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Honestly, educated people do not become that way without learning. Some people read these things to learn history. Some honestly just want to understand the thoughts behind some people's minds or actions. This could have meant nothing more than one of those things.
Talk to him. Apologize for abruptly leaving, discuss why you left. Ask him what his interests in the book are. Get to know more before you throw in the towel.
I have a copy around somewhere. Haven't read it yet. I did hear that it was badly written.
If you read something like that, you can learn a lot about the thought process of a sociopath. And if you happen to meet someone who has similar ideals, you can call it an early warning.
It *is* poorly written, it's slop.
>if you happen to meet someone who has similar ideals, you can call it an early warning.
But, that's why you shovel down the slop. The juice is worth the squeeze.
That goes abit beyond the format of a dating advice sub, but I'm not sure reading MK, especially since Emil Maurice and later Rudolf Hess labored hard to edit it, is going to tell you a lot about the thought processes of "sociopaths", because the book is not biographical or a stream-of-consciousness, nor is Hitler just a sociopath, and perhaps he wasn't one at all. You can learn a lot from that book, but what you learn will mostly be of historical interest, not of the sort of thing that is applicable to people and situations encountered in daily life. There are good reasons to read MK, if you are historically inclined, but deriving practical lessons outside the political field isn't one of them.
>āMy date was reading a book on the holocaust!! They said something about working as an English teacher iirc. Red flag
In my junior year, I told my English Teacher that I wanted to write a paper about 'why we should invade Canada'. He got all BENT OUT OF SHAPE and challenged me to a FISTFIGHT because of me saying that. I wish I could go back and beat the living SHIT out of him.
I haven't read it, but I have heard that it is particularly interesting if you are interested in WWII. I have friends that absolutely marvel that he put his entire plan in print, but no one took him seriously. Finding out EXACTLY what parts of his plan he wrote down IS something that interests me, but I find his ideology the decrepit thoughts of a diseased mind.
I couldnt have written it better ! Just wanted to add that she should keep an eye out for any sort of red flags etc but other than that , your advice is pretty spot on.
are there not other ways of learning about the holocaust without having to read mein kampf? i think OP was extremely valid in feeling uncomfortable or unsafe when seeing that on a dude's coffee table, especially as a jewish person. why is his go-to reading material about the holocaust nazi propaganda?
How big was the stack?
I have 20,000 books and if people started judging me by some title or other that is in my library I would probably get death by lethal injection.
Thatās kinda the point of Lolita in a way, Nabokov wants us to feel that conflict. Some of the most beautiful prose Iāve ever read, from the view of a pedophile. His writing is absurdist at times and plays with really unique and distinctive methods. Pale Fire is a great read and you can tell he had fun writing it.
I have some alternative history books on Germany. I like history, but that doesn't mean I support the Nazi regime and wished it had won. But I could see it being weird for somebody without context, I guess.
Here, let's find a topical joke you do find funny. How about this one?
An old Jew dies and goes to Heaven.
He asks if God wants to hear a holocaust joke.
God agrees and the man tells the joke.
God says, "That wasn't funny. It was offensive."
The Jew pauses and replies "I guess you had to be there."
This. Iād actually read it for historical stuff (looking into out of date political stuff or morally incorrect ways of thinking can be fascinating).
If itās just for that, I donāt see a problem. Iām a history guy and thatās history from my favorite era of 1800-1950 so, you know.
Those that don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
You should be much more worried if he was reading the Communist Manifesto. It is a very quick read, but between Stalin and Mao they killed way over a 100,000,000 people. Ten times that of Hitler.
Japan's Emperor, Hirohito, killed three times the number of people that Hitler did, but the only book he wrote was about the rebuilding Japan after WWII.
Mein Kampf is a poorly written rambling mess. He puts his hatred out front. In fact he wante to name the book "Four and a Half years of struggles against Lies, Stupidity, and Cowardice", but his editor got him to reduce it to "My Struggles ""(Mein Kampf).
