Comments on: The Top Books for Understanding the Left http://www.newsrealblog.com/2009/09/08/the-top-books-for-understanding-the-left/ Fri, 10 Feb 2012 12:34:39 +0000 hourly 1 By: Joy http://www.newsrealblog.com/2009/09/08/the-top-books-for-understanding-the-left/#comment-8150 Joy Sun, 08 Nov 2009 10:24:00 +0000 http://newsrealblog.com/?p=7280#comment-8150 OMG! After all the recent attention to Alinsky's "Rules for Radicals" as virtualy mother's milk for our young Community-Organizer-in-Chief, how could anyone have omitted that "Bible for Progressives" from such a list of core writings that would help one gain insight into the mind (or lack of same) of the Left? OMG! After all the recent attention to Alinsky’s “Rules for Radicals” as virtualy mother’s milk for our young Community-Organizer-in-Chief, how could anyone have omitted that “Bible for Progressives” from such a list of core writings that would help one gain insight into the mind (or lack of same) of the Left?

]]> By: Joy http://www.newsrealblog.com/2009/09/08/the-top-books-for-understanding-the-left/#comment-8149 Joy Sun, 08 Nov 2009 07:10:52 +0000 http://newsrealblog.com/?p=7280#comment-8149 What great reading ideas! Back in the day when I was all caught up in, first, the Conserative Movement, then the Libertarian Movement, I had quite a library of books on these subjects. And my only intro to Economics was actually Political Economic Theory by the likes of Murray Rothbard (a real brain & libertarian ideologue) and Ludwig von Mises. My libertarian guru was the late Robert LeFevre ("This Bread Is Mine," which is probably way out of print by now). But I found it painful and a huge waste of time to read all the crap from the Left; I was content with tracts of blather found in "peoples' bookstores" (in Canada - few were allowed to function in the USA), and other pubs from the USSR and China (translated into English, of course). As I said, they were all such crap, too painful and BORING to read! But I would imagine that modern-day thinkers & writers, such as Horowitz, would be wonderful reading precisely because they WERE once in the heart of the U.S. Leftist-Progressive-Radical-Socialist Movement. In fact, I intend to read David's "Radical Son" very soon. What great reading ideas! Back in the day when I was all caught up in, first, the Conserative Movement, then the Libertarian Movement, I had quite a library of books on these subjects. And my only intro to Economics was actually Political Economic Theory by the likes of Murray Rothbard (a real brain & libertarian ideologue) and Ludwig von Mises. My libertarian guru was the late Robert LeFevre (“This Bread Is Mine,” which is probably way out of print by now). But I found it painful and a huge waste of time to read all the crap from the Left; I was content with tracts of blather found in “peoples’ bookstores” (in Canada – few were allowed to function in the USA), and other pubs from the USSR and China (translated into English, of course). As I said, they were all such crap, too painful and BORING to read! But I would imagine that modern-day thinkers & writers, such as Horowitz, would be wonderful reading precisely because they WERE once in the heart of the U.S. Leftist-Progressive-Radical-Socialist Movement. In fact, I intend to read David’s “Radical Son” very soon.

]]> By: JW http://www.newsrealblog.com/2009/09/08/the-top-books-for-understanding-the-left/#comment-8148 JW Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:08:05 +0000 http://newsrealblog.com/?p=7280#comment-8148 Try also Sidney Hook, OUT OF STEP, and the works of George Orwell. Try also Sidney Hook, OUT OF STEP, and the works of George Orwell.

]]> By: JW http://www.newsrealblog.com/2009/09/08/the-top-books-for-understanding-the-left/#comment-8147 JW Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:07:06 +0000 http://newsrealblog.com/?p=7280#comment-8147 Joshua Muravchik, History of Socialism Maximillian Robespierre, speech of February 4, 1794 justifying terrorism (the Reign of Terror). The "left" originates from the semi-circular seating in the National Assembly of the French Revolution, the Jacobins, led by Robespierre, sat on the far left and the monarchists and clericals on the far right. Revolution became fashionable in the 19th century, and revolutionaries thought of themselves as in the Jacobin tradition. (Vladimir Lenin established the "permanent Reign of Terror" in order to prevent "Thermidor," the month (June-July renamed by the Jacobins) when Robespierre was overthrown.) Joshua Muravchik, History of Socialism
Maximillian Robespierre, speech of February 4, 1794 justifying terrorism (the Reign of Terror). The “left” originates from the semi-circular seating in the National Assembly of the French Revolution, the Jacobins, led by Robespierre, sat on the far left and the monarchists and clericals on the far right. Revolution became fashionable in the 19th century, and revolutionaries thought of themselves as in the Jacobin tradition. (Vladimir Lenin established the “permanent Reign of Terror” in order to prevent “Thermidor,” the month (June-July renamed by the Jacobins) when Robespierre was overthrown.)

]]> By: Lee http://www.newsrealblog.com/2009/09/08/the-top-books-for-understanding-the-left/#comment-8146 Lee Mon, 21 Sep 2009 08:54:10 +0000 http://newsrealblog.com/?p=7280#comment-8146 Books that competently explain the psychological mechanisms that explain how and why some people join cults (religious or otherwise) would also be good I think. Books that competently explain the psychological mechanisms that explain how and why some people join cults (religious or otherwise) would also be good I think.

]]> By: Bill Lannon http://www.newsrealblog.com/2009/09/08/the-top-books-for-understanding-the-left/#comment-8145 Bill Lannon Thu, 10 Sep 2009 10:01:08 +0000 http://newsrealblog.com/?p=7280#comment-8145 Both Mr. Forsmark and Personal Trainer New Orleans make valuable suggestions with which I concur, particularly Chambers and Sowell. Hayek is first rate as well. M, Stanton Evans book on McCarthy is well researched. 1984 and Animal Farm are still very instructive and pack almost as emotional a punch as Witness. Both Mr. Forsmark and Personal Trainer New Orleans make valuable suggestions with which I concur, particularly Chambers and Sowell. Hayek is first rate as well. M, Stanton Evans book on McCarthy is well researched.

1984 and Animal Farm are still very instructive and pack almost as emotional a punch as Witness.

]]> By: Julie Trevor http://www.newsrealblog.com/2009/09/08/the-top-books-for-understanding-the-left/#comment-8144 Julie Trevor Wed, 09 Sep 2009 23:09:19 +0000 http://newsrealblog.com/?p=7280#comment-8144 Anecdote: 2 years ago I had a Jamaican woman who cleaned for me (here on work Visa). I wasn't there on her last day before returning to Jamaica, but when I returned home I noticed 2 things missing: 1. My favorite wine glasses 2. My book bag with my copy of Barry Goldwater's - The Conscience of a Conservative & David Horowitz's - Radical Son Smart maid - LOL Anecdote: 2 years ago I had a Jamaican woman who cleaned for me (here on work Visa). I wasn’t there on her last day before returning to Jamaica, but when I returned home I noticed 2 things missing:
1. My favorite wine glasses
2. My book bag with my copy of Barry Goldwater’s – The Conscience of a Conservative & David Horowitz’s – Radical Son

Smart maid – LOL

]]> By: Julie Trevor http://www.newsrealblog.com/2009/09/08/the-top-books-for-understanding-the-left/#comment-8143 Julie Trevor Wed, 09 Sep 2009 23:04:21 +0000 http://newsrealblog.com/?p=7280#comment-8143 Barry Goldwater - "The Conscience of a Conservative" Excellent and relavant to the power grab by the neo-Communist to promote their agenda... Also an easy read for those of us that young teens. Julie Barry Goldwater – “The Conscience of a Conservative”

Excellent and relavant to the power grab by the neo-Communist to promote their agenda…

Also an easy read for those of us that young teens.

Julie

]]> By: Jeff Perren http://www.newsrealblog.com/2009/09/08/the-top-books-for-understanding-the-left/#comment-8142 Jeff Perren Wed, 09 Sep 2009 17:14:52 +0000 http://newsrealblog.com/?p=7280#comment-8142 For the New Intellectual by Ayn Rand The definitive takedown of statists of all varieties, and the philosophy that animates them. For the New Intellectual by Ayn Rand

The definitive takedown of statists of all varieties, and the philosophy that animates them.

]]> By: gatekeeper96740 http://www.newsrealblog.com/2009/09/08/the-top-books-for-understanding-the-left/#comment-8141 gatekeeper96740 Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:31:56 +0000 http://newsrealblog.com/?p=7280#comment-8141 There are two video's on youtube by ex-kgb agent Yuri Bezmenov where he outines the tactics of subverting a country.We are well down that road. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj0Id3BLFco&feature=PlayList&p=85AB7AADA53CFB5B&index=0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_xdBnFPqOI&feature=PlayList&p=4CDAB99FAB5980BA&index=0&playnext=1 He wrote two small books detailing how the process of suversion works. He symptoms that he outlines are present in America. There are two video’s on youtube by ex-kgb agent Yuri Bezmenov where he outines the tactics of subverting a country.We are well down that road.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cj0Id3BLFco&feature=PlayList&p=85AB7AADA53CFB5B&index=0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_xdBnFPqOI&feature=PlayList&p=4CDAB99FAB5980BA&index=0&playnext=1

He wrote two small books detailing how the process of suversion works.
He symptoms that he outlines are present in America.

]]> By: qp http://www.newsrealblog.com/2009/09/08/the-top-books-for-understanding-the-left/#comment-8140 qp Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:35:18 +0000 http://newsrealblog.com/?p=7280#comment-8140 <I>The Opium of the Intellectuals</i>, by Raymond Aron, which is being discussed <a href="http://neoneocon.com/2009/09/08/everything-old-is-new-again-raymond-aron-and-other-intellectuals-of-the-anti-left/" rel="nofollow">here</a> now. The Opium of the Intellectuals, by Raymond Aron, which is being discussed here now.

]]> By: GBArg http://www.newsrealblog.com/2009/09/08/the-top-books-for-understanding-the-left/#comment-8139 GBArg Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:31:26 +0000 http://newsrealblog.com/?p=7280#comment-8139 Alfred Jay Nock -- Our Enemy the State Friedrich Hayek -- The Road to Serfdom Franz Oppenheimer -- The State Alfred Jay Nock — Our Enemy the State

Friedrich Hayek — The Road to Serfdom

Franz Oppenheimer — The State

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