Titled "dangerous", Milos Yannopoulos' newest weapon to torment left-wing politics dropped today, July 4th, after the book was previously cancelled by publisher Simon & Schuster. I managed to get my hands on a digital copy early this morning and I haven't been able to put my phone down since.
If you're not familiar with Milo Yiannopoulos, he is a former Senior Tech Editor for Breitbart News who is a vocal critic of feminism, Islam, social justice warriors, and political correctness. Milo most recently came under fire for his comments on an online podcast where he claimed that relationships "between younger boys and older men … can be hugely positive experiences” - the comments were widely criticised and Yiannopoulos lost his book deal and resigned from Breitbart as a result, with many media sources claiming he was openly defending pedophiles.
That didn't stop him from, naturally, taking matters into his own hands and starting his own media company - MILO Inc.
The review
As an avid follower of Milo's antics, I truly believe that this was nothing more than a poor choice of words, followed by the lack of immediate acknowledgement that those type of relationships are wrong - regardless of his own experience. He straightens this out immediately in the foreword of Dangerous, stating "I was inarticulate and imprecise with my language" and "I myself was a victim of sexual abuse, and therefore mistakenly thought it was okay to discuss these issues any way I wanted to."
Milo doesn't shy away from his criticism and mistakes, nor does he dwell in self-pity of his past in the beginning of the book.
In fact, he outright dismisses the idea of wallowing. Instead, he continues to stride forward in a landscape where his every move is watched and his every word is scrutinised - and he loves it. It's easy to see why Yiannopoulos has such a die-hard following from both his lovers and haters through the majority of the book. He is a provocateur and a bloody good one at that.
There are some things politically that I agree with in Dangerous, and some things that I do not, there are definitely points in this book where you'll want to give Milo a slap around the ear out of sheer frustration.
That is EXACTLY why I love it. Milo doesn't have a filter, and you can take your political correctness and throw it out the window, never to return to your home.
This book isn't about politics, in my opinion - it's about having a voice, to stand up and speak up for what you believe in. To cross the divide and not to remain silent just because you think you'll offend people.
Nobody condones being outrageously offensive for the sake of cruelty, and I suspect Milo in all his fire starting doesn't either. He will push your buttons with each chapter, in all his funny, flamboyant and bitchy mannerisms that he brings along for the ride. Dangerous crosses the divide and engages all audiences on the political spectrum.
Conclusion
Again, there are bits and pieces through-out Dangerous I was not particularly a fan of or interested in, but that didn’t stop them from provoking me into thinking for myself on the issues and drawing my own conclusion.
The book is funny and an easy read, for those interested in the subject matter. If you're a fan of Milo Yiannopoulos, I'm sure you've already picked up your copy and if you're not, you may still be hesitant to buy it based on your opinion of him.
Let me assure you. If you approach Dangerous with an open mind to politics, satire and the world around us, you’ll definitely have got your money’s worth. Everyone should give this book a try.
Rating: 4.5/5.
