Good books for torching

[DisEnter]

I want to bring some paper kindling to a local anti-bush/anti-war rally for a nice bonfire, any suggestions on titles? I dont like much of any books but I just as soon bring some from the more despised authors than from those who are a bit less stupid.

[Red October]

Originally posted by [email protected] 02, 2007 12:08 pm
I want to bring some paper kindling to a local anti-bush/anti-war rally for a nice bonfire, any suggestions on titles? I dont like much of any books but I just as soon bring some from the more despised authors than from those who are a bit less stupid.
Don't burn books! Read them and learn from them! Destroying books is ignorant and wasteful, even if it's shit like Mein Kampf or capitalist stuff.

[black magick hustla]

heaps of bibles

[DisEnter]

Originally posted by Red [email protected] 02, 2007 05:40 pm
Dont burn books! Read them and learn from them! Destroying books is ignorant and wasteful, even if its shit like Mein Kampf or capitalist stuff.
Books are nothing more than a means of spreading propoganda so the author can gather more sheep and make his BMW payment. True freedom comes from within, not from what you have read or are told. But thank you for your input. Now if you have any pro-Bush titles worth of being converted to kinetic energy pls let me know, as that is the only practical application I can fathom for them.

[DisEnter]

Bibles! Thats a great suggestion. Unfortunately most of the ones at the library are antique. Old things are one of my few soft spots. However there are several new interpretations that Im sure will give off some heat. Ill be sure to grab a few.

[An archist]

burning books makes you look ignorant and barbaric.
Plus, it is ignorant and barbaric (if you have other stuff to keep you warm)

[RedAnarchist]

Torching books is a waste of time. Writing books refuting the arguments and views given in books you want to burn tends to be far more effective IMO.

[fabiansocialist]

Originally posted by [email protected] 02, 2007 05:08 pm
I want to bring some paper kindling to a local anti-bush/anti-war rally for a nice bonfire, any suggestions on titles? I dont like much of any books but I just as soon bring some from the more despised authors than from those who are a bit less stupid.
Anything by Ayn Rand, Napoleon Hill, Norman Vincent Peale, and Dale Carnegie. All copies of People magazine and Reader's Digest. Books such as "The Pursuit of Excellence" and "The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People," plus "How I Turned My Outhouse into $2,000,000 in Real Estate."

[DisEnter]

Originally posted by [email protected] 02, 2007 07:17 pm
Torching books is a waste of time. Writing books refuting the arguments and views given in books you want to burn tends to be far more effective IMO.
Okay anarchist, if thats really what you are. Im not concerned with tickling peoples ears with my viewpoints. Id rather they think for themselves and put that thought into action than sit around with their face in a book that was sold to either them or whomever.


Thanks for the suggestions Fabian. Ill browse the library for some books on Haliburton as well. I can think of few wastes of tree pulp more deserving of being converted back to their elementary elements.

[EwokUtopia]

If you burn books at an anti-bush rally, people will 1) kick your ass, 2) call you a nazi, 3) laugh at your feeble attempts, and 4) kick your ass again.



We dont burn books. Those are the tactics of the right.

[DisEnter]

Thank you for adhering to your principles of order. It evidently suits you. May your we someday consist of several others to enjoy your desired system of conformity. My self-given freedoms as an anarchist include the ability to burn whatever I damn well please. It is clear that the irony of burning pro-bush/pro-capitalist material at an anti-war/anti-bush rally is lost on several.

[RedLion]

Burning books is a bloody stupid idea, anarchist or not.

Knowledge is power my friend and if we destroy the knowledge we have no power.


Having said that, anything by Jeffrey Archer is only good for kindling.

[Pawn Power]

Originally posted by DisEnter+August 02, 2007 02:54 pm--> (DisEnter @ August 02, 2007 02:54 pm)
[email protected] 02, 2007 07:17 pm
Torching books is a waste of time. Writing books refuting the arguments and views given in books you want to burn tends to be far more effective IMO.
Okay anarchist, if thats really what you are. Im not concerned with tickling peoples ears with my viewpoints. Id rather they think for themselves and put that thought into action than sit around with their face in a book that was sold to either them or whomever.

[/b]
Why can't think for themselves and read books? Sure many books can be seen as a type of propaganda... so your plan is just to destroy that "bad information" from the "ignorant" people.

Anyway, I guess the only book that you could burn is bibles, since their free.

