Outstanding accounting of a book I read in high school and again in college. It was part of a personal ongoing search for what happened in WWII-- and the historical events that created such evil. I read and continue to read and listen to the terrifying echos in the language and behavior in our country today.
This is not “normal” -- we are in a critical time in our democracy.
Suggest everyone read "The Authoritarians" by Bob Altemeyer who is a social scientist who studied the rise of Hitler and others for 30+ years. Note that he also studied "authoritarian FOLLOWERS" as well - an important aspect of how authoritarians gain power. LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/1971601:
I feel like I might be Ambassador Dodd reincarnated sometimes. I've been shouting this ever since 2015, when, of course, the escalator came "down" with the wannabe dictator "going down" on it. Of course it was going down, which is where he's taken the Republican party ever since. I've been shouting that he cannot be allowed to take the rest of us down with him, and now I've been adding the same shouts about the rest of the Republican party. We are all at the crossroad. Thank you, Mr. Pepper, for shouting along with us.
We live in terrifying times. I had forgotten about this book, although I have been comparing thump & his fellow Repubs to Hitler’s rise since 2016 also. I ”like” the part about Hitler shooting people in his own inner circle, but I’m sure the brown nosers around thump don’t believe he would do the same to them. What a scary mess. Thanks David for publishing this. I’m sending to everyone I know.
Thank you David. I read Larson's book about the storms in Galveston. I will get this one as well.
Perhaps to read on the plane. If the Kamala does not stand up and demand hand-recounts and criminal investigations in the Swing States, I am one of many who will be leaving.
I picked up this book at the bookstore today, and I'm already struck by the terrifying similarities to our current situation--and the Doddses have just arrived in Germany. I read Sinclair Lewis' "It Can't Happen Here" back in about 2017, and felt cold dread then, as it turns out I was right to do.
I warned as many people as I could in 2016 of the 1930s parallels. I assumed that people were not sufficiently conversant in history, and a warning would awaken them to the dangers.
Unfortunately, I learned that most people weren't interested in a truth that would require sacrifice and societal level change. It's a similar phenomenon to the attitudes to climate change.
People acclimate until calamity reaches "their" doorsteps. Only a tiny minority takes action while there's time.
The window to avert catastrophe is closing. As we see from Israel, once a dictator assumes power, it's nearly impossible to dislodge their regime.
I had never heard of this author, let alone this book. But I will definitely read it now, thanks to you, David. And I will immediately restack your post.
Thank you for this. A disturbing read in 2011, a terrifying one today. But reread it I guess I must. Btw, Devil in the White City is the book I recommend the most.
Yes - I agree - whats happening here is far too familiar to the descriptions of Hitlers rise. AND what the US is allowing and agreeing with in Gaza and the West Bank we are told is not the same. The same ethnic (Jewish) group that was so brutalized and slaughtered by the Nazis have a government that is doing pretty much the same thing to the Palestinians. Yet we keep sending the IDF the wherewithal to do so. And the Israeli people apparently still support this.
Then there's Hungary - that country appears to still be in the position of the "frog in the pot of slowly boiling water".
We ignored or laughed off trump until his "cult" voted him back in. I guess freedom and patriotism is looked at differently now, or its just a new description of both.
Outstanding accounting of a book I read in high school and again in college. It was part of a personal ongoing search for what happened in WWII-- and the historical events that created such evil. I read and continue to read and listen to the terrifying echos in the language and behavior in our country today.
This is not “normal” -- we are in a critical time in our democracy.
Suggest everyone read "The Authoritarians" by Bob Altemeyer who is a social scientist who studied the rise of Hitler and others for 30+ years. Note that he also studied "authoritarian FOLLOWERS" as well - an important aspect of how authoritarians gain power. LINK: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/1971601:
I feel like I might be Ambassador Dodd reincarnated sometimes. I've been shouting this ever since 2015, when, of course, the escalator came "down" with the wannabe dictator "going down" on it. Of course it was going down, which is where he's taken the Republican party ever since. I've been shouting that he cannot be allowed to take the rest of us down with him, and now I've been adding the same shouts about the rest of the Republican party. We are all at the crossroad. Thank you, Mr. Pepper, for shouting along with us.
We live in terrifying times. I had forgotten about this book, although I have been comparing thump & his fellow Repubs to Hitler’s rise since 2016 also. I ”like” the part about Hitler shooting people in his own inner circle, but I’m sure the brown nosers around thump don’t believe he would do the same to them. What a scary mess. Thanks David for publishing this. I’m sending to everyone I know.
Thank you David. I read Larson's book about the storms in Galveston. I will get this one as well.
Perhaps to read on the plane. If the Kamala does not stand up and demand hand-recounts and criminal investigations in the Swing States, I am one of many who will be leaving.
I picked up this book at the bookstore today, and I'm already struck by the terrifying similarities to our current situation--and the Doddses have just arrived in Germany. I read Sinclair Lewis' "It Can't Happen Here" back in about 2017, and felt cold dread then, as it turns out I was right to do.
I warned as many people as I could in 2016 of the 1930s parallels. I assumed that people were not sufficiently conversant in history, and a warning would awaken them to the dangers.
Unfortunately, I learned that most people weren't interested in a truth that would require sacrifice and societal level change. It's a similar phenomenon to the attitudes to climate change.
People acclimate until calamity reaches "their" doorsteps. Only a tiny minority takes action while there's time.
The window to avert catastrophe is closing. As we see from Israel, once a dictator assumes power, it's nearly impossible to dislodge their regime.
I had never heard of this author, let alone this book. But I will definitely read it now, thanks to you, David. And I will immediately restack your post.
OMG We are living in the Garden of Beasts - We must act now.
Thank you for this. A disturbing read in 2011, a terrifying one today. But reread it I guess I must. Btw, Devil in the White City is the book I recommend the most.
I love all of Erik Larson's books. This one is especially enlightening, though in a disturbing and alarming way.
Yes - I agree - whats happening here is far too familiar to the descriptions of Hitlers rise. AND what the US is allowing and agreeing with in Gaza and the West Bank we are told is not the same. The same ethnic (Jewish) group that was so brutalized and slaughtered by the Nazis have a government that is doing pretty much the same thing to the Palestinians. Yet we keep sending the IDF the wherewithal to do so. And the Israeli people apparently still support this.
Then there's Hungary - that country appears to still be in the position of the "frog in the pot of slowly boiling water".
We ignored or laughed off trump until his "cult" voted him back in. I guess freedom and patriotism is looked at differently now, or its just a new description of both.
Thank you.
I read this book when it was published and have it on my bookshelf to display and lend. Just a need to read.