26 replies to this topic

[Tim the Beek]

If you could suggest someone read any 3 (or fewer) books to steer them toward/introduce them to your "political" way of thinking what would they be?

TtB says:

1984
The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress
Atlas Shrugged

Yeah, I know. Ayn Rand sucks. She was at best a competent author, and her views about sex/intergender interactions are dated and weird. But there are what I've come to believe some core truths in that book which continue to resonate with me.

[vic]

The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress

never heard of this one?

[Tim the Beek]

Robert Heinlein. If you're not either very into SciFi or pretty deeply into libertarian reading, it isn't anything most have heard of.

[TEO]

Brave New World Revisited - Aldous Huxley
Propaganda ~Edward Bernays (Author), Mark Crispin Miller (Introduction)
Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson)

Still reading The Road to Serfdom:2' F.A Hayek and Bruce Caldwell, it may knock one of the above out of the 3.

[TEO]

Oh, 1984 is next up on my reading list as I have read some comparisons and contrasts with Brave New World that make it a must read for me.

[TakeAStepBack]

i don't know that three can do it for me. But i'll keep thinking it through.

[PeaceFrog]

Das Energi by Paul Williams would be the main one.
The Life of Jesus as told in the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John would be another that I couldn't deny had a major influence... (though I don't really identify much with modern Christians and Christianity.)
and tied for third would be Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk, and America by Jon Stewart

honorable mention goes to 1984 by George Orwell

I also like the writings of Lao Tse

Back in school I remember learning about Thomas Paine and Common Sense...
also Thoreau -- Walden, and Civil Disobedience

I'm sure they all influenced what I believe today.
Also, John Lennon - Imagine. (the song) and other songs like "Give Peace a Chance" and "Power to the People"

[vic]

ok fine i'll play

the shock doctrine--naomi klein

my ishmael--daniel quinn

confessions of an economic hitman--john perkins

[TEO]

About 70% through 1984, and at this point I see why it is a pick.

[PeaceFrog]

your first time reading it??

I thought it was required reading in High School... maybe just my high school

There's a movie out too, I believe... it's probably not as good as the book, though.

[TEO]

Yes, we read Animal Farm and Brave New World, not 1984.

[Depends]

Going Away - Clancy Sigal

[PeaceFrog]

Yes, we read Animal Farm and Brave New World, not 1984.

ahh... I didn't read either of those

ours was 1984 and Lord of the Flies... probably others.

[TEO]

Lord of the Flies might be telling as to why all of the proposed systems have historically broken down.

[Tim the Beek]

Because people suck?

[TEO]

Exactly!

[TakeAStepBack]

If I may expand the amount of choices, I can lay down a list that has brought me to where I stand on politics today. That's a request from the thread creator to proceed. I would hate to break the rules, leading to a crack down from the decider.

[TEO]

I would find that quite interesting.

[DancingBearly]

In Watermellon Sugar
1984
Animal Farm

[Tim the Beek]

If I may expand the amount of choices, I can lay down a list that has brought me to where I stand on politics today. That's a request from the thread creator to proceed. I would hate to break the rules, leading to a crack down from the decider.

You damn kids get off of my lawn!

Go for it brev! I'll be interested in seeing yer list.

[TakeAStepBack]

Here is a list I will expand on. I have to go through the kindle and the shelf (a box in the closet) of what should be added:

(in no particular order)

Idiot America: how stupidity became a virtue in the land of the free
by Charles P. Pierce

The Praetorian guard: the U.S. role in the new world order
by John Stockwell

In Search of Enemies
by John Stockwell

Confessions of an Ecomonic Hitman
By John Perkins

Common Sense
By Thomas Paine

War is a Lie
By David Swanson

Daybreak: Undoing the Imperial Presidency
By David Swanson

Manufacturing Consent
by Noam Chomsky

The People's History of the Untied States
By Howard Zinn

Lies My teacher Told You: everything your american history textbook got wrong
by James W. Loewen

Mein Kompf (the Ford transaltion)
by Adolf Hitler

Capital: Volume 1: A critique of political economy
by Karl Marx

The Communist Manifesto
by Karl Marx

The general theory of Employment, interest and Money
By John Maynard Keynes

Human Action: Scholars Addition
by Ludwig von Mises

Socialism
by Ludwig von Mises

The Ecomonics of Freedom: What professors wont tell you
by Bastiat, Ruper and Clark

The Shock Doctrine
by Naomi Klein

Liberty Defined: 50 Essential Issues that Affect Our Freedom
by Ron Paul

End the Fed
By Ron Paul

The Case Against the fed
By Murray Rothbard

Tragedy and Hope: A History of the World in Our Time
by Carroll Quigley

[vic]

2 of my 3:crazy:

and mein kompf?

[vic]

Confessions of an Ecomonic Hitman
By John Perkins

did you read his follow-up? it's called the secret history of the american empire

[TakeAStepBack]

No, i didn't. But I would probably find a lot of repeat in it if i did. I'm fairly confident in my understanding of the american empire at this point. Most of what remains are allegations that can't be solidified. Which I find rather useless, though I do love "conspiracy theories".

I'm deep into trying to really understand economics and the history of economics and money. I have pumped out a lot of reading on the subject in the last 6 months (not all books. Articles, documentaries, blogs, etc...) or so trying to firmly grab these concepts.

Politically for me, is a several fold process of understanding.

[vic]

yeah there are a lot of repeats and retelling of his own story, with a couple years added onto it and more of a 'what you can do' epilogue to it

unfortunately my attention span is shit so it's hard for me to grasp economics and remember what it is i read enough to understand it enough past seeing right and wrong. it can be a healthy thing in some ways i think.

[TakeAStepBack]

Thought i would bump some additions.

As We Go Marching
by John Thomas Flynn

The Roosevelt Myth
by John Thomas Flynn

The Real Crash: America's Coming Bankruptcy (just finished this one. Lots of redundencies, but also lots of new knowledge)
by Peter Schiff

Currency Wars
by James Rickards

The Road to Serfdom
by Friedrich-A-Hayek

Blacklisted by History: The real Story of senator Joe McCarthy
by M. Stanton Evans

[beerzrkr]

Curious George Rides a Bike by Hans Augusto Rey and Margret Rey

Red Fish Blue Fish by Dr Seuss

The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne