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The Most Dangerous Superstition
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The primary threat to freedom and justice is not greed, or hatred, or any of the other emotions or human flaws usually blamed for such things. Instead, it is one ubiquitous superstition which infects the minds of people of all races, religions and nationalities, which deceives decent, well-intentioned people into supporting and advocating violence and oppression. Even with
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The book's title is not an exaggeration. It exposes a superstition that virtually all of us are taught from our infancy, and few of us ever outgrow. Do you think you have put all the fables of your childhood behind you, along with Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny? Have you grown up to become an independent-minded adult? Reading this book is a good way to find out.
Little children learn morality from their parents: things are good or bad because Mommy and Daddy SAID so. A little later, they may be ...more
Little children learn morality from their parents: things are good or bad because Mommy and Daddy SAID so. A little later, they may be ...more
This is a fantastic book. I was a "l"ibertarian before I read this book. This book pushed me over the edge to full blown anarchist.
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Jun 23, 2013
Mad Russian the Traveller
rated it
it was amazing
Shelves:
physical-shelf,
liberty-economics-studies
One of those paradigm shifting books. If you are tired of being a slave of the State, the path begins with freeing your mind, and freeing your mind could begin with this book. The case is almost overstated, but since I am already starting to see through the mythology that keeps us all oppressed, it may be my subjective impression. Recommended for all who are brave enough to be responsible for their own lives instead of running to mommy or daddy government to settle all their problems.
I received this book as a gift from an online acquaintance with the agreement that I would read it and give it to someone after finishing it.
Rose is an anarchist, and a passionate one. I found his arguments engaging, polemic, and in the end unconvincing. His entire premise is that "authority" does not exist, and he is right. If everyone stopped believing in authority, it would vanish. However, I think that some paradigms, even though not 100% true, are useful. We wander through life with half tr ...more
Rose is an anarchist, and a passionate one. I found his arguments engaging, polemic, and in the end unconvincing. His entire premise is that "authority" does not exist, and he is right. If everyone stopped believing in authority, it would vanish. However, I think that some paradigms, even though not 100% true, are useful. We wander through life with half tr ...more
A deeply philosophical book on the nature of consent and the false belief in authority. Be it founded on religion, politics or government the belief in authority has throughout history led to otherwise good people doing evil deeds. Larken Rose explores the deep rooted belief in authority and offers alternatives for a more humane and enlightened world.
Sep 11, 2012
Steven
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
everyone
Recommended to Steven by:
the author, Larken Rose
Shelves:
optimism-anarchism
One of the most important books I've ever read.
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If nothing else, this book will make you think. It is a must-read for every government employee and law enforcer! Are you doing what you know to be morally right, or are you blindly obeying what you perceive as authority, even though it is telling you to do what you know to be morally wrong? That is the question which each of us must answer for ourselves. But, do we realize we need to *ask* that question?!
In "The Most Dangerous Superstition," by Larken Rose, the author claims that "[t]he distinguishing feature of 'government' is that it is thought to have the moral *right* to give and enforce commands. [...] What distinguishes a street gang from 'government' is how they are perceived by the people they control." That communicates the basic insight of the book. Rose denies the existence of authority, defined as this moral right to command, and a corresponding obligation of ordinary persons to obey ...more
I'm astonished at the amount of logical fallacies on a book that appeals so much to logic. This book is a compendium of them, especially extreme false dichotomies. I should've figure out in the first lines, when the author instructs the readers to stop reading and give the book to someone else if their beliefs and superstitions matter more than truth and justice. The implication of subtle here but never again throughout the book.
The basic premisse of the book is simple. Anarchy works, anything t ...more
The basic premisse of the book is simple. Anarchy works, anything t ...more
This may be the best non-fiction book I have ever read. I will just give you one excerpt from it:
“In truth, if anything is a sin, it is blind obedience to "authority." Acting as an enforcer for "government" amounts to spiritual suicide—actually worse than physical suicide, because every authoritarian "enforcer" not only shuts off the free will and ability to judge which make him human (thus "killing" his own humanity) but also leaves his body intact, to be used by tyrants as a tool for oppressio ...more
“In truth, if anything is a sin, it is blind obedience to "authority." Acting as an enforcer for "government" amounts to spiritual suicide—actually worse than physical suicide, because every authoritarian "enforcer" not only shuts off the free will and ability to judge which make him human (thus "killing" his own humanity) but also leaves his body intact, to be used by tyrants as a tool for oppressio ...more
The book has some excellent ideas about the expression of polities where one's belief system can form a mode of confirmation bias that creates a shared illusion forming questioning certain beliefs about authority as taboo. This is a creative and positive aspect of the book. The writing also conflates leadership with authority at times and does not differentiate between the two modes of behavior. This create a duplicitous presentation from the author where they attempt to lead the reader while at
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Insightful, but poorly argued.