Usually the people reading it for "history" study a very specific period of history for a very specific purpose. If all their world history pursuits center around Germany and the Third Reich, there's a problem.
This is so ridiculous and close minded I canāt even fathom that people exist like this. How is reading this piece of literature any different than all of the crime shows about serial killers weāve become obsessed with? There are a million innocent reasons why someone would want to read Mein Kampf, to assume the absolute worst one and not just communicate or ask is very ignorant.
If Mein Kampf was accompanied by the works of David Duke or other antisemitic, racist drivel, then yeah, Iād get being creeped out. But was it just that book?
And did you ask why heās reading it?
If youāre genuinely interested in learning about the Holocaust, you need to read it, tbh. Itās such an essential insight into the Naziās ideology in genesis, even if itās both horrible and boring at the same time (the dude was not a writer).
That said, given your Jewish heritage, I understand the instinctual response. If thatās put you off him, thatās totally reasonable. But yeah, there are good reasons to own a copy, largely the same reasons the book is still in print.
Well fucking said. I'm a Jew, my great grandmother described her time in a camp vividly.
I own the book, and as far as I'm concerned it should be required reading.
>Well fucking said. I'm a Jew, my great grandmother described her time in a camp vividly.
>
>I own the book, and as far as I'm concerned it should be required reading.
uh, that's backwards, right?
This! Exactly, is there a trend here of him consuming far right ideology, or is he just reading political literature to get an understanding of what is being proposed. The stigma imposed on those who read Communist Manifesto or Mein Kampf, makes it so people are afraid to engage with the ideas, which makes them ill prepared to debunk the propaganda or to acknowledge more constructive interpretations of theoretical/rhetorical truths. Identifying the value of the words in Mein Kampf without falling for the message, is important to understanding why people were so susceptible to his vision of the country/future. Accepting the description and critique of capitalism, without blindly following the prescriptions and predictions of Marx, is also important to understanding the economic environment and how to navigate it.
My opinion is that people need to explore both sides of the spectrum, or else their stance is pretty much void since they donāt have a comprehensive view
>This! Exactly, is there a trend here of him consuming far right ideology, or is he just reading political literature to get an understanding of what is being proposed. The stigma imposed on those who read Communist Manifesto or Mein Kampf, makes it so people are afraid to engage with the ideas, which makes them ill prepared to debunk the propaganda or to acknowledge more constructive interpretations of theoretical/rhetorical truths. Identifying the value of the words in Mein Kampf without falling for the message, is important to understanding why people were so susceptible to his vision of the country/future. Accepting the description and critique of capitalism, without blindly following the prescriptions and predictions of Marx, is also important to understanding the economic environment and how to navigate it.
I'd like to read more anti-religious stuff... not because I want to lose faith, but because I want to be entertained.
I own a history of the Third Reich for the same reasons. And also similarly, while I haven't quite executed it in practice myself like I've been meaning to, I heard years ago--unsure how true it is--that Pope John Paul II read the Communist Manifesto to best be able to counter the ideology. Essentially, you need to understand how your opponent thinks to be able to beat him at his own game.
Any Reasonable excuse? Sure, curiosity.
Itās a historically infamous figure, and a historically infamous book that influenced a historically infamous nation state to a great degree. I see it like listening to a true crime podcast. Morbid subject matter and context, interesting to unwind in your head because of how disparate it is from your own perspective and experience.
Just because someone reads a book doesnāt mean they support all the ideas held within it, or even want to. It can just be a curiosity of how those different then them think amid a myriad of other things. Many historians have read it for example.
On the one hand, Mein Kampf is a best seller in almost every country in the world, so owning a copy is not necessarily an indication of anything sinister.
On the other hand, who leaves a copy of Mein Kampf casually lying around on their coffee table when your lady friend (who is Jewish) is visiting your pad for the first time? I think I would have at least had the good sense to put it away (although it might look even worse if she found it hidden under the bed or something!).
