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A review by jch2022
Forbidden Knowledge: From Prometheus to Pornography by Roger Shattuck
3.0
Hmmm...while there was much I thought was intriguing about this book and its premise, at times it seemed a bit more histrionic about some of the worst results of man's quest for knowledge. Though I do have to agree about de Sade's work, it has no particular value to people in general and just celebrates the basest of human drives and revels in the torture and degradation of others in order to achieve sexual fulfillment.
I also have trouble believing that Eichmann set up the Lebensborn program and instituted its practices because he didn't realize the profound moral boundaries he was blundering across. I believe that is entirely too succinct an explanation and way too pat a device. On some level he had realize that to carry on these genetic experimantation was going to impact the human race at some level.
I hate that people now rely on the fact that evil is in essence, "stupid", and sometimes is just the result of someone not thinking through the results of their particular actions upon other people.I tend to believe that evil is more often a choice made to do what you want and damn the consequences for others.
A warning: The chapter dealing with pornography, most especially the chapter on de Sade, is extremely graphic in nature. There is even a warning at the beginning of the book telling of the inclusion of some materials from de Sade to let parents and educators know that this is a book that should be read by a mature audience.
I also have trouble believing that Eichmann set up the Lebensborn program and instituted its practices because he didn't realize the profound moral boundaries he was blundering across. I believe that is entirely too succinct an explanation and way too pat a device. On some level he had realize that to carry on these genetic experimantation was going to impact the human race at some level.
I hate that people now rely on the fact that evil is in essence, "stupid", and sometimes is just the result of someone not thinking through the results of their particular actions upon other people.I tend to believe that evil is more often a choice made to do what you want and damn the consequences for others.
A warning: The chapter dealing with pornography, most especially the chapter on de Sade, is extremely graphic in nature. There is even a warning at the beginning of the book telling of the inclusion of some materials from de Sade to let parents and educators know that this is a book that should be read by a mature audience.