10 Books that Screwed Up The World
Published on May 14, 2008 - 963 Comments
Books are one of our greatest resources, but many times in history books have been written which are misleading or untrue. In some cases this has lead to widescale death and destruction and evil governmental regimes.
This is a list of ten of the worst books of this type - books that have done more harm than good. The common thread in all of these books is deception - invariably not intentional, but the consequences are the same regardless.
I have intentionally left off some of the more obvious choices - as they will almost certainly come up in the comments. This list is in no particular order.
On the list because: It inflamed witch hunts across Europe
Malleus Maleficarum (The Hammer of Witchraft) was a manual for witch hunters and judges to catch witches and stamp them out. It came out just prior to the protestant reformation and it was one of the most popular books amongst the reformers who were wanting to smash “evil” out of their countries. Between 1487 and 1520, twenty editions of the Malleus were published, and another sixteen editions were published between 1574 to 1669. This book single-handedly launched centuries of witch hunts.
On the list because: it turned out to be a creation of her own sexual confusions and aspirations
Margaret Mead was an American cultural anthropologist who traveled to Samoa to answer the questions on sexuality posed in America in the 1920s (particularly with reference to women). Unfortunately for Mead, the youths she interviewed in Samoa told her wild tales of sexual promiscuity and Mead reported it all as fact. One of the girls later said: “She must have taken it seriously, but I was only joking. As you know, Samoan girls are terrific liars when it comes to joking. But Margaret accepted our trumped up stories as though they were true.” If challenged by Mead, the girls would not have hesitated to tell the truth, but Mead never questioned their stories. According to Wikipedia: “The use of cross-cultural comparison to highlight issues within Western society was highly influential, and contributed greatly to the heightened awareness of Anthropology and Ethnographic study in the USA.” Interestingly, Mead was a highly regarded academic and had a large part in the formulation of the 1979 American Book of Common Prayer (Church of England).
On the list because: it was the inspiration for a long list of tyrannies (Stalin had it on his nightstand)
The Prince is a treatise meant for rulers who had shed all scruples - to a point that they might see evil as potentially more beneficial to society than good. Machiavelli hoped to start a revolution in the hearts of his readers, and he certainly achieved that. He proudly stated things that others before him had only dared to whisper, and he whispered things that had not even been considered. According to Machiavelli “it is not necessary for a prince to have all the above-mentioned qualities [merciful, faithful, humane, honest, and religious], but it is indeed necessary to appear to have them. Nay, I dare say this, that by having them and always observing them, they are harmful; and by appearing to have them they are useful.” Some of the people inspired by this book are Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini, and Napoleon I of France.
On the list because: it helped spread Hitler’s genocidal anti-Semitism
In Mein Kampf, Hitler outlined his racist plan for a new Germany which included mass murder of Jews, and a war against France and Russia to make living space for Germans. At the time of publication the book was largely ignored, but once Hitler rose to power that changed. It is believed that over 10 million copies were in circulation in 1945. The book is largely influenced by The Crowd: A Study of the Popular Mind by Gustave Le Bon (1895) which suggested propaganda as a means to controlling the irrational behavior of crowds. In addition, Hitler drew on the fabricated Protocols of the Elders of Zion to give support for the need for his anti-semitic plans. Hitler speaks of “The Jewish Peril” which he believed was a conspiracy by Jews to take over the world. The book outlines the racial worldview in which people are classified by race as superior or inferior. In 2003 the sequel to Mein Kampf, Zweites Buch, was published in English for the first time. Zweites Buch (Second Book) expands on the original ideas of Mein Kampf and outlines further plans for a war with the United States and the British Empire for entire world domination by Germany.
On the list because: it preaches eugenics
Margaret Sanger is the mother of modern contraception and the founder of Planned Parenthood. In her 1922 book, The Pivot of Civilization, she outlined her theories of eugenics (control of the human race by selective breeding) and racial purity (3 years before Hitler did the same in Mein Kampf). The basis of her support of contraception was entirely due to her belief that inferior humans should be killed to enable a superior race to appear over time. Sanger did not just entertain popular ideas of her time - she was the champion of the cause. In her book she says: “the most urgent problem of to-day is how to limit and discourage the over-fertility of the mentally and physically defective.” She goes on to say: “possibly drastic and Spartan methods may be forced upon American society if it continues complacently to encourage the chance and chaotic breeding that has resulted from our stupid, cruel sentimentalism.” Birth control was, in her mind, “the greatest and most truly eugenic method.” Needless to say, Planned Parenthood today have tried very hard to distance themselves from their founder.
On the list because: it convinced the world that education is not about facts
In Democracy and Education, Dewey disparages schooling that focuses on traditional character development and endowing children with hard knowledge, and encourages the teaching of thinking “skills” instead. His views have had great influence on the direction of American education–particularly in public schools. This book could be considered to be the anti-classical education manifesto. And the consequence? A generation of youths with an inferior education which lacks a founding in solid facts and knowledge. Dewey was one of the three founders of the philosophical school of Pragmatism - a school of thought which proposes that “truth” is made and can change. The current curriculum in New Zealand is one which would please Dewey immensely as it is largely founded on his principles.
On the list because: it caused deaths through bad advice
Regardless of whether you agree with the methodology of Spock, no one can deny that many children probably died of cot death as a result of his advice to put babies to sleep on their stomachs. This advice was extremely influential on health-care providers, with nearly unanimous support through to the 1990s. Spock believed that babies on their back can choke on their own vomit - leading to death. Scientists eventually found that Spock’s advice actually lead to more deaths by suffocation. Estimates of the number of deaths caused by this bad advice are as many as 50,000. Spock also advocated a method of child raring that moved away from discipline based methods. Previously, experts had told parents that babies needed to learn to sleep on a regular schedule, and that picking them up and holding them whenever they cried would only teach them to cry more and not to sleep through the night. Spock taught the exact opposite.
On the list because: it was a propaganda book designed to incite racial hatred
The Protocols of the Elders of Zion is a booklet that purports to describe a plot by world Jewry and Masonry to take over the world. Despite the fact that the booklet is a hoax, it was spread wide and far and believed by most Europeans to be true. Many people today still consider it be factual. It was instrumental to Hitler’s anti-Jewish efforts in Germany and it was used after the Russian Revolution to perpetrate hatred and violence against Jews. The booklet continues to be published and disseminated in many Middle Eastern states which are political enemies of Israel.
On the list because: it could win the award for the most malicious book ever written
This book has inspired some of the most brutal regimes in man’s history. Regardless of whether there has been a state which is a true Marxist state, this book has inspired so many evil actions that it can not be left off a list of this nature. Some of the principles found in the manifesto are the abolition of private ownership of land, confiscation of property of emigrants, heavy taxes, and the abolition of inheritance.
On the list because: It fuels fundamentalist attacks on Science
By arguing against aspects of Darwin’s theories, this book has given fuel to the fundamentalists who argue that a literal interpretation of the Book of Genesis is the only possible manner in which the earth was created. Despite much refutation from the Scientific community, many fundamentalists still use this as a “source” for proof that evolution is not true. The book itself was not peer reviewed as Behe claimed under oath, and the Science community has overwhelming rejected it. It should be noted that Behe himself is not a fundamentalist and does not believe in a literal interpretation of the Bible.
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1. Sean - May 14th, 2008 at 7:32 am
Great list. Mead’s book really is funny. When reading it, the stories about sex from the locals seem far-fetched. Despite being refuted as bad anthropology practices, this book is still taught in many Cultural Anthropology classes.
2. JwJwBean - May 14th, 2008 at 7:42 am
Interesting list. I rather enjoyed it. Some of these sound rather interesting. I kind of would like to read them.
3. Kreachure - May 14th, 2008 at 7:45 am
Nice list. It’s a good thing I haven’t read any of these books, right?
Also, this list is SO asking for a war in the comments.
