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115 reviews for:
Outwitting the Devil: The Secret to Freedom and Success
Sharon L. Lechter, Napoleon Hill, Mark Victor Hansen, Michael Bernard Beckwith
3.93 AVERAGE
115 reviews for:
Outwitting the Devil: The Secret to Freedom and Success
Sharon L. Lechter, Napoleon Hill, Mark Victor Hansen, Michael Bernard Beckwith
3.93 AVERAGE
So to recap Napoleon Hill is the author of Think and Grow Rich, and is a father of that entire genre of books. He also apperently had many experiences people would call religious including a long conversation where he makes the devil confess the tricks of his trade, how he tricks people into wasting their life and how one can avoid the devils clutches and live a healthy productive and successful life. This books is the transcript of that conversation along with some preamble about the authors other religious experiences.
Now the first before covering the review is: does the author really think he is talking to a literal devil or is this just a parable for our metaphorical inner psychological demons which the author has talked to through his overactive imagination. Ultimately though I don't think it really matters since the two have identical effects upon us.
Now the actual review:
On the plus side the devils advice for success is pretty sound. Having faith and persevering through adversity, having a goal one keeps working towards, thinking for one self, bucking societies attempts at control. All is incredibly sound advice that I think many people would benefit from.
On the other side the author is being played like a fiddle and it was absolutely fascinating to watch, really. I would recommend this book more as a master class in manipulation than for the success advice which later authors have I think done much better. The devil plays to his life long wish to be among the elect. While being totally honest on the issues the author thinks are important it slips in a few small lies and many many implications to suggest that anyone who is the upper 2% that is "free from the devils grasp" are all wealthy captains of industry, the sort of people the author idolizes. And anyone who is poor, unattractive, or infirm; these people are all slaves of the devil. Further the devils tells him that most are physically incapable of being freed, at one point saying that such "drifters" lack free will or a human consciousness anymore. That they are contemptible and should in all cases be shunned. In fact the final advice from the devil is that true free thinkers should isolate themselves from the masses and only associate with other "free thinkers" who think just like them. The ungodly poor however are really only useful as employees or sources of money, they are only resources.
But of course all of this is built up ever so slowly in implications, off topic remarks that are ignored to get back on track, subtle proof always based not on evidence but on the authors wish to believe it, and all of it plays directly to the author (and many americans) Calvinist beliefs in the special, the holy, the elect few. And always with the devil stroking the authors ego indirectly through praising his idols of wealth, combined with more obvious direct praises that the author calls out so that Hill will feel he is on top of and wise to the game being played. Though I did think the regular "Damn you for compelling the truth from me, mortal! These secrets I am divulging will ruin me if they get out." to be so over the top I am quite surprised the author didn't call bullshit or at least get a little suspicious at the whole, "I can not tell a lie because your mind is to powerful and conquered all fear" shtick.
Now the first before covering the review is: does the author really think he is talking to a literal devil or is this just a parable for our metaphorical inner psychological demons which the author has talked to through his overactive imagination. Ultimately though I don't think it really matters since the two have identical effects upon us.
Now the actual review:
On the plus side the devils advice for success is pretty sound. Having faith and persevering through adversity, having a goal one keeps working towards, thinking for one self, bucking societies attempts at control. All is incredibly sound advice that I think many people would benefit from.
On the other side the author is being played like a fiddle and it was absolutely fascinating to watch, really. I would recommend this book more as a master class in manipulation than for the success advice which later authors have I think done much better. The devil plays to his life long wish to be among the elect. While being totally honest on the issues the author thinks are important it slips in a few small lies and many many implications to suggest that anyone who is the upper 2% that is "free from the devils grasp" are all wealthy captains of industry, the sort of people the author idolizes. And anyone who is poor, unattractive, or infirm; these people are all slaves of the devil. Further the devils tells him that most are physically incapable of being freed, at one point saying that such "drifters" lack free will or a human consciousness anymore. That they are contemptible and should in all cases be shunned. In fact the final advice from the devil is that true free thinkers should isolate themselves from the masses and only associate with other "free thinkers" who think just like them. The ungodly poor however are really only useful as employees or sources of money, they are only resources.
But of course all of this is built up ever so slowly in implications, off topic remarks that are ignored to get back on track, subtle proof always based not on evidence but on the authors wish to believe it, and all of it plays directly to the author (and many americans) Calvinist beliefs in the special, the holy, the elect few. And always with the devil stroking the authors ego indirectly through praising his idols of wealth, combined with more obvious direct praises that the author calls out so that Hill will feel he is on top of and wise to the game being played. Though I did think the regular "Damn you for compelling the truth from me, mortal! These secrets I am divulging will ruin me if they get out." to be so over the top I am quite surprised the author didn't call bullshit or at least get a little suspicious at the whole, "I can not tell a lie because your mind is to powerful and conquered all fear" shtick.
I would recommend this book 100%. “One’s dominant desires can be crystallized into their physical equivalents through definiteness of purpose, with the aim of nature of law of hypnotic rhythm and time!” (Hill, 249)