Much better is anarcho-capitalist Prof. Michael Huemer's book The Problem of Political Authority, which argues for the same thesis that governments lack political authority,but in a much more rigorous and persuasive way.
Huemer's book is my favorite book defending libertarian anarchism.
More detailed review on Amazon and my blog:
https://peacerequiresanarchy.wordpres... ...more
Much better is anarcho-capitalist Prof. Michael Huemer's book The Problem of Political Authority, which argues for the same thesis that governments lack political authority,but in a much more rigorous and persuasive way.
Huemer's book is my favorite book defending libertarian anarchism.
More detailed review on Amazon and my blog:
https://peacerequiresanarchy.wordpres... ...more
This is a very provocative book, even for people already familiar with the classical liberal / libertarian tradition. The most dangerous superstition, according to this book, is the belief in "authority". By "authority", the author means the idea that some people have the right to rule and correspondingly, other people have a duty to obey. The author distinguishes his use of the word authority with other ways in which it is used in the English language. For example, an employer does not have aut
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The Most Dangerous Superstition is one of the most important books ever written. I would recommend this book to everyone, even though many may not be ready to let go of their lifelong indoctrination of the most dangerous superstition just yet; it’s an enlightening read. I have been following Larken Rose’s work for the past several years, but it wasn’t until recently I purchase a copy of his book. Those who suffer from cognitive dissonance criticize Larken because he speaks plainly, in simple lan
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This book could literally change your life. Larken Rose argues that ‘authority’ is a figment of our imagination. More than that, is it a superstition (the most dangerous superstition) which has allowed governments to form and undertake all manner of atrocities. Consider for a moment that all people were actually equal, literally. No person, be it a police officer or other government authority, had the right to kidnap you (detain), rob you (tax) or otherwise forcibly coercive you into anything yo
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It seems that author of this book and I are living in a different worlds. I have never experienced that kind of oppression or abuse from "authority" that he talks about. I never felt that my taxes are going to waste or many other things that author talks about. Maybe things are different in America, but down here in liberal Europe things are not so grim therefore many of his points are moot.
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Great Idea but the book is to repetitivr
The book presents a great idea. As currency; Goberment and religion are fiat.
The book presents this great way of thinking, but to my taste it repeats and repeats the same concept all the book
The book presents a great idea. As currency; Goberment and religion are fiat.
The book presents this great way of thinking, but to my taste it repeats and repeats the same concept all the book
While I found the premise of the book engaging at the start, I felt it never really went anywhere. Very disappointing.
One of the best books you may ever read.
Over the course of my life, I've come to intuitively recognize how broken governments around the world are. But I've never quite been able to put my finger on the cause, much less a solution. After reading this book, both the cause and solution are glaringly obvious to me.
Larken Rose brilliantly and patiently walks you through perceiving the authority programming, to see the truth that you instinctively know; that the myth of authority/government has been used to manipulate and control humans fo ...more
Larken Rose brilliantly and patiently walks you through perceiving the authority programming, to see the truth that you instinctively know; that the myth of authority/government has been used to manipulate and control humans fo ...more
I can fully grasp that the concept that "government" is a purely human construct that has created a psychological prison while exacting very real, physical violence and oppression in parsing out "authority" to a ruling class of humans revered as having some superhuman abilities. Nor is it at all difficult to understand the history of violence and oppression from all forms of "government" - even the "good" ones. However, it is difficult for me to make the next leap to what Mr. Rose refers to as "
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This book makes a fantastic case for pursuing anarchism by appealing to peace and compassion. The books argues that all actions taken by governments are inherently violent. And the book makes the further claim, and far more interesting and unique claim, that government does not really exist in the first place (thus why he calls it a superstition in the title). So, the author argues that we all really live in anarchy and have no rulers, and all of society's problems come from trying to deny this
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I really liked this when I read it several years ago. I no longer agree with Larken's worldview, but I've kept an important point from this book in mind since my Ancap days: there is no "government", there's only people.
