Ten Most Harmful Books of the 19th and 20th Centuries

Conservative Paranoia

Published on June 6, 2005 By DesignGuy In Current Events

So, what are the most "harmful" books according to the ultra-conservative panel?

01. The Communist Manifesto - Karl Marx and Freidrich Engels
02. Mein Kampf - Adolf Hitler
03. Quotations from Chairman Mao (aka The Little Red Book) - Mao Zedong
04. Sexual Behavior in the Human Male (aka The Kinsey Report) - Alfred Kinsey
05. Democracy and Education - John Dewey
06. Das Kapital - Karl Marx
07. The Feminine Mystique - Betty Friedan
08. The Course of Positive Philosophy - Auguste Comte
09. Beyond Good and Evil - Freidrich Nietzsche
10. General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money - John Maynard Keynes

Politics, sexuality, feminism, and economics are the topics that are most harmful from the conservative viewpoint? Perhaps that should be to the conservative viewpoint. It's interesting to note that Charles Darwin's "Origin of the Species" and "Descent of Man" only got honourable (or I guess dishonourable in this case) mentions but couldn't crack the top 10. I also find it funny that a top ten list contains thirty titles in all (a right wing conspiracy?).

A meaningless post for a meaningless list.

Comments (Page 1)

PlausibleDeniability

on Jun 06, 2005

Thanks for bringing this list to general notice. I generally think only the ignorant have anything to fear from any book. That's not to say books are above reproach but difficult, shocking, brilliant, and uncommon ideas are always condemned, and usually shouldn't be.

DesignGuy

on Jun 06, 2005

I generally think only the ignorant have anything to fear from any book. That's not to say books are above reproach but difficult, shocking, brilliant, and uncommon ideas are always condemned, and usually shouldn't be.

Thank you for so eloquently stating what I couldn't find words to say.

Pam Johnson

on Jun 06, 2005

I am not attempting to check to see if you have read any of these books, only to let you know that as some who has a PHD in History I have read the following: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 9. As to why the ultra conservative would think these are bad books is realily simple; they discuss the use of ideals not normally found in a world designed around the ideals of the ultra right. They talk about ideals that are designed to bring down the governments of nations that tend to lean to the opposite direction that they prefer leaning toward (the left). There are several other good authors that could or should appear on this list, Henry Thoreau (Walden, or sometimes called Walden's Pond). The writings of John Paul Satre (may have misspelled his last name). Even Plateo would burn some convervative ears.

Now that You have come up with some of the Ultra-Conservative harmful books; why not come up with some that the ultra-liberals would consider harmful. Let be fair, and balanced.

Pam

Chakgogka

on Jun 07, 2005

I'm all for fair and balanced. The problem is that liberals, in the proper sense of the word, are, by definition against the very idea of an 'index librorum prohibitorum. "I disagree with everything you say, but defend to the death your right to say it" [Voltaire]

Kind of reminds me of the gun control argument: do books cause harm, or is it the people who read/write them?

dabe

on Jun 07, 2005

Kind of reminds me of the gun control argument: do books cause harm, or is it the people who read/write them?

Touche!

ShadowWar

on Jun 07, 2005

Ahhh is it only me or are you missing the entire point of the article? Its not the subjects that the people making the list have a problem with, its how that subject material was presnted and the points made on that subject. There is nothing wrong with the subjects only the way the list writers felt the material was presented, there is a huge difference. If you want to bash the right then you need to look at the material objectivly and find a real reason to post it.

You see you suffer from a bias yourself that you claim the list makers are doing the same. Its not the subject of the book, its how the subject was twisted or presented that offended those that made the list. Oh and are they not allowed to have thier own opinions? I haven't seen these books being burned or taken out of library, just a list saying this group didn't like them or the effect they had.

Sorry your post is as meaningless as the list you wrote about. Both of which are bias pieces written by those with agendas.

ShadowWar

on Jun 07, 2005

cactoblasta

on Jun 07, 2005

There is nothing wrong with the subjects only the way the list writers felt the material was presented, there is a huge difference. If you want to bash the right then you need to look at the material objectivly and find a real reason to post it.

A simple question here, but how do you think the Communist Manifesto could have been presented any more clearly or differently without changing its material? I thought it was remarkably clear for a 19th century political book.

I figured the list must have been based on the damage to the conservative ideal that these books have caused or explained - communism is a result of the manifesto (although socialism developed more or less around it), sexual exploration was really the pervasive theme of the mid-20th century and Betty's book really kicked off the feminist movement (and eventually led to the death of permanent marriage as women decided to abandon abusive relationships - one positive of feminism).

I would have categorised those books as simply the products of major social upheavals rather than deliberately controversial. They changed the dominant culture; they weren't poorly written or expressed.

Dr Guy

on Jun 07, 2005

I am not attempting to check to see if you have read any of these books, only to let you know that as some who has a PHD in History I have read the following: 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, and 9.

I have read about half of them as well, and was surprised by some of the titles on the list. But that is not what I want to ask you.

As a Doctor of History, would you agree with the premise of the list (harmful books) and if so, what would be on your list?

Dr Guy

on Jun 07, 2005

Kind of reminds me of the gun control argument: do books cause harm, or is it the people who read/write them?

Guess you have never had a stack fall on you.

Chakgogka

on Jun 07, 2005

Guess you have never had a stack fall on you.

That's exactly what happened to an eccentric, but brilliant nineteenth century French composer called Alkan. He was a life long student of the Talmud. It was the death of him. Literally!

#42 From "So Weird It Must Be True"

Pam Johnson

on Jun 07, 2005

Dr. Guy

No to your question.

Even the "Communist Manifesto" in my humble opinion is not a harmful book. Infact it left out a great deal of who would be doing what, and are the people really incharge. It was just a pipe dream of two men. Thomas More was probably chooser to establishing an utopian world than did Marx and Engels in this satire "Utopia". Some would say that Engels based his book on More's "Utopia".

Pam

Moderateman

on Jun 07, 2005

just my humble opinion, but there is NO such thing as a harmfull book, there are just harmfull people.

Dr Guy

on Jun 07, 2005

That's exactly what happened to an eccentric, but brilliant nineteenth century French composer called Alkan. He was a life long student of the Talmud. It was the death of him. Literally!

#42 From "So Weird It Must Be True"

See? Books can be deadly!

Dr Guy

on Jun 07, 2005

Thanks for the response. I had a feeling that would be your position (as a Student of History), as it is mine as well. I dont like a lot of books, but then I also know I am free to either not read them or to disagree with what is written. I dont know who this group is, but their ignorance is apparent by the simple creation of the list.

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