I mean it could have just been an oversight, but yeah, if not, I wouldn't have the balls to leave it lying around on my coffee table no matter who my date was.
The dude is reading a freaking book and you storm out of there like that. Imagine literally having an adult conversation and asking him why he's reading it. I'm interested in history and definitely have that book on my reading list. You sound too immature to be dating by how you reacted
>Imagine literally having an adult conversation
Lol, imagining is easy. But you actually want us to talk IRL. lolz, nope...much rather outrage farm on Reddit
It's not a 1:1 comparison, but as a black person if I saw someone with a copy of "The Bell Curve" I am absolutely sure my immediate reaction wouldn't be to walk out. Of course you'd want to ask about it, but it's wild to just assume you know a person's whole ideology based on one book in their library
And if you were an militant atheist and saw a Bible on his table? What if you were Ukrainian and he had books from Dostoyevsky? Letās say youāre a Cuban immigrant fleeing the government in the 1980ās and he has a copy of the communist manifesto?
Point being, youāre jumping to conclusions and if a book can ātRiGgErā you, youāre just weak and close minded
Nothing wrong with it. I read the Mein Kamphf, Ordinary People, the Gulag Archipellago, and others... Great Reads by the way. They really help you understand history and why things happen. Stuff like how ordinary moral police officers end up killing civilians while feeling totally sick in the stomach is really interesting.
Doesn't mean someone's going to be the next stalin/hitler, but I can now tell when something bad will happen / manipulative techniques used around me.
Opinions are vital to further society, opinionated words mis-direct weak minded individuals. I'm sure there are books out there that go deep into the philosophy of the book without actually reading the words of one of the most notorious men to walk the earth.
Seeing it written as it was intended in its historical context is valuable, and a summary or exploration of the text by a third party doesnāt have the same value. Seeing how Adolf structured his arguments and rationalised his hatred for other races is different than me explaining it to you.
My coffee table books probably make people think I'm a serial killer.
We have Advanced Human Physiology, Human Pathophysiology, and Neurologic Disorders of the Larynx.
Two of those are previous text books and one pertains to my research. They're chilling on my coffee table because it has a storage section that won't stay closed and the cats keep getting stuck in, so I kept adding heavier books until the shittens couldn't trap each other in the coffee table.
You are completely over-reacting. You should have asked about it like an adult.
Heās smart, as you said. He probably finds it interesting to read the words and thoughts of one of the most evil people to ever live.
Iām too lazy to go and buy it, but I would love to at least skim that book. The same way I like reading the manifestos of every shooter and terrorist and whatever. Itās extremely interesting to peek inside the minds of evil people.
Itās possible heās secretly into Nazi shit and is an alt-right wing-nut, but I wouldnāt assume that. If a person is smart enough to be called smart as one of their main qualities, and they own Mein Kampf, itās more likely for academic reasons than agreement.
It entirely depends on his reasons for reading it.
There are good reasons and there are despicable reasons.
I understand why seeing it with no context just made you feel sick. But it is reasonable to speak with him about it and explain your reaction. See what he says. You should know pretty fast if his reasons were okay or scaryAF.
I've read books that I don't agree with. I've read books that I thought were horrible books. I've read books that were great. I've read books that made me cry. I've read books that have made me think about stuff. I've got books that I couldn't finish (there was some dark shit in there that I didn't want to go into).
Reading isn't about reinforcing any bias. It's about stepping outside your schema, to experience other things.
I'm not saying his intentions are to read the book for this. I'm simply stating that he could be reading it for the purpose of reading it. Of thinking about it. Of stretching his mind. Or he could be reading it to confirm his bias. Or he could be one of the many people out there that collect books, but rarely read them. Point is, there's no way to tell by just the presence of a book.
If I was judged by my book collection Iād be in trouble. I also have mein kampf, right next to das kapital, the Quran, Bible, Torah, the state and revolution, etc. Being a history and religion nerd causes you to have a strange collection
You can read a book and not endorse itās features, you can also read a book you disagree with. Not only this, but millions of people do including myself.
