CHOOSING HONOR

New age approach to economic and political reform in the United States.

Ficalora borrows heavily from Jewish mysticism in this spiritual remedy for the dishonor and indecency plaguing the United States. Honor and morality are derived from a set of ten “Absolutes,” similar to the Kabbalah. But unlike the Kabbalah, Ficalora suggests her guiding principles be applied not only to nations but individuals as well. She calls upon every American to attain messianic consciousness. This takes on especially great importance in the United States, a land ruled by the people, for the people. The author came of age in the 1970s, immersed in drug use and free love despite her strict Catholic upbringing. This youthful rebellion later turned into social activism, which she embraced even further after becoming a mother. While her progressive tendencies always informed her approach to life, Ficalora didn’t become particularly inspired until the 2000 election of George W. Bush. She began studying American government and economics in earnest alongside her spiritual research. The fruits of her labor appear in this treatise. The author draws conclusions readers might expect from someone so long steeped in the political left: Bush lied, the war on terror is a farce and money rules the world. Her thinly veiled conspiracy theories about the “Money Power” behind all war and, as a result, all modern political power are nothing new. Ficalora might even be able to present a credible argument if her presentation were less dramatic and outrage not so overwrought. The author’s economic views, however, are surprisingly conservative or libertarian in origin; she speaks of her high regard for Milton Friedman’s concepts. The resulting call to action is unusual. Individuals are encouraged to accept their role as the nation’s destined saviors: “You can be a Messiah.” Add a heavy sprinkle of pop references from Mr. T to Pink Floyd to the mix and Ficalora’s book is a curious and uninhibited take on modern politics.

An unpredictable tonic for what ails America.