Where the rest of the book becomes useless to me is the philosophy of "leave me alone". Life is a game that people are gonna play even if you don't, and no amount of moral philosophy is going to change that. Power is up for grabs, people are never going to agree to not use it. T ...more
Where the rest of the book becomes useless to me is the philosophy of "leave me alone". Life is a game that people are gonna play even if you don't, and no amount of moral philosophy is going to change that. Power is up for grabs, people are never going to agree to not use it. T ...more
Very good understanding on how a blind belief in authority can lead individuals and societies to experience the most diabolical tyranny imagined.
The author makes a fantastic point that these sorts of megalithic authorities don’t actually exist— they only exist in the minds of those willing to accept them and continue to vote for them.
As a Christian, I know that all authority comes from God and that He has delegated authority for us to govern ourselves, our families, our churches, and our civil ...more
The author makes a fantastic point that these sorts of megalithic authorities don’t actually exist— they only exist in the minds of those willing to accept them and continue to vote for them.
As a Christian, I know that all authority comes from God and that He has delegated authority for us to govern ourselves, our families, our churches, and our civil ...more
Never solves the problems of people who enjoy preying on others
Some valid points are made about authoritarianism but never does the book explain how a community that agrees that one evil is acceptable to their community (such as slavery) can be prevented from exploiting those who see their belief as immoral. Without agreed upon standards and honest judges, people could kill a defenseless child and go unpunished because no one is paying for jails to lock away those who are dangerous. Does he adv ...more
Some valid points are made about authoritarianism but never does the book explain how a community that agrees that one evil is acceptable to their community (such as slavery) can be prevented from exploiting those who see their belief as immoral. Without agreed upon standards and honest judges, people could kill a defenseless child and go unpunished because no one is paying for jails to lock away those who are dangerous. Does he adv ...more
This book mostly helped to reinforce ideas that I had already encountered or considered. The concepts weren't too extravagant, least not for me, although I've heard different from others that claimed this book changed their lives. And what can I say? They're amazing concepts to educate yourself to.
At the end of the day, contemplating alternate forms of government, or lack thereof, and being free to disseminate those ideas to others, should be an unquestionable right of, not only every American, ...more
At the end of the day, contemplating alternate forms of government, or lack thereof, and being free to disseminate those ideas to others, should be an unquestionable right of, not only every American, ...more
Amazing, eye-opening book. I found the audiobook online at YouTube (10 hours 15 minutes) and listened to the whole thing over 4-5 days. Prior to this, I always believed that an absence of government was impractical, absurd and crazy, but Larken Rose has convinced me that HAVING a government is what's impractical, absurd and crazy.
I highly recommend this book. It looks at government and non-government (anarchy) from every imaginable angle, and although that can seem repetitive at times, it is in ...more
I highly recommend this book. It looks at government and non-government (anarchy) from every imaginable angle, and although that can seem repetitive at times, it is in ...more
Couldn't finish. Rose lost me totally when he suggested that laws are not rules. What? He also states that people do not have the right to food, housing, health care, etc., then boldly states that the deprogrammed anarchist "sees a world of equals--not in talent, ability, or wealth, of course, but in rights." Presumably, only in the "rights" he deems are worthy. Simplistic, illogical and nonsensical.
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I was already very sympathetic to the ideas presented in this book prior to reading it. However Rose presents his ideas in such a clear manner that it further clarified my own ideas, and strengthened my perspective on anarchism. By the end it did get a little repetitive, but as a whole this is an excellent book which anyone should read to free themselves from the myth of the that is "government".
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If you're not new to the ideas of libertarianism and anarchy, it will be kind of boring, but even then it provides a fresh perspective of how authority and government are essentially just myths that everyone is falling for and if everyone would realize it, those institutions would cease to exist. A good read for newbies.
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“In truth, the belief in "government" is a religion, made up of a set of dogmatic teachings, irrational doctrines which fly in the face of both evidence and logic, and which are methodically memorized and repeated by the faithful. Like other religions, the gospel of "government" describes a superhuman, supernatural entity, above mere mortals, which issues commandments to the peasantry, for whom unquestioning obedience is a moral imperative.”
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“Frederick Douglass, a former slave, witnessed and described that exact phenomenon among his fellow slaves, many of whom were proud of how hard they worked for their masters and how faithfully they did as they were told. From their perspective, a runaway slave was a shameful thief, having "stolen" himself from the master.”
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