4. dangorironhide - May 14th, 2008 at 7:45 am
I take it you deliberately left off religious texts then
Quite an interesting list. I might have a read of ‘Darwin’s Black Box’, it always amuses me how people can take science, deform it out of all recognition, then spout it as truth.
5. jfrater - May 14th, 2008 at 7:47 am
JwJwBean: you should - they have their merit historically
6. JOE ROSSON - May 14th, 2008 at 7:48 am
Great list.One book that has spawned some deaths is The Turner Diaries,the book that Tomothy Mcviegh had in his car when he was caught after the OK. bombing.And I guess one could argue that The Bible could be on this list as well.
7. carpe_noctem - May 14th, 2008 at 7:53 am
This is really interesting, there’s bound to be hell in the comments, but controversial lists are always the most interesting. I’ll try to have a look at some of these if I can.
And good call leaving off the religious lists!
8. Kris - May 14th, 2008 at 7:56 am
This is a good list! I’ve never heard of the first one, suprisingly…
9. Sharki - May 14th, 2008 at 7:57 am
Best list in a long time! I really mean that.
I like the inclusion of Sanger’s book. Feminist and radical leftists have succeed in making her out to be some kind of defender of a woman’s right to chose. Far too few people know enough about her true nature and what she was really trying to do.
10. FierceGrace - May 14th, 2008 at 7:58 am
#4
“Previously, experts had told parents that babies needed to learn to sleep on a regular schedule, and that picking them up and holding them whenever they cried would only teach them to cry more and not to sleep through the night. Spock taught the exact opposite.”
He was right for this one.
The common belief up until recently was that you will “spoil” your child if you pick them up and comfort them.
There is a new movement, one in which the health care field is starting to become fairly fond of called “Attachment parenting.”
There has been no evidence the children who are picked up and comforted do not attain a regular sleep pattern or become needy. Infact, they are more secure and confident.
Now I’m running out of steam, I’m gonna stop writing
11. tron - May 14th, 2008 at 7:59 am
you should dishonorable mention all books like the bible, koran, etc.
12. jfrater - May 14th, 2008 at 8:00 am
Kreachure: yep
dangorironhide: yep
13. JT - May 14th, 2008 at 8:24 am
jfrater: I’m not sure whether you’ve read Darwin’s Black Box, but Behe is a noted biochemist who believes in evolution and common descent. He completely disassociates himself from the creationist movement. While he is entirely wrong, and culpable for the wave of anti-science in the US, he actually argues for evolution, and his argumets have to do solely with irreducible complexity i.e the theory that some organisms are too complex to have evolved incrimentally. He’s wrong, but not a Creationist. They mainly use stuff like Duane Gish’s ‘The Fossils Say No’ or ‘Darwin on Trial’.
14. Dan - May 14th, 2008 at 8:26 am
Longtime reader, first-time poster.
Including Machiavelli on the list is certainly an interesting choice. I just finished taking a class on the text, and while you definitely touched on the most difficult aspect of Machiavelli’s treatise (The “Appearing to be noble being superior to true nobility” part), Machiavelli also spoke of the need to treat the common people with respect. In Chapter XX, “On the Various forms of Defensive Structures and Their Uses,” he states that “The strongest fortress is built upon the love and loyalty of one’s own people.” Machiavelli himself was not a proponent of genocide or overwhelming cruelty. Rather, he was pragmatic, saying that morality takes a backseat to security. Italy int he 1500s was hiring Swiss mercenaries and constantly falling victim to incoming invasions, primarily because the influence of the Papacy was promoting “moral” leadership, which at the time included a lack of military build-up, the notion that the ruling classes were entirely superior to the peasant classes, and promoted an opulent lifestyle for the Nobles.
But you’re point definitely still stands. I personally like Machiavelli extensively, almost as much as listverse.
By the way, came across Machiavelli when he read about Otto von Bismark, who kept a copy on his nightstand as well.
15. Nicowarrior - May 14th, 2008 at 8:26 am
What’s wrong with Democracy and Education?
sounds fine to me
16. Joel - May 14th, 2008 at 8:26 am
I’ve never heard of #1. I guess I’m confused why a book about Darwinism that’s been mostly rejected would screw up the world more than Mein Kampf or The Communist Manifesto, which seemed to play large roles in some pretty major events in history (ie WW2, the Soviet Union).
17. CRE - May 14th, 2008 at 8:26 am
I love how people will seize upon any chance to attack religion.
The reason that books like the Bible and Koran are not on this list is because these books (and truly, the Bible is not a “book”, it is several books) were not writen with the sole intent to promote evil. Indeed, the Bible (”do unto others…”, “turn the other cheek…”) the Koran (”the Jews and the Christians will have their places in Heaven”) present very good directives to live your life well.
Of course, that matters little to those whose hobby it is to disparage the beliefs of others due to their own egocentrism and belief in self-superiority. If you need evidence of this, just ask yourselves how you would respond when some other ignorant soul suggests that “On the Origin of the Species” be included on this list.
They could claim (falsely) that it has led to genocide, ethnocentrism, and any number of ills, because they do not understand the work. The same is true for the anti-religion crowd. I have met very few people who can argue against religion from a strictly logical standpoint. It always devolves into emotion. Of course, the ultimate irony to the anti-religion crowd is that they claim to dislike religion on the grounds that they do not want someone dictating their lives and actions, and yet they will allow me to do so by baiting them into a conversation that I can pretty accurately predict on a forum board.
Free will indeed.
18. bucslim - May 14th, 2008 at 8:27 am
My question is what do you burn apart from witches?
19. MzFly - May 14th, 2008 at 8:28 am
Great List! I haven’t read many of these and I never even heard of a few of them. But, it’s always interesting to me how people are just as inspired by words of hate as they are by the words of love.
I would definitely mention the Turner Diaries as a very recent example, but I don’t think it could replace any of these on the list.
20. Thewalkindude - May 14th, 2008 at 8:28 am
With “The Prince” and “The Communist Manifesto” it’s all about how you interpret them. I had to read both of them for a political science class, and I can see how they can be used for evil, but also, perhaps for good. Maybe I’m just a ridiculous optimist, but I think that Marx honestly felt that his book could not be taken in the way that Stalin took it.
21. ChrisM - May 14th, 2008 at 8:29 am
While the disbelief in Evolution is scientifically weak I wouldn’t say it’s the worst propaganda on the list, in fact, I’d say it’s the least harmful out of the ten.
Eugenics, racism and tyranny cause more problems than someone believing the world is only 6000 years old
22. ehhh - May 14th, 2008 at 8:30 am
you forgot the bible, no joke…I havnt met a single person that has had their life actually made “better” by the bible..but millions of people for hundreds of years have been killed because of stuff written in the bible
23. jfrater - May 14th, 2008 at 8:31 am
bucslim: easy question! The answer is, of course, books!
Thewalkindude: you are probably right - but the manifesto principles are anti-freedom and I think that regardless of Marx’s intentions, he had to have a flawed perspective to think that it is better for people to have their freedom taken from them - who benefits from that? Despots.
ChrisM: let us not forget that the rejection of evolution as a possibility based solely on a fundamentalist interpretation of the Bible has lead many people to try to have discussion of it removed from school curricula - it is pretty bad when any group tries to suppress open debate.
24. Tobbytoy - May 14th, 2008 at 8:34 am
I like the list. It might be helpful to you to do a quick revision of a few sections. There are some mixed phrases and mispellings.
The Dewey book seems a little out of place here especially since many of the theories and practices he advocates are still being debated. You pointed to New Zealand as a place that applies his theories. I suppose it goes to refute the fact that the book has negative effects when you highlight a place in which it is doing some amazing things (i.e. highest literacy rate). I think the list in general was well done.
25. MzFly - May 14th, 2008 at 8:35 am
Cre: There are a few books on this list that were not written with the “sole intent to promote evil” as you say. The criteria states that these books were misleading and/or untrue. Knowing that, I think the Bible along with other religious texts, could certainly fit the bill.
