If you’ve been scrolling through Goodreads lately looking for a political thriller that isn't actually fiction, you might’ve seen Tom Cotton’s name popping up. His latest book, Seven Things You Can't Say About China, is making some serious waves. Honestly, it’s the kind of read that makes you want to double-check where your phone was manufactured and then maybe throw it in a lake. Senator Cotton isn't exactly known for holding back, and in this volume, he goes full "alarm bell" on the relationship between Washington and Beijing.
It’s a heavy topic. Sorta terrifying, actually.
The core of the book is built around seven specific "truths" that Cotton argues are being suppressed by the American elite—everyone from Hollywood big shots to the suits on Wall Street. He’s basically saying that we’ve been played. For decades. While we were busy streaming movies and buying cheap electronics, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) was playing a much longer, much more aggressive game.
The Seven Banned Truths
According to Cotton, there are things you simply aren't "allowed" to say in polite company without being called a warmonger or a xenophobe. He breaks them down like this:
- China is an evil empire. No sugarcoating here. He compares the CCP to the Soviet Union, pointing at the surveillance state and the treatment of the Uyghurs.
- They are preparing for war. We’re talking about a massive military buildup that specifically targets U.S. vulnerabilities.
- The economic war is already happening. This isn't just about trade deficits; it’s about intellectual property theft and systematic industrial sabotage.
- The infiltration is deep. From university labs to local government, Cotton claims the CCP has "friends" in high places within the U.S.
- Our government is compromised. Not necessarily by spies in trench coats, but by financial interests that make politicians soft on Beijing.
- They are coming for our kids. This is the big TikTok argument. He views the algorithm as a "digital fentanyl" designed to rot the brains of American youth.
- China could actually win. The most sobering point. Cotton argues that American victory isn't guaranteed anymore.
Why is this blowing up on Goodreads?
Goodreads is usually a place for "books of the month" and cozy mysteries, so why is a hardline geopolitical manifesto trending? It’s because the book hits on a growing anxiety. People feel like something is off. When you look at the reviews for Seven Things You Can't Say About China Goodreads users are split right down the middle.
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Some readers call it a "necessary wake-up call," praising Cotton for having the guts to name names in the NBA and Hollywood. They love the "intellectual honesty" about how much we’ve outsourced our sovereignty. On the flip side, you’ve got critics who think it’s pure fearmongering—a relic of Cold War thinking that could lead to an actual, shooting war that nobody wants.
The nuance here is important. Cotton is a Harvard Law grad and an Army vet. He’s not just some guy with a blog. He’s the Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee. When he says the threat is "worse than you can imagine," people tend to listen, even if they hate his politics.
The Infiltration of the American Mind
One of the most jarring sections of the book focuses on how the CCP influences what we see and hear. Cotton recounts the 2019 NBA incident where a single tweet about Hong Kong cost the league hundreds of millions of dollars. The message was clear: if you want our market, you follow our rules.
It’s not just sports. Think about movies. When was the last time you saw a Chinese villain in a major blockbuster? It doesn't happen. Hollywood needs the Chinese box office to break even on $200 million budgets. This "soft power" is a recurring theme in the book. Cotton argues that by controlling the narrative, the CCP has effectively blinded the American public to the "hard power" threats growing in the Pacific.
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The TikTok and Fentanyl Connection
Cotton doesn't hold back on the social aspect either. He describes TikTok’s algorithm as a "reverse Opium War." In China, the version of the app kids see (Douyin) is filled with educational content and science experiments. In the West? It’s a flood of "brain rot," pro-eating disorder content, and increasingly violent trends.
He links this digital destabilization to the physical toll of fentanyl. Most of the precursors for the drug come from Chinese labs before being shipped to Mexico. To Cotton, this isn't a series of accidents. It’s a coordinated effort to weaken the American social fabric from the inside out.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception about the "Seven Things" is that it’s just a list of complaints. It’s actually more of a blueprint for what Cotton calls "The Only Way to Win." He’s pushing for a total decoupling.
"We can't be dependent on our greatest adversary for our medicine, our technology, and our kids' entertainment," he basically argues throughout the 208 pages.
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Critics argue that a total decoupling would cause a global depression. They aren't wrong. The entanglement is so deep that pulling the plug would hurt. Cotton knows this, but he argues the alternative—letting the CCP dictate the terms of the 21st century—is a far worse fate. He brings up the "Linda Sun" case, where a high-ranking New York state official was arrested for being a PRC agent. For Cotton, this isn't an isolated incident; it's the proof of the pudding.
Actionable Insights: What You Can Actually Do
If you finish the book and feel like you need to do something other than doom-scroll, Cotton actually provides a few "to-dos" in the epilogue. They aren't revolutionary, but they’re practical for the average person:
- Audit your digital footprint. Seriously, look at which apps have access to your data. If it’s TikTok or Temu, know that your data isn't staying in the U.S.
- Vote with your wallet. It’s hard, but trying to buy American-made (or at least non-PRC-made) products sends a signal to retailers.
- Support Taiwan. Cotton believes Taiwan is the "first domino." If it falls, the global economy goes into a tailspin. Supporting candidates who prioritize Pacific security is a key takeaway.
- Demand transparency from schools. Many universities still have "Confucius Institutes" or take massive donations from CCP-linked entities. Ask questions.
Reading Seven Things You Can't Say About China is an intense experience. Whether you agree with Cotton’s hawkishness or think he’s gone off the deep end, the book forces you to confront the reality of a world that is no longer unipolar. The "conspiracy of silence" he describes might be starting to crack, and this book is a big part of that.
If you're looking for the next step, you might want to compare Cotton's views with more moderate foreign policy thinkers like Fareed Zakaria or even the latest reports from the Council on Foreign Relations. The truth usually lies somewhere in the messy middle, but Cotton’s book ensures the conversation is a lot louder than it used to be.