book club

[GlobalPentahedron Corp]

is there a section on this forum for discussing books?

[Guest]

There is now. 

 

I loved Slaughterhouse-five. 

[GlobalPentahedron Corp]

2 minutes ago, fpo said:

There is now. 

 

I loved Slaughterhouse-five. 

cool. I just read the description on wikipedia. Looks like a proper sci-fi, not sci-fantasy, that actually explores philosophy

[Guest]

1 minute ago, GlobalPentahedron Corp said:

cool. I just read the description on wikipedia. Looks like a proper sci-fi, not sci-fantasy, that actually explores philosophy

It is sci fi and fantasy and though it could be considered to jump around a lot, the philosophy expressed makes it not matter. 

[Volbet]

If we're also talking non-fiction, then I'm currently in the process of reading the Origins of Totalitarianism. 

I'm about halfway through and so far it's been an interesting read.  It leans quite heavily on a Continetal European methodology, but when you get the hang of that it's a very good analysis.

 

In fiction I just recently finished re-reading Crime and Punishment. That's a book that'll drag your through Hell and back.

[GlobalPentahedron Corp]

46 minutes ago, Volbet said:

If we're also talking non-fiction, then I'm currently in the process of reading the Origins of Totalitarianism.

I think its quite funny wikipedia says totalism sold out after trump's election. People really bought into mass hysteria. I was in Sydney eating popcorn through the whole thing! 

On a similar topic I read thought reform and the psychology of totalism a few weeks ago. Its amazing interviews of people who made it into hong kong from communist china during the 50s - first hand accounts of state brainwashing.

[Volbet]

42 minutes ago, GlobalPentahedron Corp said:

I think its quite funny wikipedia says totalism sold out after trump's election. People really bought into mass hysteria. I was in Sydney eating popcorn through the whole thing! 

On a similar topic I read thought reform and the psychology of totalism a few weeks ago. Its amazing interviews of people who made it into hong kong from communist china during the 50s - first hand accounts of state brainwashing.

It's actually quite amazing what can be done via brainwashing. Reading interviews with American POWs from the Korean War gives a similar impression.

 

Hannah Arndt, the author of the Origins of Totalitarianism, also had this experience, being a Jewish scholar that escaped the Weimar Republic right after Hitler's rise to power.

[Guest]

@Volbet, not really a book but someone I know who grew up in Germany during the 1930s and 1940s said the citizens would proclaim “Feind Heurd mit” meaning the fiend hears with us. 

 

If you said anything bad about the government, he takes you, or he whistles and many people come out of nowhere and take you. 

 

Just thought I’d share that fun fact. 

 

Edit:

this individual was not identified as an enemy of the state.