What books do you think ,in the 20th century we should not read?And why?

Question

The Communist Manifesto
Mein Kampf,what do you think of these books..

Answer 1

I think that in order to enlighten ourselves and to understand the past, present and maybe even future no matter how wrong it is we need to digest the good, the bad, and the ugly.

For example, I personally have not read Mein Kampf, although, if I did read it I doubt very much that I will be in anyway influenced by it, however, it may give me an insight and understanding as to the insanity within Hitlers mind.

We learn from the mistakes of the past, and by preventing people from reading such literature it would do more harm then good - forgetting the bad things of the past and having no understanding of them means that it is able to happen again.

Answer 2

We shouldn't read any books in the 20th century (with the exception, perhaps, of the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe).

In the 21st century, I don't think any reading material should be unavailable to us. The Communist Manifesto and Mein Kampf are flawed, I think, but worthy reading because of their historical perspective (Mein Kampf is interesting when juxtaposed with The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich).

Answer 3

I think that we should read any books we find interest in. Reading Mein Kampf or the Communist Manifesto doesn't mean one will become a communist or start worshipping Hitler. I have read Mein Kampf, but I've been fascinated by WW II since I was a young girl. To me, it was just part of educating myself. I can't claim to have read the CM, but it doesn't really interest me much. Books are precious to me, and not just those that jive with my own way of thinking.

Answer 4

I think that every book should be available to read and it's up to the individual to decide what they want to read. I have have had the opportunity to read both books you mentioned. I'm a conservative Republican I found the Communist Manifesto to be filled with the most dangerous ideas in the world. Mein Kampf to be filled with the rants of a deranged sociopath that was full of self loathing and all so the thoughts of highly intelligent man that turn around the economy of a nation. Both of the book widened my scoop of the wold and gave me incite into the world.

Answer 5

I do not believe that there are any books that we should not read. I believe that we should read everything.

We need to educate our generation to be able to make decisions about the quality of information that we receieve rather than to stop the flow of information.

Is The Communist Manifesto or Mein Kampf bad for us? Maybe it is, but we should be allowed to read it and make a decision ourselves.

No one should be telling me what I can or cannot read. So lets keep our options open and that is what democracy should be about.

Answer 6

I would say the content of a written work is the most important vaue.
There's no book you "shouldn't read". That's a totalitarian concept that distrusts the adult individual's mind and wants to enslave him.

There are books whose ideas 'turn you off", run counter to what you presently feel, on no real basis, to be valuable, useful or appropriate human conduct.

Books are about one human being's conduct. History is about what people happened to do in the past; fiction is about what someone ought to do, as far as the author best knows it.

Anything else is neither non-fiction nor fiction, So it's nearly worthless--it's case histories of failed ideas, failed men and failed history. You don't read about a problem in depth unless you're a doctor, you have the problem or you are being bothered by someone who has it.

So, the answer to your very wise question is: If you read a book you think may have bad ideas, read it for some value--to find out what's wrong with it, or to understand why other minds were misled by it. Read enough to know what you need to know about whether it's really wrong or just stupid. And when any book is no longer giving you what you want from it, stop reading it; your time is too valuable to be wasting it on something that you're not ready for or that's not right for you.

With a TV episode, I give it 20 minutes. With a book, it's chapter one or 15 pages. if by then, I'm not convinced it's any good, I put it aside and find something better.

Answer 7

well its supposed to be a free country where i am so i think anything should be allowed to be read Mein Kampf is a good book

Answer 8

Free Speech!!

"Ideas Are Our Best Weapon"
http://www.lewrockwell.com/rockwell/book-history-bury.html

"Gott Mit Uns"
http://www.lewrockwell.com/vance/vance26.html

"In volume I, at the end of chapter 2, the Führer said: "Hence today I believe that I am acting in accordance with the will of the Almighty Creator: by defending myself against the Jew, I am fighting for the work of the Lord." Substitute "Muslim" or "terrorists" for "Jew" and this sounds like George Bush. According to Bob Woodward’s book Plan of Attack, Bush prayed as he walked outside the Oval Office after giving the order to begin the attack on Iraq: "Going into this period, I was praying for strength to do the Lord’s will. . . . I'm surely not going to justify war based upon God. Understand that. Nevertheless, in my case I pray that I be as good a messenger of His will as possible."


The question should be what books should you read!

The Original American Foriegn Policy--Ron Paul
For A New Liberty-- Murray N Rothbard
Speaking of Liberty--Lew Rockwell
It's Good to be King--Michael Badnarik

Another funny article
On the misuse of the word "gay"
http://www.sobran.com/columns/2003/030729.shtml

Ron Paul '08!

Answer 9

the bible, that book's too convuluted to make sense. Just look at the violence it creates.

interestingly enough, you can still buy Mein Kampf on amazon! I wouldn't say that no one read that book. You need to know both sides of the story: nomatter how dark it was, it's still valid history. Denying that fact would be worse than the actions.

Answer 10

If people don't read those books, they become vulnerable to having them used against them. It has already happened with these two. Ignorance is dangerous. Read everything. And use your BRAIN to think about what you read; don't just take it all in and accept it. (OH, and we left the 20th century behind several years ago.)