[16] He is sometimes described as libertarian,[6] although he has written in favor of curtailing civil liberties with increased police power targeting African Americans, and has praised mass arrests in El Salvador.

[19] The book has promotional blurbs by Vivek Ramaswamy, David Sacks, and Peter Thiel, who wrote, "Hanania shows we need the sticks and stones of government violence to exorcise the diversity demon.

[9][10] In 2023, the HuffPost analyzed digital records believed to establish that Hanania was the true identity of a poster, "Richard Hoste", who had written articles for multiple far-right publications between 2008 and the early 2010s, including AltRight.com, The Occidental Observer, Taki's Magazine, and VDare.

"Hoste" wrote his own blog called HBD Books (a reference to "human biodiversity", a form of scientific racism)[6] and operated a Disqus account.

Several Disqus accounts (including "Richard Hoste" as well as multiple apparent alts) used Hanania's personal and student email addresses.

[6] Hanania did not deny that he was "Richard Hoste", and wrote: "Recently, it’s been revealed that over a decade ago I held many beliefs that, as my current writing makes clear, I now find repulsive.

"[5] An editor's note by Quilette editor-in-chief Claire Lehmann offered a rationale for publishing Hanania, which includes the “scarcity of narratives portraying young men’s journey away from extremist ideologies through the processes of maturity and moderation.

"[24] On August 9, 2023, after his writings as "Richard Hoste" were revealed, the San Antonio Express-News called for University of Texas at Austin to cut ties with Hanania.

Jeet Heer wrote that the revelations might have the effect of making Hanania more prominent, because "As a former overt racist who now calls himself a supporter of 'enlightened centrism,' he offers a message that can reunite the fractured right.

"[2][28] New York Times opinion columnist Jamelle Bouie wrote that "though he may claim otherwise, it doesn’t appear that his views have changed much ... he still makes explicitly racist statements and arguments, now under his own name.

"[4] For New York Magazine, Zak Cheney-Rice wrote, "Hanania is seen as more moderate today because he has shrouded many of his old arguments about race in the mainstream terminology of crime prevention, a subtle shift in emphasis that makes him appealing to both the transgressive right and the broad middle.