26. Dre - May 14th, 2008 at 8:36 am
Hey what about Mao’s Little Red book? Thats DEFINITELY a book that screwed up the lives of 1 out of 6 people on earth in the 20th century.
And what about the Bible, Koran, the Hadith, Torah, and other religious texts? Its not so much the texts themselves, but people’s interpretations, but yeah. They definitely could be understood as screwing up the world.
27. jfrater - May 14th, 2008 at 8:38 am
Nicowarrior: the problem is rejecting fact based education - some things are objectively true and to deny that is seriously wrong. The results in New Zealand from 10 years of this type of education system (where there are no tests because everyone passes) has given rise to a generation of uneducated people. Even reading abilities are dropping massively.
28. BishopWhiteT - May 14th, 2008 at 8:44 am
CRE - well said
bucslim - wood, which floats, but what else floats?
Notable ommission - Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. There were things in that book that definately screwed up my little boy world. You cannot unread.
29. Mark - May 14th, 2008 at 8:44 am
Nice list, but the Bible has to top the list. No book has completely FU humanity like it has. Science has showed that when a believer thinks about his faith, the reason part of his brain gets inhibited. The more “practice” a believer gets in thinking about faith, the more likely the reason center becomes inhibited in all matters, not just religion. In fact, there’s a great series of experiments at Standford that shows that you can literally take a believer, inject this part of the brain with the appropriate neurotransmitter, and he stops believing. Belief is a form of mental illness. It is the single greatest threat to the human species.
30. mitchsn - May 14th, 2008 at 8:44 am
Ya noticed that there were no religious texts listed here. Understandably because what that would’ve touched off.
But seriously, more deaths/murders/etc were conducted in the name of religion/pickyourgod than anything else.
31. JwJwBean - May 14th, 2008 at 8:46 am
I don’t think the books were evil. Some of the writers might have been. I also think that what happens because of the book depends on who reads it and the way they interpret it and what they do with it. The same goes for all the religious books being refrenced in the comments. I wonder if anyone has been evilly influenced by Green Eggs and Ham yet. Hmm it is telling me to relentlessly bother someone until they try what I like because it will make them like it (regardless is they actually do or not). Yeah, Yeah. I will have to follow that book now.
32. bucslim - May 14th, 2008 at 8:49 am
I thought the answer was more witches.
33. Quiana - May 14th, 2008 at 8:53 am
I have to read most of these. I hope they aren’t too hard to find.
34. BishopWhiteT - May 14th, 2008 at 8:57 am
Blaming the Bible, or any book for the actions of someone who mis-reads or mis-interprets it is like accusing David Berkowitz’s neighbor’s dog of murder.
35. TBone - May 14th, 2008 at 9:01 am
You are incorrect in your synopsis of “Darwin’s Black Box” and its author, Michael Behe. He does not believe in a literal 7-day creation story. I have read it. I take it you haven’t. But to say that it claims “a literal interpretation of the Book of Genesis is the only possible manner in which the earth was created” is a misrepresentation. Behe seems to be an old-earth, pseudo-creationist.
36. goof_ball - May 14th, 2008 at 9:01 am
ive never read any of these. =/
37. Blogball - May 14th, 2008 at 9:03 am
This is the kind of list that keeps coming back to the list universe. Very educational and is very different from a book with the same title. Although some of the obvious books are the same.
I know someone suggested this in a previous comment but when the list is in no particular order maybe they should be numbered 1-10. This would be a sign for everyone that it is a random list.
Just a suggestion. Thanks for another interesting list.
38. Marc-O - May 14th, 2008 at 9:06 am
I have to defend the prince here. If anything, you’re shooting the messenger.
It’s more a treatise on political cynicism and yes, tyranny (It was written in the middle ages, remember), and I think it’s a really healthy read for any person interested in politics. If anything, this book, in the hand of the people, should teach them to see the tyrants where they are and not to trust the political “showbusiness”.
In the end, the Prince just provides a very clean and cold-blooded analysis of how to rule efficiently. Well, it’s Machiavelli’s interpretation based on his own, medieval knowledge. It’s political science - observation - and not a moral standpoint. Machiavelli didn’t create tyrants, tyrants just used his book for their own ends. If you look deep enough, you’ll probably find that many “good” politicians also read the book, and that a lot of them think it’s a great book too.
In the end, if you wanna blame the actions of some people on books, you always can, but on that level, I think many holy books would need to be placed on the list too.
39. MiSaNtHrOpE - May 14th, 2008 at 9:06 am
It would certainly be more effective to put up The Bible than any auxillary text used by the YECists [Young-Earth Creationists]. Despite some messages of good, most of it is filled with xenophobia.
The Koran presents its own problems: According to my Myth & Folklore professor, Ayatollah Khomeini was “very close” to what the Koran actually said.
If you’re going to include The Communist Manifesto, The Bible and Koran are guilty on the same basis.
40. longball - May 14th, 2008 at 9:14 am
JF-site isn’t letting me go to this list when i log in????\
ALL- Darwin’s Black Box, eh, I will have to read it. Sounds interesting. Is it categorized as fiction or Nonfiction?
Mark - Where can i find access to this Stanford Experiment results? I am curious if thats complete bullshit like any religious person who *actually believes* would say or if there is some bit of truth to it somewhere. I think the whole idea that you can change a persons beliefs is crap and if they weere a true believer and follower it would not be possible.
41. DavidB - May 14th, 2008 at 9:17 am
Everything You’ve Always Wanted To Know About Sex But Were Afraid To Ask by Dr. David Rueben. Its mega-phobic and hateful chapter on homosexuality where gay people are described sick doomed perverts kept me in the closet an extra 5 years.
42. jfrater - May 14th, 2008 at 9:18 am
TBone: I didn’t say he believed in it - I said his book fuels the belief in it due to refuting aspects of Darwin’s theories.
43. jfrater - May 14th, 2008 at 9:18 am
longball: what do you mean?
44. zubair kaka - May 14th, 2008 at 10:13 am
to all the guys out there blasting religious books:
i think that blaming all the evils on the world on religious texts is lazy and inaccurate. Whilst you might focus on the topics or passages which you perceive as hate speech or war mongering, you ignore all the good humanly advice in these texts.
Poverty is challenged by encouraging charity, Demoralization is challenged by chastity, greed is challenged by helping less fortunate and the list of solutions to evils is endless.
I challenge you to read any of the three major holy books (Bible, Torah and Quraan)pondering over its meaning and implementing the good advises in it and then tell me if those books really screwed up the world or made a positive effect on the removal of evil.
Mr Charles Darwin’s influence and Karl Marx and on tyrants such as Hitler, Staling and Mussolini cannot even come close to any fundamentalist who killed in the name of his religion.
45. Kate - May 14th, 2008 at 10:26 am
Yeah Sangers book was definately, definately evil. I think that and “Mein Kamph” should of definately surpassed “Darwin’s Black Box”.
There is no way to justify eugenics and racial hatred, not at all. DBB is just a belief in the ever-changing world of paradigms. What was the “truth” in 1800 is no longer the truth today, just as what was considered to be the truth in 1600 was all but dismissed by 1800.
Sanger and Hitler, on the other hand, championed eliminating or stifling entire races or types of people.
46. Kreachure - May 14th, 2008 at 10:26 am
Hey, you missed a very important one:
THE HARRY POTTER BOOKS!
Thanks to those, we got our kids running around with brooms pretending to be witches and wizards, and calling people muggles and calling out spells, and believing in magic, and wanting to go to that wizard school, and the dragons and the unicorns and the Quidditch and the Dark Arts and the plot twists and the boom-boom and the hoobie-dobbie-blagahblah– WORK OF THE DEVIL, I TELLS YA!
47. padraig - May 14th, 2008 at 10:37 am
The Bible has as much right or more the the Manifesto to be on the list.