[Organic Revolution]

Originally posted by [email protected] 02, 2007 02:39 pm
Thank you for adhering to your principles of order. It evidently suits you. May your we someday consist of several others to enjoy your desired system of conformity. My self-given freedoms as an anarchist include the ability to burn whatever I damn well please. It is clear that the irony of burning pro-bush/pro-capitalist material at an anti-war/anti-bush rally is lost on several.
First off, what is the reason you are going to burn a book. You obviously don't have a cohesive plan of action. Are you going to announce the books your burning, or is it just going to be a pointless action where people have no idea what you are doing? How about you try this... Get a real plan together, and stop trying to be an agnsty teen who just wants to use fire because it 'looks cool' and sends a message.


Also, try and get a real understanding of anarchism before you spout off nothing rants.

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

Book burning is for fascists.

[RedLion]

Originally posted by Organic Revolution+August 02, 2007 09:45 pm--> (Organic Revolution @ August 02, 2007 09:45 pm)
[email protected] 02, 2007 02:39 pm
Thank you for adhering to your principles of order. It evidently suits you. May your we someday consist of several others to enjoy your desired system of conformity. My self-given freedoms as an anarchist include the ability to burn whatever I damn well please. It is clear that the irony of burning pro-bush/pro-capitalist material at an anti-war/anti-bush rally is lost on several.
First off, what is the reason you are going to burn a book. You obviously don't have a cohesive plan of action. Are you going to announce the books your burning, or is it just going to be a pointless action where people have no idea what you are doing? How about you try this... Get a real plan together, and stop trying to be an agnsty teen who just wants to use fire because it 'looks cool' and sends a message.


Also, try and get a real understanding of anarchism before you spout off nothing rants. [/b]
Why do you assume he is an agnsty (sic) teen?

I agree burning books is a daft idea but immediately leaping to the nearest stereotype just strikes me as pointless.

For all you know he could be a world war II veteran who is disillusioned with the current state of the "developed" world.

It might be an idea to deconstruct his ideas rather than simply applying thinly disguised insults.

[rocker935]

The biggest problem i have with book burnings is that it is in fact barbaric. It is a tactic used by the nazis to censor things that they did not like. To re-practice this would go against everything that the ppl on the left stand for.

[The Author]

Originally posted by [email protected] August 02, 2007, 02:31 pm
Bibles! Thats a great suggestion. Unfortunately most of the ones at the library are antique. Old things are one of my few soft spots. However there are several new interpretations that Im sure will give off some heat. Ill be sure to grab a few.

Wow, so you're such a cheap asshole, that, rather than pay for these books at a bookstore which you plan on burning, you'd take them (or maybe steal them) from a public library. Note that you take these books at the expense of the general public, who had to pay for the upkeep of these collections and facilities through their taxes. And also that you're robbing others of their right to enhance their consciousness and learning. It doesn't matter if the book is progressive or reactionary, a book is not meant to be burned.

[DisEnter]

This is absurd. I ask for simple and obvious advice and instead I get ridiculous lectures from a bunch of pussy conformist pseudo-leftists.

First off, if a book has photos of bush or any member of his league of sycophantic right-wing media whores on the jacket and you light it on fire is the message being sent really that ambiguous to anyone?! Do I need to announce that this is a picture of Bush and it is going up in flames? I think the average imbecile is at least observant to that extent. When arrives the absence of autocratic government what will remain are those willing to voluntarily submit to the vital needs of organized society, this includes accepting that not everyone in the world is going to find your viewpoints pleasurable. If people fail to cope with the recycling of a useless rag than they're not going to be of much benefit in more critical areas.

Where I gather these sad specimens of crude illiteracy is also irrelevant. Should I support the capitalist agenda by wasting money on them? I think not. Is this a problem for you? Will it be a problem for you when it comes time to portion out your production to those creating lesser? Are you going to turn me in to the poleece now? I reject the taxes of our coercive government therefore what has been done with them is of no consequence and used only for the purpose of suppressing those who desire to speak truth.

Now if you have any on-topic suggestions feel free to add them, if you wish to whine there are many other threads around for some of you to enjoy spreading your conformist ideologies.

