Book Review Press Release (for immediate release)
State Change – A Chemical Fantasy
By Joe Andrade
491 pp. Andrade Self-Publishing
Free at www.statechange.us
An ‘interview’ with the author:
Academic Activist Advocates Illegal Politics
‘We cannot elect mental adolescents to public office,’ says Joe Andrade, author of a provocative new novel State Change – A Chemical Fantasy.
He corrects me: “It’s a semi-novel. Two thirds of it is fact.”
Andrade is a University of Utah retired engineering professor – now involved in local and national politics.
I ask – What do you mean by mental adolescents?
“I don’t want to disparage adolescents – they’re great, exciting kids. But they’re too young to be elected to political office.”
I’m confused: If they’re too young to run, how can they be elected?
Andrade looked annoyed. “They’re adults, so they ran, and we elected them. But they have the brain development of pre-adolescents. They need mental enhancement – treatment – to do their job.”
You mean education, I asked.
“That would help, but most never got a decent education. Most were brain-washed early by simple-minded, often highly religious, parents. So they became simple-minded adults – and we elected some of them, many of them, to high office.”
And, what is mental enhancement?
“Well, they won’t voluntarily submit to serious education – they can’t listen to anything except their own ideologies. They exist in echo chambers. So they have to be treated.”
I ask: And what is this ‘treatment’?
“You have to read the book,” Andrade said, smiling. “They need to have a revelation to break free of their ideological moorings – and begin to evolve to mental adulthood.”
Is that possible? Is it legitimate? I ask.
“It is possible – good chocolate helps. But it’s not ‘legitimate’. That’s why you titled this interview ‘… advocates illegal politics’.”
And who are these elected adults who are functioning as mental adolescents?
“There are hundreds, but we selected 29 special ones to treat – all politically powerful, mentally constrained adults. They are simplists.”
Wikipedia came to my rescue, saying simplism is the trait of oversimplifying things by ignoring complexity and complications. Didn’t Einstein say something about simplism?
“Einstein said ‘Science should be as simple as possible – but not simpler’ – but that applies to everything, not just to science.”
I was getting it. I asked: it’s looking at the world from the mental perspective of an eight year old, more or less?
“That’s it. It includes most of the Ayn Rand crowd, primitive Libertarians, Tea Party folks, and lots of Trump supporters.”
Can’t you be a bit more specific. Help me out!
“Only three women, evangelicals, are treated in State Change. We also treat 15 Congress members, several Supreme Court Justices – the ones that still live and work in the 19th century – a few Presidential Candidates, and some plutocrats – including the Brothers Koch.”
Do you treat Trump?
“He’s number 30 in the book, but we chose to not treat him.”
And why not?
“There’s nothing there to treat!” Andrade chuckled. “He’s so simple-minded we thought it would be a waste of effort – and our special chocolate.”
Chocolate?
“Just read the book.”
Who is ‘we’?
“It’s me and five close friends. We call ourselves the harmless team. We selected the 29 and treated them all earlier this year and in late 2015.”
You treated them all – with chocolate? I asked. He looked at me annoyingly, again.
“One of them is a phenomenal organic chemist. Just read the book. It’s free, on line, easy to read.”
Why is it free?
“Well, most of the 29 ideologues we treat would love to get back at me. If it’s free they can’t argue that I’m benefiting from exposing their mental incapacities.”
Interesting. Will you talk or argue with our readers? How can they contact you?
“By going to www.statechange.us . They can read the book there, download it, and see the Chosen 29 (and their Twitter addresses). They can also ask questions there as well.”
Is there a real book – I mean a printed version?
“I had a few copies printed – for reviewers and interviewers. You can have one, if you like.”
Is the book very long?
“No, but this interview is now too long. I’m 75 – and need a bathroom. Just read the book!”
And Mr. Andrade excused himself and left the room, looking for a bathroom.
I’m reading the book. It is interesting.
Salt Lake City
June 16, 2016
for immediate release
801-706-6747
andradejoey@gmail.com