48. SlickWilly - May 14th, 2008 at 10:38 am
I’ll admit I have not read “Democracy and Education” but honestly, it doesn’t appear to be all that bad. I agree with the spirit of the book: critical thinking skills are more useful and more conducive to providing a proper working education than hard facts. I think the problem comes when the emphasis on fact is removed *completely*, which sounds like what happened. Of course facts have a place in education, and a big one at that. But if you think that memorizing a bunch of facts about something makes you somehow smarter or more educated, you are sorely mistaken. The thought processes of education and learning are infinitely more valuable than the information itself. That’s why one goes to college or university: it’s not to learn the information so much as its to gain the knowledge and skills on how to find the information if and when you need it, and how to interpret it in a way that is useful. That being said, I certainly don’t think including “Democracy and Education” in this list and excluding “The Turner Diaries” was a good move.
Secondly, while I wholeheartedly agree with Behe’s book being an annoying source of fuel for creationists, I doubt it deserves the #1 spot on a list of books that have screwed up the world. The problem with the “Black Box” is that it a book that finally gives what creationists feel is some sort of scientific rebuttal against evolution in the face of detractors that criticize creationism for it’s non-scientific approach. They feel it offers them some degree of legitimancy. The biggest problem is, to this day, you have creationists citing Behe’s book in their arguments, even though whole TOMES have been written systematically breaking down each and every one of Behe’s arguments and proven them false or misleading. Yes, it’s bothersome and silly, but has it screwed up the world? That’s up for debate.
Also…while some might find the idea of eugenics abhorrant, I find it logical, if it is applied with the proper intent (that is, strengthening the gene pool by filtering out inheritable genetic discrepancies). I certainly don’t take the idea seriously, and I don’t believe anyone should have to die because of it. However, I don’t think “The Pivot of Civilization” was such an evil book just because it states in blunt terms what many have speculated and whispered about for generations. It’s interesting in conjecture and theory, rather like the Communist Manifesto, and also like the Manifesto, would be likely to fail in practice for no other reason than our own corruptibilty. This might be an unpopular opinion around here.
49. padraig - May 14th, 2008 at 10:39 am
The Bible has as much right, or perhaps more than the Manifesto to be on the list.
50. Bob - May 14th, 2008 at 10:39 am
“My question is what do you burn apart from witches?”
More witches!!!
Ehh: You’re an idiot. More people killed in the last century in the name of secularism than killed in the name of Christ in all of history.
51. SlickWilly - May 14th, 2008 at 10:41 am
And also…please…please people, give up the whole religious text thing. It’s not clever or smart, and those books have done as or more good than harm. Much like others on this list, the book itself is not what screwed up the world…it was the falacious interpretations of unscrupulous people that screwed up the world.
52. padraig - May 14th, 2008 at 10:46 am
Of course, wars are often fought with the motto being raised by all sides that ” we will win, we must win, as we have secularism on our side”. Also, the thing about commentary is it should be kept impersonal and respectful, as it is being done after all electronically and facelessly, eh Bob? Otherwise you come off as being a bit of an internet tough guy, you know what I mean?
53. SlickWilly - May 14th, 2008 at 10:59 am
Bob: I’d be interested to see your sources on that statement.
54. Christine - May 14th, 2008 at 11:00 am
Note to Joel - these are not in any particular order, as outlined in bold at the top.
Excellent list, I’ve never heard of some of these so I will have to look into it.
One question on “Coming of Age in Samoa.” The description says that the stories are from girls who exaggerated their wild tales but it also says that they are Mead’s own sexual confusions and aspirations. I haven’t read the book yet so I’m not sure which it is. Did Mead make up the stories or did she report the Samoans’ exaggerated stories and add her own thoughts in there? I’m confused.
55. warningdontreadthis - May 14th, 2008 at 11:01 am
No Bible or Quran???
56. LordCalvert - May 14th, 2008 at 11:02 am
here’s one that may get some folk’s panties in a bunch.
THE KORAN. that rag has inspired centuries of bloodshed by the most evil cult in all of history.
57. DiscHuker - May 14th, 2008 at 11:03 am
padraig: i agree with being respectful, but ehh’s comment was pretty idiotic.
bob: you beat me to it!! i was reading all the comments and couldn’t believe that nobody was finishing that line correctly. “ohhhh. who are you that are so wise in the ways of sciencec”
jayfray: i would agree with whoever said that you should have “in no particular order” in really big letters. i was all set to get going about black box being number 1 when i was reminded of the intro.
ehh: never met ONE person positively effected by the Bible. either you are living under a rock or you are seriously blinded by your bias.
58. DiscHuker - May 14th, 2008 at 11:06 am
oh yeah…(how did i forget to address this one?)
mark: (#29) do you realize that you just said that anyone with religous beliefs is mentally handicapped? please provide some sort of reference to this over the top accusation.
59. padraig - May 14th, 2008 at 11:10 am
I’d tend to disagree with his statement as well. My point is that I have noticed that people , especially dudes for some reason, tend to comport themselves differently online than they would in real life, throw around alot of language they would not use otherwise. Strikes me as bad debate technique at best, cowardly at worst.
60. Blogball - May 14th, 2008 at 11:11 am
I just knew it wouldn’t take long for folks to bring up the bible. I’m sure jfrater knew the same thing which makes this site so entertaining!
When I hear people talk about the evils of the bible and how dangerous the bible is I sometimes ask this question: If you were in a dark alley and you saw several large men heading toward you, would you be a little relieved to know that they were just leaving from their weekly bible study? I know that the some moral relativism people out there are thinking hey, those bible study people could be trying to give me poison cool aid or drown my kids in a bathtub because God told them to do so. I hear this all the time from some friends of mine. They will point out the crusades, or hypocritical TV evangelists etc. So they choose to throw the baby out with the bathwater and are convinced that all bible reading or religious people are crazy gullible people. Can’t we take in consideration the imperfection of man himself and not blame it all on religion or a holy book? Most religions & religious books teach peace and look to improve the world in positive ways. Mans belief and faith in his or her religion has been the inspiration of so many wonderful and beautiful things such as music, literature, architecture and has helped to build hospitals, schools and countless other things we just take for granted. I know the anti religious the agnostics the atheists want the same things as religious people and that’s a peaceful world. Believers and non believers can both take credit for many atrocities throughout history but when I think about living in a world with no religion and no faith I just think what a drab drab world that would be.
61. playyahplay - May 14th, 2008 at 11:11 am
BishopWhiteT: ducks float therefore if she weighs the same as a duck….SHE’S A WITCH!!!!
62. Randall - May 14th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Slick (and others):
DEMOCRACY AND EDUCATION.
Okay, here’s why it’s bad.
We are still living, in large part, in an educational world influenced by and cut from the cloth of Dewey. Not as much as when I was a kid, but still… and if you take a minute and look around, you find wherever you look an education system that is nowhere near as efficient or productive as it once was. When my parents went to school, in the 30s/40s, they could graduate (from high school) and would have the equivalent of a college education today, at any decent quality college. Now granted, we have more to learn today–science has advanced, and computers have entered the scene. We also don’t limit ourselves to only the thoughts and viewpoints of dead white males (though sometimes we do discard them too readily in favor of less interesting substitutes). Nevertheless, what our parents were exposed to was far more deep (if not always quite as broad) than what we were exposed to in school.
Dewey laid the groundwork for this watering down of education. The point he had was that it IS the job of educators to teach people how to THINK, primarily… not to teach them “stuff.” (which is secondary, but necessary). But it quickly became forgotten that these two aims need to mesh together, and that the teaching of “stuff” can affect one’s ability to learn and think just as much as direct instruction in the processes of thinking.
And so, today, my children receive a very rudimentary and uninspiring education. It’s up to me, as a parent, to supplement that, if I want them to advance. Not a bad thing, surely–but not every parent is equipped as I am to educate their children in all the broad categories which are imperatives for them. Before Dewey, it could be expected that schools and teachers would not only introduce kids to learning things they would not otherwise encounter—but to offer actual instruction in these topics. The introductions were much more than peripheral and the instruction was far more than superficial. Yet today the best they can hope for is the very peripheral and the highly superficial… at best.