[Organic Revolution]

Originally posted by RedLion+August 02, 2007 04:06 pm--> (RedLion @ August 02, 2007 04:06 pm)
Originally posted by Organic [email protected] 02, 2007 09:45 pm

[email protected] 02, 2007 02:39 pm
Thank you for adhering to your principles of order. It evidently suits you. May your we someday consist of several others to enjoy your desired system of conformity. My self-given freedoms as an anarchist include the ability to burn whatever I damn well please. It is clear that the irony of burning pro-bush/pro-capitalist material at an anti-war/anti-bush rally is lost on several.
First off, what is the reason you are going to burn a book. You obviously don't have a cohesive plan of action. Are you going to announce the books your burning, or is it just going to be a pointless action where people have no idea what you are doing? How about you try this... Get a real plan together, and stop trying to be an agnsty teen who just wants to use fire because it 'looks cool' and sends a message.


Also, try and get a real understanding of anarchism before you spout off nothing rants.
Why do you assume he is an agnsty (sic) teen?

I agree burning books is a daft idea but immediately leaping to the nearest stereotype just strikes me as pointless.

For all you know he could be a world war II veteran who is disillusioned with the current state of the "developed" world.

It might be an idea to deconstruct his ideas rather than simply applying thinly disguised insults. [/b]
Are you seriously pegging me as an ageist?

[MarxSchmarx]

Where to begin? Here is a hit-list, ranked in order of burning priority.

1. Who Moved My Cheese?, by Spencer Johnson
2. A Charge to Keep, "by" George W. Bush
3. Ulysses, by James Joyce (no one reads it anyway)

I'd say throw in anything by your local right-wing talk-show host/pundit just for good measure. That should keep the fire burning all night.

[Labor Shall Rule]

Originally posted by Compañ[email protected] 02, 2007 09:49 pm
Book burning is for fascists.
I agree.

Jean Jacques Rousseau, after writing in Emile that an individual's intelligence depends on his amount of education, had his novel burnt in the streets. He replied, almost stoically, that "burning is not the answer", and he certainly was correct. I don't see the point in wasting any article, literature, or novel; it's destruction is a blow to the side of all that is rational, and it's used only to retard intelligence, rather than strengthen it.

[Dr Mindbender]

burn porno mags instead. That way you're making a progressive statement, and no one can accuse you of being a knuckle dragging nazi for burning literature. ;)

[An archist]

Too bad you're not planning on doing this in Europe, otherwise I could come to laugh at you.
Better luck next time.

[apathy maybe]

Personally, while I in general oppose the burning of books as an indication of regression, I can see some instances where it could be progressive.


I doubt, however, its value at an anti-war, anti-Bush rally.


One possible stunt could be to have a book reading, followed by a book burning. You get together all the books you don't like, present them to the public to read and to ridicule and then, at the end of the night, you burn them.

Of course, at any such book burning you should be very clear what you are burning and why. It should be obvious that you are burning books that are reactionary, of no literary merit and so on.

Such as stunt should be well thought out, and put together in such a manner as it is obvious what you are burning and why. Otherwise, it is far to easy for people to get the wrong idea about what you are doing...


So, fuck the anti-war book burning. Do an anti-religion burning instead. Get together a bunch of Bibles, Koran's and similar, a couple of figures of Jesus on a cross and Mohamed doing his thing, and then burn them. It is obvious what the message then is, anti-religion.


Just burning a bunch of "random" books at an anti-war protest is at best going to do nothing really (elicit sympathy from random passers bye about the ignorance of those burning the books), and at worst give a very bad message about the movement and convey the opposite message to what you are trying to present.

Of course, if you just want to be a rebel and burn some books and you don't care what anyone else thinks, then go for it. Make sure that they really are reactionary though, and please at least have on hand a bunch of pamphlets explaining what you are burning and why.

[acornsr4squirrels]

I find it funny that this guy calls us "conformists" like the point of being a leftist is to be a nonconformist. And here I thought it had something to do with overthrowing capitalism in order to create a free and classless society. I guess I'm an "anarcho-poseur" or something for not quite getting how burning books is going to help anything.

[Wanted Man]

Book burning has actually been done by all sorts of political currents. Look it up.

I'm still against it, though. Today, it is a practice of hardcore Christians burning Harry Potter books. Surely we can do better than that.

Make a giant puppet of Bush and burn that instead.

