The Right Side of History

The Right Side of History: How Reason and Moral Purpose Made the West Great is a 2019 book by American conservative political commentator Ben Shapiro. Shapiro was inspired to write the book after an incident at California State University, Los Angeles in which protesters interrupted his speech. In the book, Shapiro argues that Western civilization is experiencing a crisis and a potential downfall. He asserts that by abandoning Judeo-Christian values and the Greek-born faculty of reason, modern society is hastening this demise, that hedonism and rampant materialism have made humankind susceptible to failure, and that the only way to reverse this decline is to return to the values and faculties that helped shape the Western civilization. The book was #1 for non-fiction books on the April 7, 2019 New York Times Best Seller list. Reception of the book's coverage of philosophy and history, as well as the arguments presented within it, was mixed. Background Shapiro was scheduled to give a speech at California State University, Los Angeles for Young America's Foundation's campus group on February 25, 2016, titled "When Diversity Becomes a Problem". Some students and faculty members objected to Shapiro's presence on campus. At the time, Shapiro was an editor for the far-right news website Breitbart News. In response, university president William Covino cancelled the speech. In a statement, Covino cited his intention for "him to appear as part of a group of speakers with differing viewpoints on diversity". Covino further stated: "Such an event will better represent our university's dedication to the free exchange of ideas and the value of considering multiple viewpoints." However, when Shapiro announced his intention to show up anyway, Covino reversed his decision.