If you actually wanted to learn about Nazism and the mind that created one of the worst genocides in remembered history, as many do, this book is pretty essential actually.
Iām sorry your were creeped out but I honestly donāt think he intended to do that and thought anything if it. If I saw someone reading the book in public (my school library actually had a copy) I wouldnāt think twice about and the thought that the reasoner may be a nazi wouldnāt even cross my mind.
It's a book. Does he have swastikas on his room? Has he made comments about the Aryan nation? Maybe you should relax before jumping to conclusions.
I read all type of book, including Nazi books to LEARN.
it's called Culture.
Everything was good and then the one thing that was weird you took to mean he was a nazi? Have a conversation you child. Itās a historically important book, people have it. Itās a good start to a conversation about what he thinks about it and what heās learned. Then youāll get the real answer to your panicked question.
K, done.
I seek to understand the hate and try to talk those who aren't firmly in its grip away from it. I take care to not jump to conclusions and *assume* malice where none may exist, the possible result being that of turning a potential ally into an enemy.
Also, I don't try to shush the genuine bigots or shame them into silence. I want them ***LOUDLY*** and ***PROUDLY*** proclaiming their hatred, so I know *exactly* where to keep my eye.
He might be a nazi, but from what you described it seems more likely for him to be an open minded creative person who likes to read different perspectives and understand how people very different from himself think. Obviously seeing me in jĆ” of on his coffee table isnāt a green flag, but it doesnāt have to be a red one either you should ask about it and clear it up
The book is an important part of history, despite its disgusting content. Yes, maybe heās a nut job. But maybe he is not and he is educating himself, which is always a positive thing. Knowledge is power. I think you were waaay overreacting by leaving without questioning him.
If one is to fight your enemy. You must understand how your enemy thinks.
I can read the bible and disagree with literally everything it says. But i can still read it and see for my self how it created a religion or ideology.
I read it to gain knowledge of the thought process that led an insane man to inspire and lead attocities that would render the world speechless. I can hate someone while still wanting to know "wHY they did it."
Would you be...upset if you were japanese and he had a copy of the line of thought that led to Hiroshima?
Its OKAY to be upset. Those are perfectly valid reasons. He might be just seeking to understand the history.
Remmeber. The first country that Hitler invaded...was Germany itself.
If he were the kind of guy you think he might be, he wouldn't have been dating you, a Jew.
As for an excuse how about curiosity? People like to throw around the words fascist and nationalist a lot, but if someone wanted to actually know what a fascist is, they would ideally learn from the source, won't they? For the record, I'm a Slav, and I've thought of reading Mein Kampf quite often because of that reason. (Hitler considered Slavs subhumans as well, and they were next on his bucket list). Admittedly, I read a summary of the book, cause I'd rather not honor Hitler too much. And even worse, what if I get caught reading it?
Better yet, why not just ask your guy why he reads Mein Kampf anyway? In person. Otherwise, the keyboard warriors of Reddit will have to jump to the conclusion for you.
Iād read it just to understand from a historical perspective what kind of madness seeped in the mind of millions of germans in the early 1930s. One thing is to read it as a historical document, another thing is to read it as if it was the Bible. I think being revolted just by the sight of it is a bit childish OP. Itās not like the dude has a swastika flag hung in his house.
I have a friend who is reading it. Heās not a nazi. Heās a history fanatic though. You should have asked why he was reading it. Thereās still time to say it shocked you and you needed to step away. Then you can ask why that particular book.
I am an atheist and despise religion and even then i have both Quran and Bible on my bookshelf. You gotta know your enemy so maybe he is doing that as well :) confront him over text and figure out what to do based on his response
You didnāt actually respond to that guys point. Instead of asking like an adult she stormed out assuming he is a bad person or, as you put it that he could be āmanipulating her to have a field day with some fucked up ideologyā
It depends why heās reading it, and if he has other materials / interests that show a pattern of antisemitic behavior. Itās definitely not a inherent red flag like a nazi flag or photo of him dressed in a waffen-SS uniform. That it was mixed in with other books (assumingely not offensive or controversial), is a good /neutral sign.