[RedAnarchist]

Originally posted by [email protected] 03, 2007 03:22 pm
I find it funny that this guy calls us "conformists" like the point of being a leftist is to be a nonconformist. And here I thought it had something to do with overthrowing capitalism in order to create a free and classless society. I guess I'm an "anarcho-poseur" or something for not quite getting how burning books is going to help anything.
He sounds like one of those people who become leftists so they can justify doing stuff like shoplifting or something.

[RedAnarchist]

Originally posted by Dick [email protected] 03, 2007 04:53 pm
Make a giant puppet of Bush and burn that instead.
Good idea, do that.

[RedLion]

Originally posted by Organic Revolution+August 03, 2007 04:43 am--> (Organic Revolution @ August 03, 2007 04:43 am)
Originally posted by [email protected] 02, 2007 04:06 pm

Originally posted by Organic [email protected] 02, 2007 09:45 pm

[email protected] 02, 2007 02:39 pm
Thank you for adhering to your principles of order. It evidently suits you. May your we someday consist of several others to enjoy your desired system of conformity. My self-given freedoms as an anarchist include the ability to burn whatever I damn well please. It is clear that the irony of burning pro-bush/pro-capitalist material at an anti-war/anti-bush rally is lost on several.
First off, what is the reason you are going to burn a book. You obviously don't have a cohesive plan of action. Are you going to announce the books your burning, or is it just going to be a pointless action where people have no idea what you are doing? How about you try this... Get a real plan together, and stop trying to be an agnsty teen who just wants to use fire because it 'looks cool' and sends a message.


Also, try and get a real understanding of anarchism before you spout off nothing rants.
Why do you assume he is an agnsty (sic) teen?

I agree burning books is a daft idea but immediately leaping to the nearest stereotype just strikes me as pointless.

For all you know he could be a world war II veteran who is disillusioned with the current state of the "developed" world.

It might be an idea to deconstruct his ideas rather than simply applying thinly disguised insults.
Are you seriously pegging me as an ageist? [/b]
No I'm peggin you as ignorant and stupid.

If you know the poster personally then I will concede but if, as I suspect, not...

...then you have NO IDEA what they are like, you don't know their age, sex, race, religion or any other facet of their character.

Yet you steam in, without any facts, and pin labels on people.

That's what the Nazi's did.

[Marsella]

Burning books is not 'barbaric' - that's a mass exaggeration. Slaughtering people is barbaric. But it's got too much of a right-wing-christian stigma.

Whenever I'm at book stores or the library I put all Ann Coulter books behind all the leftist material. Incididently, that is a hint at what books, if any, should be burned.


burn porno mags instead. That way you're making a progressive statement, and no one can accuse you of being a knuckle dragging nazi for burning literature.

No - that would make you a knuckle dragging nazi. Plus, what would hold my bed up?

[DisEnter]

Thank you to those posting useful advice. Ann ****er is certainly joining the pile. A bush effigy was considered but rejected as being a bit cliche at this juncture. Let's face it, everybody's doing it. Regardless there are some so fond of the idea I think it's going to happen anyway and I have no problem with that.

I'll admit initially upon reading this forum for a while I got the impression that many people here have little to do aside from reading leftist propaganda (yes, call it what it is) so they can have quotes ready to cough up on cue in order to impress people with their pseudo intellectualism (regardless of the fact that most quotes are out of context (?!)). I'm pleased to see that in reality few are actually impressed by this.

I look forward to joining most of you in peaceful, civilized society.

[Red October]

Originally posted by [email protected] 03, 2007 05:41 pm
Thank you to those posting useful advice. Ann ****er is certainly joining the pile. A bush effigy was considered but rejected as being a bit cliche at this juncture. Let's face it, everybody's doing it. Regardless there are some so fond of the idea I think it's going to happen anyway and I have no problem with that.

I'll admit initially upon reading this forum for a while I got the impression that many people here have little to do aside from reading leftist propaganda (yes, call it what it is) so they can have quotes ready to cough up on cue in order to impress people with their pseudo intellectualism (regardless of the fact that most quotes are out of context (?!)). I'm pleased to see that in reality few are actually impressed by this.

I look forward to joining most of you in peaceful, civilized society.
Yes, and book burning is not a cliche thing. Too bad it's considered a fascist cliche, dumbass. You sound like a little whiny liberal.

[The-Spark]

Burn Flags Not Books!

[midnight marauder]

Who cares about burning books that represent what we don't agree with?

There's a very good argument to be made that we'd just be lowering ourselves to their standards of reactionary emotionalism and that it has little more than the unintended effect of making us look like the unthinking zealots we're trying to fight.

