???
Did you try actually reading the book? He doesn't use such big words, most people should be ok. Unfortunately, it can't be broken down into a few one-liners.
Basically, what he is on about though is trying to explain the psychological progression of fascism and how it can, is, and will happen here in North America if we aren't careful and ignore years of behavioral psychology studies.
It has chapters first trying to explain the "follower" mindset (i.e. why they can't think for themselves, why they're so easily manipulated, etc.), then it goes on to explain the psychology of their leadership (the 2 breeds of authoritarian).
In the last chapter he editorializes a bit, projecting the future of the USA and Canada under authoritarian leadership based on what has currently happened.
Basically, if you are an authoritarian follower, don't bother reading this. A lot of terminalogy used to describe authoritarian followers can seem a bit "negative" and hit pretty close to home. Its also full of things like facts and such, and we all know facts have a well-known liberal bias.
Did you try actually reading the book? He doesn't use such big words, most people should be ok. Unfortunately, it can't be broken down into a few one-liners.
Basically, what he is on about though is trying to explain the psychological progression of fascism and how it can, is, and will happen here in North America if we aren't careful and ignore years of behavioral psychology studies.
It has chapters first trying to explain the "follower" mindset (i.e. why they can't think for themselves, why they're so easily manipulated, etc.), then it goes on to explain the psychology of their leadership (the 2 breeds of authoritarian).
In the last chapter he editorializes a bit, projecting the future of the USA and Canada under authoritarian leadership based on what has currently happened.
Basically, if you are an authoritarian follower, don't bother reading this. A lot of terminalogy used to describe authoritarian followers can seem a bit "negative" and hit pretty close to home. Its also full of things like facts and such, and we all know facts have a well-known liberal bias.
I love how he has an introduction before his introduction...
The fact that the sun's core burns at 27,000,000° F has absolutely no political bias, and the same applies to most others. The fact that 'you're a silly goose' isn't even politically motivated.GorillaTicTacs wrote:
...and we all know facts have a well-known liberal bias.
Last edited by unnamednewbie13 (2007-04-12 07:41:57)
The sun is getting hotter and therefore the superflous radiation is contributing to global warming. We dumb libs want those even dumber gas guzzling neo con noobs to stop using their 8.0L trucks and start using a bike (not the slut kind).unnamednewbie13 wrote:
I love how he has an introduction before his introduction...The fact that the sun's core burns at 27,000,000° F has absolutely no political bias, and the same applies to most others. The fact that 'you're a silly goose' isn't even politically motivated.GorillaTicTacs wrote:
...and we all know facts have a well-known liberal bias.
Blackbelts are just whitebelts who have never quit.
No I didn't read the book. I read the stuff on the page as a preview to whether I would buy the book or not, kind of like a movie trailer.GorillaTicTacs wrote:
???
Did you try actually reading the book? He doesn't use such big words, most people should be ok. Unfortunately, it can't be broken down into a few one-liners.
Comparing anything to nazi Germany IMO means that guy is six beers short of a six pack.
You gotta ask yourself "What does 'Nazi Germany' mean to you?". If it means "those krauts that were evil and gassed Jews and we kicked their asses and had a crazy Hitler in charge...", well, then of course just about anything is an "invalid arguement" against that reasoning.usmarine2005 wrote:
No I didn't read the book. I read the stuff on the page as a preview to whether I would buy the book or not, kind of like a movie trailer.GorillaTicTacs wrote:
???
Did you try actually reading the book? He doesn't use such big words, most people should be ok. Unfortunately, it can't be broken down into a few one-liners.
Comparing anything to nazi Germany IMO means that guy is six beers short of a six pack.
But if, from the point of view of a serious student of history, you look at the social climate of Germany in the 1930's and the rise of the right-wing, you will find some very scary paralells to what is happening today, to include even identical wording. If you've ever been to Germany or know someone who has, you'll note that Germans aren't remotely evil by and large, and it is unlikely this aspect of their society has changed radically in 60 years.
So what psychological traits shared by enough Germans at the time to allowed Hitler to come to power? Why is this still important today? What other aspects of society are showing similarities, what are the differences? What individual traits allow them to resist such things as state-mandated torture of another person? Or simply phoning in your neighbor to the "moral authorities"?
You need to understand that with the rise of fascism in any society, it will be uniquely flavored to the culture. In Germany it was Nazi-brand fascism, with Jew hating and direct expansionism and Christian nationalism. In America it is now NeoCon-brand fascism..."draped in a flag, carrying a cross, and brought to you live by Fox News."
The book, which is free (chapters are right there in full), attempts to answer all these questions and more by going into the mind of a "follower" personality and the leaders that manipulate them.
Unfortunately that's the way it works. You say "Nazi Germany" and all people can see is WWII newsreel footage of goose-stepping guys in black uniforms decades of time and half a world away from now. Nobody stops to really consider how the whole show fired up in the first place.