The telling issue here is this: I am 43 years old, and thus was in school from 1970 - 1983. I have three siblings who are considerably older than me… from 10 years to 15 years older. I had occasion, once, to gain access to some textbooks which my brothers had used in the 50s - mid 60s. (In fact, I still have a few of them). Now, while these textbooks were, by our standards today, rather Eurocentric and narrow in viewpoint, they nevertheless read like college textbooks, and not at all like upper-elementary and high school books. I was shocked to discover what my siblings were being exposed to and actually *learning* when they were, oh… 10-18 years old.
By the time I got to school, however, Dewey had had his influence, and we instead got a watered down “Social Studies” instead of History, and the “new math” instead of traditional mathematics. The old English curriculum had almost completely been discarded and we read (and kids today read even worse stuff) very rudimentary and blah texts. Where my brothers and sister had read classics, the closest thing WE got to a “classic” was John Steinbeck (I, by the way, detest Steinbeck and feel he’s a very inferior writer—but the point is, THEY were reading things that I wasn’t compelled to read until college, if then).
Now, yes…. education was perhaps too regimental and rigid then. Perhaps. But what we can clearly see is that more and more kids, over the years, have gotten a short shrift compared to what their parents and grandparents got. We learn a wider variety of things, today…. but kids only get their toes in, at best.
We have Dewey to thank for the discarding of substance in favor of process. And the result? Our kids are far behind Europeans and Asians in math and science, watch Hollywood movies in class in lieu of actual instruction, and security is a greater concern in our schools than education.
63. elvorfin - May 14th, 2008 at 11:23 am
@Slickwilly
This is the first time that I post, but I have to point out that although Eugenetics seems logical, it is not. I’ve taken applied genetics as a course this semester and it is complex but it is almost impossible to select a disease out of a population. This is because of the fact that there are for more people who bear mutated genes but don’t have the disease. So the bad genes stay in the population.
64. Double D - May 14th, 2008 at 11:36 am
First off, the list is in no particular order.
Secondly, religous texts, regardless of the good that have come from them, have spawned more evil than ANY other book, essay, poem, collection of books etc…I’m not going to debate anyone’s belief system or how others have applied these texts to their everyday lives which have had positive outcomes. I am simply stating that throughout history countless atrocities have been committed based on what was interpreted from these texts. That is an indisputable fact!
65. Cthulhu - May 14th, 2008 at 11:39 am
While Machiavelli may have given potential dictators a how-to guide for staying in power, he was actually in favor of republics, believing them to be the best governments in terms of long-term stability. I’d recommend reading Machiavelli’s “Discourses on Livy” (sometimes published as just “The Discourses”) along with The Prince if you want to get a good feel for Machiavelli’s way of thinking.
Darwin’s Black Box doesn’t seem to merit inclusion in this list. Its impact was nowhere near that of the other entries on the list, and the ideas it contains are not even that groundbreaking. Furthermore, since it has been to a large extent discredited, proponents of intelligent design have moved on.
As for the Communist Manifesto, while I agree that it ought to be on the list, saying that it might be “the most malicious book ever written” sounds more like a case of personal disagreement with its message than a sober view of the facts.
66. Alex - May 14th, 2008 at 11:40 am
to be honest, I was pretty sure, that Bible would end up on 1st place, but unfortunately, it didn’t happen… :/
67. the Skin - May 14th, 2008 at 11:52 am
Great list overall; but, the number one book shouldn’t even be compared to the Communism Manifesto and mein kampf,these two books have destroyed hundred of millions of lives in the past century. If you’re going to put Black Box and Pivot of Civilization on the list you need to put The Origin of the Species on the list, Darwin’s work spawn these to misleading documents. Also many people have commited hate crimes with the misinterpretation of Darwin’s book. I also agree that the Bible and Quraan should be on the list but why are all these people just mentioning the bible.
68. zubair kaka - May 14th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
LordCalvert have u ever read the quraan or did u just hear that from Bill O Reilly/Fox news?
69. The Dread Pirate Bob - May 14th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
I can’t believe no one has mentioned the Dianetics/Scientology book(s). If it weren’t this garbage Tom Cruise and John Travolta would have been done making movies long ago and for that alone L Ron’s garbage should be listed
70. trojan_man - May 14th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Someone already said it, but don’t you people realize that the Bible is a collection of books, not a book.
71. QDV - May 14th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Do a search on Snopes for “Harry Potter” and you’ll be reminded of a famous quote from PT Barnum. The article from “The Onion” to which they refer is a riot as it is, but it’s even more hilarious that people forward it as “fact.”
72. SubliminalDeath666 - May 14th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
I agree, Mao Zedong’s Little Red Book brought many troubles to the societry of China, but I guess the book of communism by Karl Marx counts.
P.S. LOL!! Funny Mein Kampf Spoof
http://www.myconfinedspace.com.....-chair.jpg
73. JayArr - May 14th, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Everybody knows that witches equal the weight of ducks, and ducks float! (Dang, Playyahplay beats me to-da-punch-bowl!)
the mere mention of ‘religion’ raises the hackles on nearly everyone who hears it… the text itself (or original intent - which we rarely ever get from the writer) may not be a problem - it’s most often the interpretation and/or practice thereof which fouls things up for humanity.
By the way… more people have been killed by other people throughout all of human history because of “beliefs” (religion as primary - not just ‘bible’) than for any other cause/reason. Don’t believe me? Look it up.
Curses…gotta get back to work!
74. MunA - May 14th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
i agree with most of the books mentioned… but i thinking communist manifesto and prince are wrongly labled. it’s understandable that the books in question decipt and encorage dictorial rule. however, it is necesary to look at the enviroment the books were written in, Prince for instance was wrote to unite italy so it would escape constant threats from france and other major monarchies. as for communist manifesto, it was written after marx exprienced the working conditions the laborers were forced to work and live in during the europeon industrial revolution. i think it is unreasonable to call these books evil because the writers on their part had not intended any harm, most of the works today are up for judgement. it is up to veiwer how he/she follows the book and if he/she does do an evil deed, well the author shouldn’t be blamed for, it is err on readers’ part.
75. Arkz_Archduke_of_Geeks - May 14th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Y’know great list and all but im disgruntled by the communist manifesto its not all that bad.. we are all equal no one better then the next… its cause of fools like stalin communism is seen as a bad thing… best part of the manifesto no religion.. religion ruins us
76. Metalwrath - May 14th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Interesting list.
I’ve only read Mein Kampf out of these (and not entirely.. kind of boring).
77. kiwiboi - May 14th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
I think you are being harsh on John Dewey. In simplistic terms, he was against the old-school learn-by-rote, and propounded the development of intellectual skills. Which I, for one, have no problem with as a philosophy. Nonetheless, it does certainly seem that the quality of education has deteriorated over recent decades (a similar argument could, though, be made over preceding generations).
Similarly, Dr Spock. If you follow the links on wikipedia and read the International Journal of Epidemiology article cited, you will find some interesting points; Let me quote, for example:
The front sleeping position was recommended from 1943 to 1988 although the first text to advise against front sleeping was not published until 1992.
It wasn’t just Spock giving this advice; far from it…he was just the most well-known.
Also, those horrendous infant mortality figures appear somewhat conjectural; simple example…some infants could have died of cot-death whether or not they slept on their fronts (to use a simple example).
Ok, while I’m on a roll, I think the description of the Communist Manifesto is a little misleading.
This book has inspired some of the most brutal regimes in man’s history
It might be more accurate to say that various repressive regimes have used this book as a means of justifying/legitimising their evil social and political oppressions.
My advice to people regarding the Manifesto would be to recognise the social and historical contexts within which it was written (and, to actually read it, of course).