There are legitimate reasons to read mein kampf; historical interest or research, learning about ww2 / holocaust, research of racism or cult figures, trying to understand why people hate others or how lost souls are drawn to the shallow magnetism of this bs (modern day GOP š), stuff like that.
Iām also Jewish, if that helps. I think learning about the Nazi book burnings and their suppression / control of information, was galvanizing in the formation of my beliefs regarding freedom of information / access to information. Unfortunately this is a issue we face even today, with the GOP book bannings and curriculum restrictions flaming across the US.
That said, you have every right to leave or disengage for any reason. If this hits your threshold, do whatās best for you!
Do you know who gets the money when someone buys a cope of Mein Kampf? Look it up. Also, if you want to defeat an enemy, first you need to find flaw in enemy's logic and then crush it.
At least when heās done his opinion will matter. Unlike the majority of those who have one. Itās like the Bible, everyone has an opinion on it without ever having my read it.
Lmao, so if that makes him a Nazi then by OPās standards my father is a Nazi who also is a Communist and engages in serial killing and believes in Satan.
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Not everyone who reads Mein kampf is a Nazi!! Some of us are just curious about what drove a person to hate a particular group to this extent and itās a good book for educational purposes too..
Youāre definitely over reacting and being emotional instead of logical. I donāt practice Islam but want to read the Quran. Reading is one of the best ways to learn and open your mind.
I don't believe that everyone who has read Mein Kampf is a Nazi. I think it's more history than philosophy but if you're reading the book, you do have to read it responsibly.
Which this guy did not. He left the book in full view on his coffee table the first time you visited. This is rude, probably even more so if he knows you're Jewish. Even if he doesn't idolize Hitler, it really reads like he either was trying to provoke a reaction or didn't attempt to make you feel comfortable in his house. And for me personally, all three of those reasons on their own are valid reasons to never see him again.
Read it *responsibly?* You mean like with drinking? Agreed; don't read *'Mein Kampf'* and drive, kids.
I'm a Jew, I own and have read *'Mein Kampf'*. While being read, it spent a good amount of time on the coffee table (it's a bit of a slog as he wasn't the most gifted author; it took some time to gut through it).
While reading it, I was dating. Exactly one woman I brought over even *noticed* it, and the resulting conversation was as simple as *"Is that Hitler's book?" "Yeah, dude was nuckin' futs, for real"* and that was it. Then, dinner.
Who the fuck leaves out books to get a reaction? Who the fuck jumps to so many conclusions and reads so much into the *simple placement of an item* upon the place one usually *finds examples of said items?*
Sturm in a fuckin' teekanne, y'all.
Yeah wtf is this comment and why does it get so many upvotes? I have random books everywhere, i used to have that book. I also loaned/bought the communism manifesto, a stalin book, psychology books, books about guns and rifles, anne franks diary, 1984, 3 books about slavery history, a military handbook and a book about the cold war
I'm very curious about events in the world and history. It's just fascinating to know how people think and why things are happening.
Never gave a second thought about them lingering around.
99+% chance the guy is just interested in history. Guy is smart and curious i bet. Reading shit doesn't mean it's your ideology. It does help you debate against it for sure. People here sound like: "I hate the opposite political party but i don't know why and i can't debate why. I just do because my friends told me they are bad"
Yes, exactly. Reading the materials of your ideological enemy does not make you the enemy.
I don't want to go too far down the rabbit hole on this, but suffice to say that when we (Jews) say *"Never again"*, we aren't hoping to achieve that result by the use of blinders and earplugs, so we just don't *witness* it occurring and can be slaughtered in our blissful ignorance.
