The Lucifer Principle: A Scientific Expedition Into the Forces of History (Taschenbuch)

The author makes the case that religions are memes. Indeed, the author points out some destructive aspects of Hinduism (citing proof that the Hinduism was designed by a Iranian ruling class that conquered India in the distant past) were deliberately crafted. In the case of Islam, the author cites proof that Mohammed was mentally ill and that his conversations with the angel Gabriel were delusions. However, the founders of Christianity seem to escape similar judgement. Perhaps this is because the author researched Christianity's origins in depth and found that Christianity had a perfectly altruistic basis. I suspect though that the author went looking for references that described the origins of Hinduism and Islam in negatives, but didn't look for similar references for Christianity. Or perhaps he did, but didn't find any. In any case, the credibility of the author's veiled portrayal of Christianity as a superior religion would have been bolstered if he'd been up front with his research. In the interest of full disclosure, the author should have stated what his religious beliefs were.

The book is also an exercise in bashing 1980s U.S. culture and advancements, and points out that U.S.'s failure to capitalize on its research lead in technology like VCRs as evidence that the U.S. in in decline. Although the book is somewhat dated (1997), even in 1997 we saw the U.S. achieve prohibitive leads in software, the Internet, computers, and an open minded base of U.S. consumers that embraced these technologies. The author seems to miss the fact that the profit margins in software, ISP service, and PCs are higher than VCRs, and the author doesn't note that in 1997 the U.S. economy was roaring, while the rest of world was still sputtering. The U.S.' prohibitive lead in productivity is ignored. The author notes that history has shown that time and again, a seemingly invincible power is overthrown by its neighbors, but he doesn't even consider the advantages that the U.S.'s geography has in preventing a fate that the Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, and Chinese empires suffered. As a citizen of one the U.S.'s two closest neighbors, I'm well aware of the might of the U.S., and can assure Mr. Bloom, that at no time in the future will Canada's barbarians ever succeed in taking down the U.S., if for no other reason, than the U.S. wields the biggest stick on earth. A stick which on one hand, Bloom criticizes the ancient Chinese for de-constructing which led to being defenseless from the hoards, but on another hand, he criticizes the Reagan administration for re-building.

Bloom also criticizes the quality of 1980s rock music as further evidence of U.S. decline. I suppose Disco from the 1970s was superior? In any case, comparing quality of pop music seems like a poor way to measure cultural decay.

Now nothing matters. Nothing. I am a hairy lad, and I have read more books on more subjects on more opinions than I have hairs. And none have sent me into the crazed spiral of self-doubt and worry that this book has. I am nothing now. Nothing. Everything is useless. Everything is pointless.

But now I have eyes.

Bloom fears Islam. Bloom also fears America. But Bloom does not forgive the fact that given America over Islam, he would take the former any time. Bloom is not scared about Judaism. Judaism doesn't want us all dead. Is this a narrow view? Probably. Bloom even ADMITS this. But the way he puts it... you will fear Islam. Not enough to hate Islam - Bloom rants endlessly about moral imperatives and the like - but fear Islam because it can and WILL bring America to its knees if we are not careful. This book will have you thinking that Equitorial Guinea could bring us to our knees. It is racist in the same way "The Bell Curve" is racist. In a way that points out what we refuse to see and sorrowfully shakes its head as it is forced to admit that this is the truth. It is paranoid in the same way "1984" is paranoid. Watch out, or you'll end up like this. And it proves it. My lord, it proves it.

This is a book about social psychology. It is also a book about politics. It is also about history. The back of the book reads "Science" and not one of these other topics. This book defies genres. It is a desperate cry for movement and action and awareness that trancends barriers. Bloom wants humankind to rise above itself. But to begin, we must know what humankind is.

People! The time has come! This book will fall through history as a turning point - the book that brought ALL fields together and found something frightening. Is Bloom wrong sometimes? Yes. Yes yes and double yes. There are basic historical errors here. Blind shots in the dark. But is Bloom a stinking genius intent on shocking us out of our minds?

Yes!

Run away if you wish to forever remain blind. You only thought you knew what you were until you read this book. I want to burn it. I wish I had never read it. I wish Howard Bloom had never been born. And it is now my Bible. It is undeniable. It is a force unto itself. Everything you believed before, it will rip from you. It will leave you a boneless jelly of confusion. It will be the voice of a new philosophical generation. Will "Bloomian" be risen to the level of "Machiavellian", "Marxist", "Platonic", "Darwinian", "Sadism", "Boycott"? I fear it will be so! I hope it will be so! I want to weep and grind my teeth. I am angered. I am humbled. I am overwhelmed, tied, beaten. I want to tear my soul from my body and deny I am human.

And I know I am. More than ever. I am human. So are you. You thought we had problems before? You had no idea whatsoever.

Live with it.

There is NOTHING ELSE YOU CAN DO. END