Customer Reviews

Know Thyself

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Can you imagine Jazz without Ellington? Funk without Parliament? Psychology without Akbar? Na'im Akbar, Ph.D., Psychology at Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, offers fresh answers to the debate on the (mis)education of Black America in"Know Thy Self", a quintessential book for New Millenium History.

To read Na'im Akbar is to know someone in a love affair with Black people. The basis for understanding the world is in self-definition, not vice-versa, and he defines the African concept of self as a legitimate tenet of African Deep Thought, which is a basis for undoing (mis)education.

He presents a compelling argument that achieves two crucial objectives. One, he explains what effective education is. Two, he offers a workable processes anyone can use to free the mind so that the behavior can be trained to follow.

Reading "Know Thy Self" is like being in the hands of a meticulous brain surgeon, painstakingly working to restore a mind to health. Dr. Akbar provides tools, and processes, to gauge the influence (mis)education has on individual behavior, community advancement, and the relationship between the two.

Dr. Akbar reveals the role of values, traditions and the legacy of competence conveyed by any educational system promoting the advancement of a people. He shows the inherent limitations that should occur, and will occur, under the influence of values, traditions and competencies alien to an African definition of self, worldview and interest.

Soul is at the core of African self-concept and reality, not ego as the European model of reality espouses. The separation of soul, or Spirit, from the self does not occur in the African concept of self.

This organic totality stems back to Nile Valley Civilization and the foundation of human civilization in Africa. Dr. Akbar draws consistently from Nile Valley Civilization for legacies of competence (achievement) for Black people, as well as from other African Deep Thinkers like The Honorable Elijah Muhammad, founder of the self-help Nation of Islam organization, and Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the "Father of African-American History."

From "The Miseducation of the Negro," he quotes Dr. Carter G. Woodson: "When you control a man's thinking you do not have to worry about his actions. You do not have to tell him not to stand here or go yonder. He will find his "proper place" and will stay in it. You do not need to send him to the back door. He will go without being told. In fact, if there is no back door he will cut one for his special benefit. His education makes it necessary."

Dr. Akbar presents three (3) interrelated approaches, or models, for undoing (mis)education: Deconstruction, Reconstruction and Construction. "The deconstructionist approach is intended to critique or identify the error and weaknesses found in the typical approaches to education for African-Americans." African Deep Thought thinkers such as Molefi Asante, John Henrik Clark, Cheikh Anta Diop, Ivan Van Sertima and Maulana Karenga have contributed to this tradition of deconstruction. Dr. Akbar says "it is critically necessary to realize that something is wrong with our training before we can even begin to address what is needed for our re-education".

The Reconstructionist approach digs up "hidden facts and develops a compelling argument that begins to include those crucial pieces, which have been excluded from the miseducational system." Ivan Van Sertima's book, "They Came Before Columbus," is an example of the Reconstructionist approach. He provides compelling research to show that Africans sailed to America as early as 700 BC and around 1300, effectively debunking the European-American assertion that Columbus "discovered" America in 1492.

The Constructionist approach seeks to advance the critical growth of knowledge, a crucial action for the promotion of self-knowledge and community advancement. The Constructionist seeks to heal the breach in self through knowledge of self (Know Thy Self), thereby undergirding one's mind for the task of introducing new approaches, or paradigms, into the arena of ideas in human history.

"Know Thy Self" is a Bill Curtis recommended 5Star Must-Read-Reading. Additionally, the bibliography provides resources to deepen one's awareness and understanding of the Deconstuction, Reconstruction and Construction models, which are interrelated tools to undo (mis)education. Undo your safety belt and read "Know Thy Self". Why not do it today?

Bill Curtis resides in Maryland. Email: BillCurtis@tbwt.com

As mentioned previously, this book serves as a gateway of sorts to a new and liberating thought pattern. Unfortunately, not many Afrikans in America are aware that Mr. Akbar even exists. Given the opportunity to study his words and then later apply them to everyday living, I have been made aware of all things around me, including my own education. The way we as Afrikans tend to think, speak, and even shop is all touched upon in this wonderful book. It says, "Wake up people! There is a whole world out there you are not even aware of, and it's tearing you apart!" This masterpiece has served as the basis of many personal teachings and professional conversations I have had with my "self" and the troubled young people I work with. Thanks to Mr. Akbar, I am able to present relevant facts and positive information to my students, giving them the opportunity to think for themselves, rather than believing that what they have been forced to learn is the only reality they have.

This book is an excellent overview of the kind of thought process that Africans need to develop in order to free ourselves from the damaging modes of thought we have come to believe are natural with regard to wants, needs, and goal setting. It is written in a clear, user friendly format that allows its message to reveal itself to all who read it. There is a wealth of additional information available about this important topic, some of which can be overwhelming to the new student of African centered thought, this is an excellent starting point. I found it to be uplifting and motivational. It is definitely a book you should own, not borrow, because you will refer back to in constantly throughout your educational process.

This book has changed my life. Living in white suburbia I've been asleep for a while and this book opened my eyes to find out who I really am, how to understand my people and how to do educate myself, my family and my people. I will used this book as a reference for raising my two boys so that they can be proud of where they come from and prepare them to to conquer the racist obstacles that they will face while growing to to be strong educated black men.

This is a must read! Many African-American educators are interested in meeting the educational needs of African-American children within the established education system. Dr. Akbar guides educators by creating a working knowledge from which to start. It's difficult to destroy the current system, therefore, our objective as educators is to show African-American students the connections between our past and their present. Through such a methodology, the race problem attributed by miseducating blacks will lessen.

As a teacher of middle school students, I frquently observe that African-American students lack a working knowledge of their history beyond the figures of Dr. Martin L. King, Malcolm X and other popularized black figures. There are others that paved the way, such as Aesop, Hannibal, Cleopatra, Zenobi, and Askia the Great that our students need to know. For it is through the accomplishments of the above and others that will too pave the way for them.

This text along with other text written by African-American authors will guide our needs for developing, building and maintaining an education system of excellence based on truth, rather than mistruths. In short, I strongly recommend this book as a must read and as a keeper to be freely shared with all who are passionately concerned about giving African American children the upward mobility desired to sufficiently compete in this ever changing global world.

I am ordering this book today after experiencing the riveting power of the message "Know Thy Self". Today I had the privilege of hearing Na'im Akbar deliver the message "Know Thy Self" at the University of the Virgin Islands, St. Croix Campus. "Know thy self"! This will be a mantra you will see the wisdom of adopting for life! Mr. Akbar's message is not just for those of African descent but for all people. Every person should "Know Thy Self" in every aspect that entails as explained by Na'im Akbar. I must have this book as a reference for living.

This book constructively studies the mis-education of African-American people and provides the process to re-educating ourselves based on African holistic principles.

Know Thy Self is an excellent book for understanding yourself and why many like you and I think and behave in the destructive manners we have come to accept as normal. Trust me .... self destructive acts are not from the GOD that indwells in each of us as these self destructive acts are learn behaviors that we need to un-learn. Elijah Muhammad taught through self pride and self love that this self hate can be reversed through Knowing Thy Self. I am not a Muslim and am no longer a Christian for that matter, I simply believe in a Creator but I truly respect Elijah Muhammad's track record of success with deconstructing and reconstructing new people that had lost minds. PEACE.

For anyone new to the idea of African/Black consciousness, this is the perfect starter book to get you on your way.

A must read one of the most relevant book I've read in a long time. This book is what America needs to know to correct the problems with society.