33 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
This book just might help, March 6, 2004
This review is from: The Psychopath's Bible: For the Extreme Individual (Paperback)
The Psychopath's Bible opens with a disclaimer intended as a standard CYA cap, and the next dozen or so pages continue this theme, warning the reader about the hazards of reading the terrible and horrifying material within, which is more than a little over the top for my taste, but entertaining nonetheless. It is primarily compiled of three 'manuals' and three appendices. Nicholas Tharcher summed up the basic theme of the book well in the Forward when he said: 'In some ways this is a book of social philosophy; in other was it is a book of technique. Which it is for you may depend more on your attitude than anything else' (pg 15).
The first manual is titled 'The Toxick Magician' in which very little is given that could be used for practical application and the little theory is a bit dodgy as it is not expounded. Thoughts are left vague and incomplete, perhaps to stimulate further thought and generated ideas on the part of the practitioner, but it looks sloppy and unfinished.
However, I found the second manual, 'Toxick Calculator', far more entertaining. It deals with what Hyatt terms the 'mathematics of power' and contains more detailed theory, as well as exercises with more practical applications than the first. In it, the reader gets gems like this: 'We are inherently irrational, although we like to fancy ourselves as rational beings......the truth is simple: we are irrational beings capable of rational thought.' (pg 109)
The third manual, 'The No-Where University, Sometimes Called P.U.' contains a selection of courses and literature, both printed and film, that a prospective psychopath will want to fill hirself in on in order to perfect hir transformation.
Much of what is contained within one can see easily reflected all around, friends, co-workers, etc. Particularly in the games played by world leaders. Consider this extract: 'Build tension in others and help them find a scapegoat. Do this in small and insignificant ways until you have the power and ability to move people to more gross and hideous behaviors. Help people realize how easy it is to lose things they have or want. The trick in all of this is not to become identified as the bearer of bad tidings - unless you are looking for people with a strong stomach' (pg 87). Sound familiar?
It's entertaining, an easy read, but at the same time insightful - though not terribly new. There is little that cannot be found within the works of Sun Tzu, Niccolo Machiavelli, Ayn Rand and the like. However, the ideas have been modernized, and deliberately injected with humour, which is fun. Then again, as he says 'I have written this book in the way I wanted to write it??not for the ease of the reader nor for the sake of favorable reviews' (pg 105).
For those who have not read much in this genre there is a lot you need to know, namely, you need to understand that 'no matter how pathetic, everyone is looking out for their best interests. For most people, their best interest consists of not being punished. Few play to win. They play to be safe while feeling morally superior to the winner' (pg 31), and this is an attitude that severely needs to be corrected if you really want to play the game. This book just might help.
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29 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Third Rate Writing, May 17, 2005
This review is from: The Psychopath's Bible: For the Extreme Individual (Paperback)
There's weak link between this type of writing and that of Crowleys on the nature of mind and self. Whereas Crowley is extremely eloquent on the subject, an accomplished writer by any standard and a very thoughful individual, Hyatt seems, by comparison, an amatuer and underestimates by far the intelligence of his potential readers.
This author (who claims to have a Phd) seems to think he's telling us something irresposible, shocking and new. Nothing of the sort - there are very few incites here, mostly half-baked nonsense. He seems to have very little understanding of true human nature and has no respect for the Other. This book came highly recommended by a friend, I would not have ordered it otherwise. My advice is: don't bother with this book - you could probably write a better one yourself and save your money for more important things. As John Balance once wrote: "Wise words from the departing - Eat your greens, especially broccoli"
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9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting, In Spite of Its Flaws, October 25, 2004
This review is from: The Psychopath's Bible: For the Extreme Individual (Paperback)
This book is longer, more repetitious and far-reaching than necessary for the topic. An author would do well to avoid contradicting his own tenents: such as his insistence on empirical reality, when in the previous section he bade his Toxic readers to rely on the decidedly unempirical karma.
Pretentiousness like Toxic Magick, sending him money to teach you, and empirical karma aside, the core of the book represents an absolute truth, and, among his own delusional splendor, there is much good advice the Dr. offers us.
Dr. Wyatt warns the socially indoctrinated reader to stay away from the book and its teachings as their directions could prove harmful to one's mental health and life situtations. I wouldn't go so far as to agree with his warning, I don't think the average human understands that there is a game on.
All criticism aside, this book is most assuredly worth a read, if not for gathering your own strength, then even just to gain insight into how cunning some people can really be.
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