Finally, my nomination for a major omission from this list is Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring. Adherence to some of the acts promoted in this book are likely to have contributed to the deaths of, perhaps, millions of people.
78. Steve2 - May 14th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Candide by Voltaire had a profound effect on the French revolution. Great book. Nice list by the way.
79. Csimmons - May 14th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Awesome list, just find it ridiculous that people think its in order
80. Schiesl - May 14th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
though it is an essay not a book, Das Judenthum in der Musik by Richard Wagner (yes the composer) should be on this list. It was a huge inspiration to Hitler and his claim that jews were lesser people. He used, arguably the best GERMAN composer in history, essay to say “look at what this great german said, it must be true”. So i belive that should have a special spot as an essay on this list
81. Bob - May 14th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Some think The Prince was satire. . .
82. warningdontreadthis - May 14th, 2008 at 1:06 pm
zubair kaka:
You’re kidding right? Any sensible person, like Lord Calvert and I just need to look at current situations to see that the Bible and the Quran have caused bloodshed and violence all over the world.
83. SlickWilly - May 14th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
Randall: So was it Dewey’s ideas themselves that led to the problem of degrading education or was the application of his ideas? Of course the American education system is in decline, but I never really thought about why. I guess what I’m asking is: was Dewey completely off-base with his theory or was it the misinterpretation of his theory that is causing the problems we see today? (Once again, I’ve never read the book, so I’m completely in the dark here.)
Elvorfin: That’s a really good point. How would you feel about it if recent genetic advancements are taken into consideration? For instance, we now know which combination of genes can provide for a potential to develop certain mental and physical disorders. If potential parents were mandated by the government to be screened for an array of these disorders, and they found that if they were to have a child, there is a greater possibilty than not of that child developing a crippling disorder, they decided not to have a child, or (hypothetically) to engineer a child to be free of this disorder, would this not have some sort of effect in the long term by filtering out the recessive genes for the disorder? Of course, we are talking in hypotheticals, because such a system would be needlessly complicated and inefficient. Disposing of the phenotype will of course not have any effect in the long term, so long as the genotype continues to be passed on. But if we could intercept the genotype on a large enough scale, could this, in theory, effectively remove the disorder from the gene pool? A larger question might be that, given that natural selection for human beings (barring a massive global environment shift) has essentially come to a standstill, could genetic mutations ever be countered to a degree that would make such eugenics even beneficial, or is human eugenics (even with the technology we have/will have) an exercise in futility?
84. SlickWilly - May 14th, 2008 at 1:16 pm
kiwiboi: I think we had a previous conversation about this before. I wholeheartedly agree that Silent Spring should have been included on this list. I meant to mention that earlier but caught up in one my diatribes. That book caused a chain reaction that led to the deaths of millions upon millions of people. I would have included that before Darwin’s Black Box.
85. The Alchemist - May 14th, 2008 at 1:20 pm
you forgot the bible
86. Darxta - May 14th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
ANYTHING on SCIENTOLOGY should be on the list.
Since I don’t know any of the books, help from anyone?
87. Randall - May 14th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Kiwiboi:
‘k…. so you wanna give Marx a bit of a pass and say we’re too hard on the Spock and the Dewey (little remembered sitcom in the 70s… “Spock and Dewey.” They, you know… solved crimes… while running a furniture store as cover. Something like that) but you want Rachel Carson included because you think her war against DDT was unjustified. Uh huh.
So often, we agree, Kiwi… but I remind you of the story I told you before. My family (and doctors we’ve spoken to about this) are convinced that DDT killed my father. The man was healthy and a non-smoker, and didn’t drink (well, not to excess)… but he was a pilot and a flight trainer, and among the many things he did, he was a cropduster… in the late 50s/early 60s. Breathing in DDT every time he went up to dust crops.
Somehow, inexplicably, this otherwise healthy and vigorous man (bomber pilot in WWII, sportscar enthusiast–he had a collection of ‘em–athlete, etc. etc.) contracted *pancreatic cancer,* and died within months of his 42nd birthday… thankfully after having helped to conceive yours truly.
Such things happen for a reason. And the only theories anyone ever had was, he spent years around that stuff (DDT), breathing it in, handling it, getting it all over him…
Granted, pancreatic cancer can be caused by other factors. But interestingly, the pancreas is where you’d expect the stuff to end up and collect, if it got into his system in a sufficient quantity.
I don’t want to argue with you… neither of us knows the truth really. For all I know it was just a random thing, that bad luck gene that plagues some people. But let’s not be so quick to assume that Rachel Carson was dead wrong. We at least have some scientific support for the idea that DDT was causing harm to bird populations (the thinning of eggs hatched by bald eagles was the classic example). I remain suspicious of the part it may have played in my father’s death. Maybe–MAYBE–if the stuff had been outlawed years before–he might have lived.
In the meantime, insect populations mutate and evolve defenses against insecticides… so that we’ve had to switch from one material to another. (Malathion, et al). How many truly did die, because we switched from DDT to something else?
88. Blogball - May 14th, 2008 at 1:30 pm
From the Communist manifesto: Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with ’social’ religion”.
Is outlawing religion better than religious freedom?
89. James - May 14th, 2008 at 1:32 pm
Where’s Uncle’s Tom Cabin?
90. trojan_man - May 14th, 2008 at 1:40 pm
warningdontreadthis: examples please?
91. Mors - May 14th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Amazing list! I actually have a very old copy of Mein Kamph, I’m hanging onto it for the historical value and it’s worth a good chunk of cash now. I’ve read most the book on the list and it’s amazing how things thing that were written with good intentions ( at least for the good of humanity) ended up destroying entire societies.
Of course most religious text belong here too. Regardless of what you believe, it’s probably caused death and damage at some point in history.
92. trojan_man - May 14th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
How about “The Gun Digest Book of Trap and Skeet Shooting” by Larry Sterett…it specifically shows persons with guns how to shoot at moving targets. I’m pretty sure that most of the killings in the world have been done with guns. Oh, wait…human beings worth their salt know the difference between right and wrong, and don’t need to blame a book for the evils of society. People do terrible things for their own selfish motives…not because some book told them too. A lot of these books may have given people a starting point, but the evils committed were done by evil people.
93. kiwiboi - May 14th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
I don’t want to argue with you… neither of us knows the truth really.
Randall - Yes, of course, I remember you mentioning your father; it’s a tragic story, and it would be callous and ungracious - at best - for me to want to argue this one with you.
Which is why I won’t.
94. Bananas - May 14th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
I would love to hear responces from this:
Now, Im not an ultra religious superfreak or anything, but what has the Bible PERSONALLY done to you?? Sure, people have read too much into the Bible and did some crazy things, but come on. Its not like every Christian is a mass murderer of all Jews and Communists!
95. kiwiboi - May 14th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
ANYTHING on SCIENTOLOGY should be on the list.
I know where you are coming from, but Dianetics ? In the overall scheme of things it’s a relatively minor matter. Screwed up half of Hollywood, I guess, but aside from that…?
96. Dan - May 14th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
This is a good list except for you left off the Number one book EVER that screwed up the world…
The Bible
97. Joel - May 14th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Christine - Thanks for pointing that out in the intro! I guess I was thrown off by the 10-to-1 countdown of the list.
98. elvorfin - May 14th, 2008 at 2:41 pm
Slickwilly:
I’ll answer those questions tomorrow. It’s late (23:40) and I still need to finish a paper about stem cells (difficult stuff).
99. Bass - May 14th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Great List! As usual, haven’t heard of any of them.
100. Bass - May 14th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
What the hell? Jfrater, the comment count is 1 comment higher than the actual number on the list. Glitch?
101. candice - May 14th, 2008 at 3:33 pm
The Bible preaches quite clearly some of the most widely accepted moral standards…
Not Killing, or Stealing.
But LOVING YOUR NEIGHBOR and even your ENEMIES (even though thats not so widely accpeted).
