of reactionary politics—and what we can do about it to save our democracy
Known for providing incisive progressive political analysis without being dogmatic, popular radio and podcast host David Pakman delves into the vicious cycle of reactionary political ideology.
If there is one thing the 2024 election cycle showed us, it’s how the right-wing has benefited and capitalized on disinformation and the polarization of US politics. Critical thinking and media literacy are on a rapid decline, and our republic is unable to agree upon a shared set of facts.
Infused with Pakman’s signature pragmatic insight, The Echo Machine is not just a critique nor an instruction manual, but an invitation to think, question, and understand how we got to this point and what we can do to mend our broken system. Deeply researched and accessibly written, listeners will learn:
- The underlying issues with political discourse in America today.
- How these issues have led to the intellectual race to the bottom.
- Practical ways to improve discourse through improving critical thinking, media literacy, and public education.
- Examples from real-world debates and discussions to better understand the impact of these issues on our democracy and why leftism is the best path forward.
Pakman calmly cuts through the alarmist noise to inspire listeners across the political spectrum to break out of our toxic political echo chambers and ultimately save our democracy.
©2025 David Pakman (P)2025 Beacon Press AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
“David Pakman is a pioneer in digital media who has reshaped the way political news is presented. His book The Echo Machine is a masterpiece that exposes the rot in corporate media and offers a clear path forward to restore integrity and rebuild the Fourth Estate.”—Ben Meiselas, cofounder MeidasTouch Network
“David Pakman has been an inspiration of mine for a long time, and this book is a testament to why. David uses his sharp wit in The Echo Machine to confront and dismantle the right-wing tactics that have polarized our country and left so many disillusioned and doubtful about the prospect of progress. For anyone who wants to stand up to disinformation and deepen their understanding of politics without getting lost in jargon, this book is essential reading.”—Brian Tyler Cohen, YouTuber and author of Shameless
“Understanding how our political system has become broken in favor of reactionary ignorance is vital for saving our democracy. David Pakman accessibly explains how we got here and offers potential solutions for confronting the ongoing abandonment of critical thinking. In a time when political engagement is more crucial than ever, this is a must-read for every American looking to navigate the future of politics with clarity, purpose, and a commitment to preserving our democracy.”—Barbara McQuade, author of Attack from Within: How Disinformation Is Sabotaging America
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- Narrated by: Laurence Fishburne
- Length: 16 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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Experience a bold take on this classic autobiography as it’s performed by Oscar-nominated Laurence Fishburne. In this searing classic autobiography, originally published in 1965, Malcolm X, the Muslim leader, firebrand, and Black empowerment activist, tells the extraordinary story of his life and the growth of the Human Rights movement. His fascinating perspective on the lies and limitations of the American dream and the inherent racism in a society that denies its non-White citizens the opportunity to dream, gives extraordinary insight into the most urgent issues of our own time.
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it's Nearly perfect
- By Kerry on 09-16-20
By: Malcolm X, and others
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Medieval Myths & Mysteries
- By: Dorsey Armstrong, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Dorsey Armstrong
- Length: 5 hrs and 6 mins
- Original Recording
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The 10 enlightening (and often humorous) lectures of Medieval Myths and Mysteries will show you how far from the “dark” times of legend these centuries were. Uncover the facts about the Knights Templar. Reveal the truth behind the tales of legendary creatures like the Questing Beast and the unicorn. Trace the events of the Black Death and the ways it altered the world in its wake, and much more. With Professor Armstrong, you will dig deep into the ways that later generations reshaped the narrative of the medieval years and perpetuated the myths.
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Interesting, but centered on Britain
- By Ximena on 04-10-20
By: Dorsey Armstrong, and others
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Buddhism for Beginners
- By: Thubten Chodron, His Holiness the Dalai Lama - foreword
- Narrated by: Gabra Zackman
- Length: 4 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
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This user’s guide to Buddhist basics takes the most commonly asked questions - beginning with “What is the essence of the Buddha’s teachings?” - and provides simple answers in plain English. Thubten Chodron’s responses to the questions that always seem to arise among people approaching Buddhism make this an exceptionally complete and accessible introduction - as well as a manual for living a more peaceful, mindful, and satisfying Life.
