Used Machinery

"Tears of Deception" is a work on the dishonest practice of Sentimentality in Politics and In Society. The author, a former professor of Humanities, delves deeply into the phenomenon, taking it from its usual interpretation as a silly, even humorous or whimsical practice, with its "sweetness" and "cuteness", and the tradition it has enjoyed as a serious tool for power in the Political, Social, and Cultural arenas by those only too willing to manipulate it. To make his point, he defines sentimentality anew, a revised definition this time that reveals not only the advantages, but the actual rewards of the practice for the sentimentalist himself. He reveals the personal stakes, the benefits, and even the outright profit sentimentalists collect by their so-called compassionate feelings. It is a game and he defines how it works— with Politicians and Social Activists of various stripes using the emotions generated by the plight of the poor, the afflicted, and the helpless. But it's they, the Sentimentalists with their "tears of deception" who make possible the power gained by manipulators. The author gives historical world-class social, cultural, and political examples in detail down to present-day America and the present turmoil and polarization politically, socially, and culturally as represented by the Obama administration and the Republican opposition today.
Whatever a reader's views or concepts of Sentimentality— the author's careful crafting of his conclusions on what most people simply accept as a tolerable and harmless practice,will undoubtedly cause readers to pause and re-assess their own actions on the subject.