Make a real statement: burn books like The Professors: The 101 Most Dangerous Academics in America and pieces like The Top Ten Most Harmful Books of the 19th and 20th Centuries in the name of freedom of speech.

Unless you just happen to be desperately in need of warmth and there happens to be nothing but gasoline and unsold copies of The Regean Diaries laying around. :rolleyes:

[EwokUtopia]

Originally posted by [email protected] 03, 2007 10:41 pm
I look forward to joining most of you in peaceful, civilized society.
Hah, and we'll get there by burning books to be a badass and make some petty little statement which the majority of people around you will not appreciate?

Your just being a shit disturber, these books are published en masse, and you are not going to burn every last one, or even prevent one person from reading them, your just trying to be (litterally) inflammatory.

What do you feel like prooving? That you have a lighter? That Anne Coulter burns well? I fail to see your logic here. Hell, you could actually benefit rightist propaganda, if they get footage of a bunch of people burning Anne Coulter, Ive no doubt that her sales would actually increase.


Also, congrats on calling us all "psuedo leftist pussies". Real mature there.

[dannthraxxx]

one of the most ridiculous posts i've seen on here. and although i am new, i've seen quite a few.


going to an anti-bush rally is pretty retarded in itself, especially since in my opinion it gets absolutely nothing done.

go burn yourself on the white house lawn, that'll get you more attention.

[postmodern-jellybelly]

I'm quite opposed to the burning of books.
Now writing a book about the evils of certain books, I understand (although that'd be more an essay than a book), but BURNING the book is only supporting the writer and the publisher and therefore is WRONG!

crap. now my mom's pissed at me. g2g!

[BreadBros]

Whats the point of this? Unless you can burn every copy of a book in existence (or at least a significant number), then it's just a symbolic act (and even if you could burn every single copy of a book in existence, thats a whole nother debate over whether that would be right). Its not only a symbolic act but its pretty cliched and will probably only serve to confuse people or give them the wrong impression in regards to our politics (assuming you share the same politics as us, you might be a troll for all we know).

If you really feel you must do something symbolic at least do something new and shocking. How about taking a crap on a picture of Bush or the American flag in public? You'd be showing your dislike for him/it, shocking the shit out of the liberals around you and probably breaking a few laws while doing it 8-).

[DeadDisco]

It is unfortunate that you take the label of an Anarchist, DisEnter.

I'm not here to argue that burning books is counter-productive, but I will argue that it most definitely gives a bad image, especially to Anarchists who already have enough false shit heaped on them.

If this protest is going to be in a major city (I'm curious, which city?), just imagine what the media is going to do with a picture of a pile of books being burned. No doubt that there will be ceaseless references to the Christian pile of shit that is Fahrenheit 451.


Burn Flags Not Books!

This however, is acceptable. =D Burning flags doesn't have the stigma of "destroying free speech", etc., even if it's bullshit.

[Red October]

Fundamentally, this thread is fucking stupid and should probably be trashed.

[Saint Street Revolution]

Originally posted by Red [email protected] 13, 2007 04:27 pm
Fundamentally, this thread is fucking stupid and should probably be trashed.
Not really, no matter how stupid it is it is a valid debate. I also agree that it is pretty pointless, and that book burning is for Fascists, but nothing on this thread should really get it trashed.

[RedHal]

burning books = more fuel for the corporate media to manipulate the masses into equating communism with nazism. You're really not that ignorant are you?

[BlakSheep]

Fine, forget looking barbaric and ignorant, its people like you that are killing the Earth! Don't bloody damn well burn books, if you want to destroy them, RECYCLE THEM! And you can still learn from reading opposing ideologies, I like reading the bible/Koran/Scripture etc... on some occasions, I like being educated. That way, when some religious nut comes to a rally talking about damnation and what-not, I can quote scripture that disproves whatever mad point he/she has better. Now, on the bad image it gives leftists, a pile of burning books makes us ALL look ignorant, and by standard logic, wrong in our positions.
We really shouldn't be trashing on these people, it doesn't help at all to belittle them. Use reason, not insult. Although I believe it was Thomas Jefferson, or one of the founding fathers here in the states, that said something like " I cannot argue with someone who is not logical using logic. It is so illogical that I can only respond with insult." or something like that. But seriously we, myself included, need to teach not preach.