Here are the “Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century” that are the titles of the short chapters in this book:
- Do Not Obey in Advance
- Defend Institutions
- Beware the One-Party State
- Take Responsibility for the Face of the World
- Remember Professional Ethics
- Be Wary of Paramilitaries
- Be Reflective if you Must be Armed
- Stand Out
- Be Kind to Our Language
- Believe in Truth
- Investigate
- Make Eye Contact and Small Talk
- Practice Corporeal Politics
- Establish a Private Life
- Contribute to Good Causes
- Learn from Peers in Other Countries
- Listen for Dangerous Words
- Be Calm When the Unthinkable Arrives
- Be a Patriot
- Be as Courageous as You Can
These chapters – from 1 to 9 (small) pages in length – are all worthwhile. They are all thoughtful, this historian’s realistic summaries of lessons from the experience of other humans-like-us, especially in Europe in the last century — Europe, the ancestral homeland of many of us, and the scene of most horrific episodes.
There is also a graphic edition with the same text.
See Also:
– Here’s an article with more detail about a few of the chapters, so you can get a feel for it.
– Is Donald Trump a Fascist? If it Walks Like a Duck … 11 Authorities Say Yes
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Questions for us:
1. Is it worth it to “be as courageous as you can” against such great threats?
2. Just from those chapter titles: which two or three stand out to you?
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