How about the Qur’an?
Which tells believers in Islam to KILL THE NON-BELIEVERS?
I believe that there are radicals in all religions, but considering the current state of things. Well, draw your own conclusion I suppose.
Just tossing in my two cents.
102. Arkz_Archduke_of_Geeks - May 14th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
yes Blogball i do think outlawing religion is a good thing.. at least in politics, i am not a christian and it annoys me when i get funny looks when people find that out, i live in the United states were we are supposed to have religious freedom, the way i see it religion is a bad thing, well i should rephrase that statement. I’m fine with religion its the church i have problems with.. be it the bible or the qur’an they are mighty fine books indeed, its how people interpret them that causes problems, and especially if religious figure back them. i wont get much more into here.. this is not the time nor place for a religious argument.
103. Kris - May 14th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Candice- does the Qur’an actually say that or is it more something fanatics read out of it?
104. Blogball - May 14th, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Arkz_Archduke_of_Geeks , My point was that the Communist manifesto is mixing religion with politics by trying to abolish religion. I guess we will have to agree to disagree. Thank you giving me your take on it.
Arkz_Archduke_of_Geeks , My point was that the Communist manifesto is mixing religion with politics by trying to abolish it. I guess we will have to agree to disagree. Thank you giving me your take on it.
By the way I have many non-Christian friends and I get funny looks from them too.
Come to think of it my friends that happened to be Christians give me funny looks as well.
105. Blogball - May 14th, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Sorry for the double statement. No wonder why everybody gives me funny looks
106. miller - May 14th, 2008 at 4:23 pm
(sigh) everythings already been stated. The dumb and ingnorant have commented. The intelligent and socially aware have commented. What else is there to say. good list. message board has left me amused. Liked the part about burning more witches.
107. Damo - May 14th, 2008 at 5:12 pm
Id’ like to add a book called From Time Immemorial (Joan Peters, 1984), regarding Israel-Palestine. It is virtually a complete hoax, but the underlying premise is that the Palestinians are also recent immigrants to the ‘Holy Land’. The book was a best-seller in the US and received hundreds of positive reviews there. I figure any book that makes a justification - on totally fabricated grounds - for expelling an indigenous population (because they are recent immigrants) qualifies as screwing up at least that part of the world.
108. Juno - May 14th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
So… why is “The Bible” missing?
109. Jay - May 14th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
The Bible is missing because it didn’t screw up the world. There are many moral truths in the book, how can that screw people over?
110. Alejandro - May 14th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Did you base this article from this book?
10 Books That Screwed Up the World: And 5 Others That Didn’t Help (Hardcover)
by Benjamin Wiker (Author)
From the Inside Flap
You’ve heard of the “Great Books”?
These are their evil opposites. From Machiavelli’s The Prince to Karl Marx’s The Communist Manifesto to Alfred Kinsey’s Sexual Behavior in the Human Male, these “influential” books have led to war, genocide, totalitarian oppression, family breakdown, and disastrous social experiments. And yet these authors’ bad ideas are still popular and pervasive–in fact, they might influence your own thinking without your realizing it. Here with the antidote is Professor Benjamin Wiker. In his scintillating new book, 10 Books That Screwed Up the World (And 5 Others That Didn’t Help), he seizes each of these evil books by its malignant heart and exposes it to the light of day. In this witty, learned, and provocative exposé, you’ll learn:
* Why Machiavelli’s The Prince was the inspiration for a long list of tyrannies (Stalin had it on his nightstand)
* How Descartes’ Discourse on Method “proved” God’s existence only by making Him a creation of our own ego
* How Hobbes’ Leviathan led to the belief that we have a “right” to whatever we want
* Why Marx and Engels’s Communist Manifesto could win the award for the most malicious book ever written
* How Darwin’s The Descent of Man proves he intended “survival of the fittest” to be applied to human society
* How Nietzsche’s Beyond Good and Evil issued the call for a world ruled solely by the “will to power”
* How Hitler’s Mein Kampf was a kind of “spiritualized Darwinism” that accounts for his genocidal anti-Semitism
* How the pansexual paradise described in Margaret Mead’s Coming of Age in Samoa turned out to be a creation of her own sexual confusions and aspirations
* Why Alfred Kinsey’s Sexual Behavior in the Human Male was simply autobiography masquerading as science
Witty, shocking, and instructive, 10 Books That Screwed Up the World offers a quick education on the worst ideas in human history–and how we can avoid them in the future.
111. astraya - May 14th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Books don’t screw up the world. People screw up the world.
112. Pyrratus - May 14th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
T.H.E. B.I.B.L.E
Number 1 book most screwed up book of all time. Caused the most wars and contains propaganda that people refuse to see.
I’m not against people who believe in the Bible but you can’t deny the destructive force those texts possess.
113. Pyrratus - May 14th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
Sorry for the double post, just have to respond to CRE.
CRE: You say “The reason that books like the Bible and Koran are not on this list is because these books (and truly, the Bible is not a “book”, it is several books) were not writen with the sole intent to promote evil.” but if you notice the title and intro of the list, the list is not about evil books or intent of authors. It is about books that screwed up the world and I would say religious texts HAVE done that. The Crusades, Holy Wars, Genocides, Some terrorist attacks, these are all examples of world-changing atrocities commited in the name of Individual Gods preached through those books.
They are perfect candidates for this list.
114. miller - May 14th, 2008 at 6:10 pm
astraya:Books don’t screw up the world. People screw up the world. THANK YOU
115. Pyrratus - May 14th, 2008 at 6:15 pm
Astraya: But screwed up books can give screwed up people the necessary tools to screw up the world.
116. Tyler - May 14th, 2008 at 6:28 pm
I don’t think that the last book has had as big of an impact as you think. People who believe the book of Genesis is fact will do so whether or not they read books supporting what is written. They have faith that what the Bible says is true, no matter what.
I think as honorable mention, or instead of the last book, as long as I’m suggesting what I would change, you should include Ayman al-Zawahiri’s Knights Under the Prophet’s Banner. This book outlines the beliefs and goals of Al-qaeda, which is obviously no good. It may have not caused as many deaths as some other books on the list yet, but that apparently isn’t what you based the list off of. I think it will have wide ranging effects on the world. Not only will it turn large amounts of Muslims against the West, it could also make a generation of Westerners scared of Muslims, through the acts of Al-qaeda.
117. Mom424 - May 14th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
Great list! Good job leaving off the obvious. Historically an argument can be made that most of the excesses blamed on religion were in fact for secular gain. That is power and money/land/resources.
Randall, Slick; I was in grade 4 before the great experimentation with Dewey began here in Canada. I was lucky that there were enough hold-overs from the old system - teachers and administrators - that the classics were not altogether ignored. Good teachers teach a combination of both systems. Some things are best learned by rote, some by discovery.
My kids on the other hand; Crap. They are actually taught to recognize words by drawing shapes made of little boxes. On end rectangular box for h, k, l, tall letters, square boxes for e, a, o, short letters. I had a fit! What is wrong with letters having sounds that link up into words. And math, actually encouraged to guess. What the hell is with close enough? Another fit. My eldest, the brainwave, never had any Shakespeare. Except in grade 11 French. Nevermind. I will say that his high school math was ahead of ours. He was taking Discrete Mathematics (something I don’t understand, statiticians use it) in high school, not available until University when I was a student. Even that was because of the teacher at that particular school, none of the other high schools in the county offered it. Not because of policy.
It makes being a parent harder, I don’t get paid mega-bucks for remediation. (I do it anyway)
118. derekouyang - May 14th, 2008 at 6:40 pm
While not as significant as the ones on this list, I think The Catcher in the Rye has screwed up many people, including Mark David Chapman who was influenced by the book in his murder of John Lennon.