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Amazing introduction to Buddhism
- By chad d on 07-02-15
By: Thubten Chodron, and others
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I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn’t)
- Telling the Truth about Perfectionism, Inadequacy, and Power
- By: Brené Brown
- Narrated by: Lauren Fortgang
- Length: 10 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
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Based on seven years of ground-breaking research and hundreds of interviews, I Thought It Was Just Me shines a long-overdue light on an important truth: Our imperfections are what connect us to each other and to our humanity. Our vulnerabilities are not weaknesses; they are powerful reminders to keep our hearts and minds open to the reality that we're all in this together.
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I'm sure its great if you are a mother ....
- By Leslie A Hill on 08-09-11
By: Brené Brown
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Eight Dates
- Essential Conversations for a Lifetime of Love
- By: John Gottman PhD, Julie Schwartz Gottman PhD, Doug Abrams, and others
- Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin, Julie McKay
- Length: 5 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
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Navigating the challenges of long-term commitment takes effort - and it just got simpler, with this empowering, step-by-step guide to communicating about the things that matter most to you and your partner. Drawing on 40 years of research from their world-famous Love Lab, Dr. John Gottman and Dr. Julie Schwartz Gottman invite couples on eight fun, easy, and profoundly rewarding dates, each one focused on a make-or-break issue: trust, conflict, sex, money, family, adventure, spirituality, and dreams.
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What the F. Robot-reader???!?!?!
- By Anonymous User on 01-21-20
By: John Gottman PhD, and others
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Something’s gone wrong in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave. We can all feel it, but if we’re being honest, most of us don’t understand it. At the end of the day, we don’t have all the facts, and if you don’t know how something works, how do you fix it? A Return to Common Sense is a concise, no-nonsense, dare we say fun, guide to how America works and a roadmap to reclaiming a government of, by, and for the people.
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contains lies already proven false!
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The working homeless. In a country where hard work and determination are supposed to lead to success, there is something scandalous about this phrase. But skyrocketing rents, low wages, and a lack of tenant rights have produced a startling phenomenon: People with full-time jobs cannot keep a roof over their head, especially in America’s booming cities, where rapid growth is leading to catastrophic displacement. These families are being forced into homelessness not by a failing economy but a thriving one.
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Terrible. Just terrible.
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Highly recommend
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Mallory McMorrow was on the verge of giving up. She knew the work of legislating wouldn’t be easy, but she hadn’t been expecting an insidious culture of sexual harassment, armed protestors storming the state Capitol, or colleagues who had zero interest in reaching across the aisle to get anything meaningful done—and things really needed to get done. Where could one even start? But then fate forced her hand.
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The Project
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In The Project, award-winning journalist David A. Graham offers much-needed context and distills the essential elements of this sprawling document. Breaking down the Project’s strategy for transforming—and radically empowering—the executive branch, Graham then explains what the architects behind Project 2025 would do with that power: restoring traditional gender norms and the supremacy of the nuclear family, decimating the civil service, performing mass deportations, reducing corporate regulation and worker protections, and more.
By: David A. Graham
What listeners say about The Echo Machine
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- Derek Barclay
- 03-29-25
Speaking Truth to Delusion
Such an excellent read. Pakman continues to speak truth to delusion. Facts exist, and they matter.
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- Bradley Smith
- 04-01-25
An smartly written take on the future of the US
A very smart book written by a smart guy without over the top predictions and fear-mongering. It has a lot of good ideas about the future of our country and what it can be if we manage to dig out of the hole we're in.
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- Jana
- 03-30-25
very informative
pertinent information of our day, including historical facts that led to today's political environment. worth the time.
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- Brandon Smith
- 03-27-25
substance
Great book by Pakman. He is able to both methodically lay out the current political climate while also explaining how we got here in the first place. The book is well paced and extremely insightful. A great read for anyone interested in politics, regardless of your position.
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- dustin chavez
- 03-28-25
With tears in my eyes
With the biggest…wettest…tears in my eyes, David sir explains everything how we got here and how we can honestly and TRUTH CENTRAL towards a better place in AMERICA. But! A huge but, thank your lucky stars you’re not David Pakman!
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- Frankie
- 03-27-25
Favorite media guy!
