Toxic Idealism Book Collection

Sebastian Haffner was a prominent author and journalist who wrote extensively about Hitler and the Nazis. He was one of the few intellectuals who recognized the danger of the Nazi regime and chose to emigrate to the UK in the 1930s, shortly after the Nazis took power in Germany. In his book "Defying Hitler," Haffner describes his formative years, from the beginning of World War I to the Weimar Republic and the Nazi takeover. Through vivid storytelling, he captures the atmosphere and the political climate that prevailed during these critical stages of German history.

Haffner's book highlights the challenges that the Weimar Republic faced, as it struggled to gain acceptance and legitimacy in the aftermath of World War I. Hitler and the Nazis were initially not taken seriously, and the majority of people voted against them. However, despite their opposition, many Germans were paralyzed and lacked the courage to fight against the Nazi regime. The Nazis used the guise of comradeship to seduce people, even Haffner himself, who felt disgusted by their tactics.

In his book "The Meaning of Hitler," Haffner provides a deeper analysis of Hitler's motivations and personal philosophy, and how these factors influenced Nazi politics. Hitler's racist principles were paramount to his nationalist ones, as he was willing to destroy the German nation after it was defeated in his race war. Haffner argues that Hitler chose Germany for his race war because it was the most powerful neighboring nation. This observation reminded me of the character Grenouille from Patrick Süskind's novel "The Perfume," in which the protagonist's opportunism and toxic idealism leads him to commit atrocities (in pre-revolutionary France) in the name of his own vision of perfection.

This reminds us of the broader influence of toxic idealism, which has had a profound impact on our modern world. Stephen Clark's book "The French Revolution & What Went Wrong" analyzes the spread of revolutionary ideas that resulted in a period of violence and instability in France. Similarly, John Gray's book "Black Mass" and James C Scott's "Seeing Like a State" examine how seemingly noble ideals can lead to unintended consequences and devastating outcomes.

Toxic Idealism Book Collection

Black Mass: Apocalyptic Religion and the Death of Utopia

Notes On Nationalism

Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

Science, Politics and Gnosticism

Seeing like a State: How Certain Schemes to Improve the Human Condition Have Failed

The French Revolution & What Went Wrong

The Meaning of Hitler

The Pursuit of the Millennium: Revolutionary Millenarians and Mystical Anarchists of the Middle Ages