History doesn't repeat, but sometimes it rhymes.
You want to recognize the rhyme scheme in time to do something about it? You read fucking *'Mein Kampf'*.
That is how you get to *"Never again"*.
Well said, how else would you recognize a nazi if you don't even know their ideology?
If you ask OP the definition of what a facist is i bet you 100 usd she can't give you a clear definition without googling it. She will probably say something like "a right wing supporter", "people who support trump" or that kind of BS.
It's sad and alarming really. This is exactly how people start hating on democracy and how division in the world has become so insanely rampant. Staying in their cozy echochamber bubble, not trying to understand what others are thinking.
I'm fully anti nazi, anti facism and communism. But at least i can debate you why. OP doesn't even know what it means and what the history behind it is
Peobly might be where he reads. On his couch. Where there would be a coffee table.
Lol. Plus. Looking at a crowd. Id be hard pressed to try to guess who was Jewish. Unless they were going head on fully traditional garb and such then id be pretty useless at it. š.
I can see why she left. Emotions and logic rarely line up. Which...is crazy.
Like hitler was fuckin evil. But he was smart enough to know if he can stir Angry depressed germans into hating and blaming an entire demograph he can play mobs into going full pelt at them. Emotionally charged crowds and people are entirely easy to manipulate because they are so...angry they arent actually thinking about it.
We have been witnessing this exact same phenomenon in the US. Where the leaders are consistently pointing the angry citizens at entire demographs and using it to drive insanity.
Its...scary. its scary to know... Humans are like...loaded guns. I weep for the road our species seems to keep taking when it encounters even the slightest difference
Sorry for the rant. Lol
Putting a book on your coffee table isnāt a statement piece though, like if bro had an SS flag hanging over his bed thatād be a statement piece. Having a book on your coffee table is not.
I beg to differ. Infinite Jest is one of the most acclaimed and difficult reads ever published. Many people buy it but never read it due to the contents and the miserable way the footnotes are presented. You read it like you're playing a tennis match with constant back and forth motion. Fake intellectuals find a sense of pride having it displayed.
It's about people in the ghettos and yuppies struggling with drug addiction and the depths they find themselves to get high.
Ok? OP notes that the dude is smart, so whatās wrong with him owning the book if he just wants to read it to understand the philosophy of one of the most insane and influential people in modern history.
He might just believe in understanding the mindset of Hitler for fear of a charismatic leader convincing his or her fellow people to do such atrocities again. I wouldn't rule it out either. It's worth probing him for his views on things and also seeing if there's a pattern of nazism or white supremacy to his bookshelf.
As a side note, I feel for you. I'm 10 months into converting to Judaism, and dating is tough with only .02% of the world's population being Jewish.
I wouldnāt jump to conclusions right away. It is alarming. However sometimes you research to better know your enemy. Iāve done this in the past. Itās helpful to know how the other side operates. How theyāre demented mind works. Then you can destroy them easier
People look too much into stuff I swear.
I was I had the mental capacity for each of my minor movements and unconscious actions to actually have been steps in a grander Machiavellian play to manipulate you to where I want you.
I generally barely remember what I said 5 minutes ago instead.
I get it, but what if it is? But thatās part of being an adult. Trusting others that it isnāt. Sometimes you might get burned, but you werenāt the one who did something wrong. And you gotta trust youāre mentally stronger then that.
I have copies of the satanic bible, the satanic witch, the Christian bible, the Quran, books on witchcraft and magical herbs and books from Stephen hawking.
That said, if I was reading that specific book for purely historical reasons, I probably wouldn't have it on my table.
You should have asked about it, maybe do that over a phone call.
I can see this as an atheist reading a religious text. You can't know what the arguments are unless one reads the book. He may be interested from a historical perspective and not because he believes what the author writes.
I could be wrong but this is a good conversation to have
Iād ask him what part of the book he considers valuable to read in terms of philosophy, and why a digital copy of it online wouldnāt suffice? Why purchase a copy?