119. Csimmons - May 14th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
DIANETICS! DIA-FUCKING-NETICS! it gave us scientology damnit!
or the Bible, either one
120. Firman - May 14th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
Its down each individual perception and intrepretation of the said books, Holy or otherwise. Holy Books are sort of Forests of Knowledge, you go in search for what you need and you get it. Search for a sword and you will find it, search to help or heal others or yourself , you will find it. i apologise if this has already been said.
I agree with astraya. We screw the world and ourselves over all the time.
Have a lovely day ahead.
121. august grey - May 14th, 2008 at 7:21 pm
Fark the bible………
id rather read mein kampf to see what hitler ACTUALLY carried out……
books on peoples theories are useless unless its been done
if a simple book can affect a humans mind to go and commit atrocities, then they have the brain of a monkey…..
although, ive read the heroin diaries and it makes me want to be a rockstar!
122. Kreachure - May 14th, 2008 at 7:29 pm
To all those ‘geniuses’ pointing out for the umpteenth time that the Bible or the Quran is missing on this list, please read what Jamie put on the intro to the list:
“I have intentionally left off some of the more obvious choices - as they will almost certainly come up in the comments.”
In other words, HE KNOWS. He knew you would ramble on and on about the Bible and the Quran long before he posted this list. That’s why he decided to not be as obvious and predictable as his lists’ commenters, and instead provide new insights on some OTHER reasons why the world is screwed up. For that we should all be thankful.
Pardon the interruption. You may now continue your otiose and numbingly tedious religious comment war.
123. august grey - May 14th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
Kreachure - Agreed, the comments are always full of geniuses pointing out the obvious
religion this, quaran that…….get a life…….
if the bible is responsible for killing YOU - then take it up with god when you meet him…….
ill be sure to say gday to satan for you all
124. fart breath - May 14th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
I do not get why Darwin’s Black Box is on the first list. I understand why it’s there by stating that creationlism is how the world was made and it rejects evolution, however, isn’t evolution just a theory like creationlism?
125. Brad - May 14th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
What about the Anarchist Cookbook? I guess there’s a reason that it’s illegal…
126. CRSN - May 14th, 2008 at 9:07 pm
how about “Satanic Verses” by Salman Rushdie, it insighted hate and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini put out a fatwa for Rushdie to be killed.
127. Wooty - May 14th, 2008 at 9:09 pm
Theres no such thing as religion versus science. Theres religion versus atheism. Theres nothing more ignorant than saying religion attacks science or vice versa. Nowhere in the bible, koran, whatever does it say “FORSAKE ALL SCIENCE AND LIVE IN A HUT TECHNOLOGY IS EVIL BURN SOME WITCHES”.
128. Matt - May 14th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
110. Alejandro
Actually plagarised in places.
Check out the background of the author and you’ll see there’s a bit of agenda behind the list.
129. Rusty - May 14th, 2008 at 9:16 pm
RE The influence of Dewey on Education, James, I’m with your brother.
You do New Zealand a huge disservice in your grossly sentimentalized assessment of the education system. Perhaps you are out of touch or too blinded with a Classicist education to see how the world must move on!
____________________________________________________________
“Nicowarrior: the problem is rejecting fact based education - some things are objectively true and to deny that is seriously wrong. The results in New Zealand from 10 years of this type of education system (where there are no tests because everyone passes) has given rise to a generation of uneducated people. Even reading abilities are dropping massively.”
______________________________________________________
The FACTS are these: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/topi.....d=10482412
http://stats.oecd.org/wbos/vie.....mp;lang=en
From the OECD PISA 2006 Study across 57 countries and 20 million students:
* science third equal.
* reading we’re fourth equal (much the same as in PISA 2000)
* maths sixth equal.
Of course this buys into the anti Dewey notion that tests and scores are the best determinate of success in an education system.
Surely the best indicator is what people DO with that education. New Zealand is well represented in all endeavours of knowledge and ability application. We hit way above our weight as a very small out-of-the-way nation in sports, business, science and the arts. We have one of the lowest unemployment rates in the world in spite of exporting our talented workers and losing thousands of jobs a year to exporting our manufacturing facilities overseas. Even Oxford University England is run by a New Zealander (who struggles to drag it out of debt and into the 21C). Many other countries including the USA use our text books to teach reading. Our methodology was recently voted best by a visiting country’s teachers.
Because we can do educating the masses on our head, we a developed enough country to wonder what we can do for those who can not/will not pass tests. We have many for whom English is a second language. We have many Polynesian and Maori who need different teaching. One in 5 kids are supposedly attention deficient! The measure of a country is how it caters for everyone (democracy).
130. Davo - May 14th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
science and atheism doesn’t really pay attention to religion any way fo the reaon that is fairytales and fiction. sometimes us athiests (vainly) try and help religious people see that beleiving in something that doesn’t exist is silly.
“isn’t evolution just a theory like creationlism?” FYI creationism isn’t a theory it’s a story. But really think about it people. say for example creationsim and evolution was placed on trial to evidence used to prove/disprove either one, which would win. “OTHER reasons why the world is screwed up.” unfortunately religion has done the most damage.
131. Cedestra - May 14th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
Oh, people. The list ain’t budging: he’s not including The Bible, the Koran, OR any scientology books. Just stop, it’s entirely too silly. And now for something completely different: (not really though)
I agree with Jamie keeping the above-mentioned off the list. The Bible does not cause people to do evil things, it’s the belief that it is the word of God that makes them do wrong (or right, you know, depending on your perspective). People read Mein Kampf and said, after some time and political upheaval later, “Oh, you know, maybe he is right”, not, “Hey! God wrote this and that’s what the Big Guy in the Sky wants, so, yeah…tithe my fields and sell my sister for donkeys”. Besides the fact that, while the Bible, the Koran, and …ugh, dare I say it, I already feel filthy…scientology books are filled with evil, they also give people faith, which in turn makes them happy.
Ew, I just supported Scientology. Can someone give me my thetans back?
132. Matt - May 14th, 2008 at 9:40 pm
129. Rusty
Well said
133. Lee - May 14th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
Admitting that many atrocities committed in the supposed spirit of communism are horrid and unconscionable, I still can’t agree with the argument that you levy against it. I do believe that it is a very flawed system and that the unilateral abolition of personal wealth will only tip the scale more greatly. But aside from the confiscation of an immigrant’s property over that of national citizens, I don’t see how any of your criticisms couldn’t be redirected as a potential positive. Private ownership of land, especially related to the contemporaneous legislation for enclosures in parliament, was an issue which caused great strife for the working class and literally split them into squabbling gangs. The perpetuation of inheritance is what kept aristocratic control from ever succumbing to the consequences of personal agency (or lack thereof). And as for heavy taxes, it is precisely when a populous recognizes itself as a group worth supporting that it earns its place as such. That being said, I don’t support communism or its tenets and only ask for a more rigorous argument against it from an author I’ve come to respect. That’d be you. Keep on fighting and, please, for the sake of basic rigor, build your opponents out of bricks not straw.
134. warningdontreadthis - May 14th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
trojan_man:
Israel.
The situation with the Danish drawings.
Almost any war we’ve had, has had a bace in religion.
135. warningdontreadthis - May 14th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
fart breath:
No it isn’t ID (intelligent design) is considered as a failed attempt by creationists to make a theory that is equal to the theory of evolution.
The theory of evolution is the most complete and reasonable explanation we have.
And besides, creationist don’t claim that ID is a theory they state that it is the only way the world could have been made, making it not valid as a scientific theory. Because though the theory of evolution has been worked at it is only a theory that could be proven wrong, but that’s most unlikely because scientists constantly find proof to back it up. They don’t claim to have all the answers only religion does.
Kris: I don’t know if the Quran does but I read that the Bible does so I have no doubt the Quran does too.
136. Jay - May 14th, 2008 at 10:51 pm
Davo- Congratulations…you’re an ass. The only reason we have any form of society (or humanity, for that matter) is because of religion.
With that said, can a poorly written book about evolution really be the most detrimental book EVER? Does that suggest that the acceptance of evoluti