He is well informed and well researched. I love what Mr. Pakman does! I can tell he was very thoughtful when he was making this. I was pleased to see that he really narrated his own book too! Thank you again Mr. Pakman!
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- Andrew
- 04-02-25
Interesting + Informative at the same time
Like his podcast, well-spoken and digestible content. Illuminating look at modern American history as well
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- J
- 03-26-25
Well written and narrated.
I enjoyed it and highlights the issues we currently face with our information consumption very well.
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- Benjamin
- 04-04-25
Fact based and to the point.
Mr. Pakmam puts a lot of facts into an easy to understand book about the steady decline of America's media literacy and how it's affecting the politics in our democracy.
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- M. Ziff
- 03-25-25
An Uncommon Book about Annoyingly Common Topics.
As with his podcasts and shows, Mr. Pakman's writing is engaging and witty. I'm glad that he decided to narrate the book himself because of the consistency of the book with the aforementioned mediums of communications. Mr. Pakman has an awesome mustache that he stores his opinions in. The Stash 'Stache was getting full, thus the timeliness of this book. Mr. Pakman is somewhat of an anomaly amongst 'left of center' politics communicators in his perfect balance of giving the topics the gravity they deserve but is still not deeply serious in himself, and less so - delivery style. There's (IMHO) the perfect amount of levity to dread ratio that keeps one engaged and not just disheartened. I'm consistently pleased with Mr. Pakman's ability to speak about and expound on aspects that aren't just an expression of personal opinions. He reports on the simple truths and logical steps in analyzing or interpretations of the information available. I'm not an irrational optimist nor am I an abject doomer which is why David's work appeals to me and others - given the following he has garnered through his work. I think that there is less of a [for lack of a better phrase] personality cult around Mr. Pakman compared to others. The other communicators who have a lot charisma and enthusiastic presence are still speaking on the same truths, so I don't necessarily have an issue with that style. But it's the transparency and more of an appealing style and delivery of facts and information that bring all readers to David's lawn. Mr. Pakman is far from morose and Laodicean in his intent. It's merely what our current reality is that lends more of a languid tone to the book as a whole. What sets the author apart from some ""leftist"" commentators is the simplicity and sheer readability of his presentation style. He's far from condescending or wonky when it comes to the audience he's addressing, which is sometimes done inadvertently from a few academics and authors of similar works. There's also no over simplification or ban on 3 syllable words. His fluidity of prose is an example of: a) not pandering, or b) not pumping jargon into every page, striking the balance of respect for the audience and the intimate knowledge of who is speaking to. Another writer on "the left" who masterfully walked that line was the late, great David Graeber, although the styles and topics explored aren't very similar. But, I think that's the thing that gets lost in the editing process along with over-thinking and second guesses. Which brings this back to the overall delivery style that Mr. Pakman uniquely developed through working on the process, listening to his audience and (my favorite) his truthful resilience of falling on his face. The openness and candor when acknowledging mistakes or outright misreading of a situation is so refreshing. And that is why people are interested in what he has to say -and- why they stay interested in his work. It's hard to develop a cult of personality when you are unafraid to clearly, loudly, and responsibly own your errors and admitting your faults. Not that it happens often, but David is not a equivicator. This readiness to accept his mistakes is also due to his availability to the broader population. There's more than a few ways to reach out to David directly, and he doesn't restrict the commentary to like minded people; he invites all to connect with him to ask questions, offer constructive criticism, and often hostile criticism. He takes his job seriously, he feels responsible for his words, he is a focused and dedicated presenter. But, he is wonderfully relateable in his humility and will be the first to admit missteps. He has a sense of humor - not like a clown - but like a person who has worked on themselves and has the courage to examine their life. Mr. Pakman is human, all too human. And this book is a fantastic display of humanity; his, ours... for better or worse. This book is the result of honing his own style while not being (self) obsessed with how smart he is. There are no frivolous flourishes nor is there missing words here. I am a little dissapointed that I didn't hear anout Troth Centriol, or the Tesslers, or even Obamna. It's not just a book on politics, nor just slam dunking leathery inflated orange spheres (sports equipment or presidents). It's a clear eyed examination of where the USA stands in early 2025; what happened, how we arrived here, what we can do, and where we go from here. Thanks for your efforts and work. You will always have a open spot on my bookshelf, audio or physical.
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