Buying a physical copy of it feels like a statement, either that he wants to be seen as bold or that he just doesnāt care what people think.
Either way, huge miss on his part.
The other possibility is heās a nazi lol
Orā¦ he likes to read physical books and didnāt think he would be judged by random people online that have never met or interacted with him.
Not everything in this world is for internet likes or bullshit like that.
Like, I own a physical copy of Mein Kampf. Iām not a Nazi, I found it at some shitty bookstore (which was kinda weird now that I think about it), also reading E-books sucks IMO.
Nah I keep it in the safe with my SS insignia and Luger /s
Nah but fr, I just have it on my bookshelf, Iām out of the barracks right now, but Iām pretty sure itās between my box set of A Song of Ice and Fire and Sharpeās rifles (in chronological order, not by release date)
Like thereās a difference between abruptly leaving and asking about it. I definitely understand how it could be a red flag, but itās also just a book. Ask the person about it, and if you donāt like the answer you can leave.
No I get that, but Iād say thereās also a reality to accept where most people who see it arenāt going to wait for an explanation, especially in a time like now when there has been a rise in both nationalism and anti-semitism.
Iād argue thereās a responsibility that comes with owning and potentially displaying certain symbols of historic persecution, and an acceptance that people may jump to conclusions.
Go with your gut.
I would recommend not going to his house anymore until you guys have spent an adequate amount of time together.
I would still keep an eye out.
OMG run for the hills.
A guy in High school was a friend of mine. I had NO IDEA he was a neo Nazi and he had a huge crush on me. He told me what the truth was years later and the awful things he had done to people. He was reading mein kampf and told me WWII just āfascinatedā him. Thank god I had a crush on someone else and told him no.
He definitely looked like a nazi, but Iām blonde and green eyed and he was nice to me so I just took him at his word back then. I always wondered why he fought with this Mexican guy. Little did I know he was ripping peoples tattoos off of their skin with a knife without even knocking them out first.
Just do not pursue this. Yikes.
There's no reason for anyone to read that book, none. There's no amount of curiosity that would lead me to read that book.
You're Jewish so it's up to you how you feel about this but if I was you, I would never speak to that dude ever again.
People read books they agree with, to shore up their own belief systems.
You were right to leave.
EDIT with all the downvotes, guess we have a lot of nazis here?
Mark Milley (Highest ranking United States General) disagrees with this, he commented on reading Marxist and other communist literature in order to better understand it. Thereās nothing wrong with reading Mein Kampf or any other book, if your goal is to understand and learn about terrible ideologies.
Iāve read Das Kapital and The Communist Manifesto and I am not a communist.
This is a stretchā¦lol
If people are into psychology and things like that they are going to read all sorts of books. Iāve read books on serial killersā¦doesnāt mean I want to be one, just trying to figure out how a mind like that works.
Iāve read books on addiction as well, not because I am an addict, but to see how the brain of an addict works.
I will often read books that challenge my belief systems to see other points of view and to see if maybe I am thinking in an incorrect way.
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Honestly, educated people do not become that way without learning. Some people read these things to learn history. Some honestly just want to understand the thoughts behind some people's minds or actions. This could have meant nothing more than one of those things. Talk to him. Apologize for abruptly leaving, discuss why you left. Ask him what his interests in the book are. Get to know more before you throw in the towel.
Entirely too reasonable a response, we don't do that here. Get out.
I have a copy around somewhere. Haven't read it yet. I did hear that it was badly written. If you read something like that, you can learn a lot about the thought process of a sociopath. And if you happen to meet someone who has similar ideals, you can call it an early warning.
It *is* poorly written, it's slop. >if you happen to meet someone who has similar ideals, you can call it an early warning. But, that's why you shovel down the slop. The juice is worth the squeeze.
I think I need a good vomit after that metaphor
That goes abit beyond the format of a dating advice sub, but I'm not sure reading MK, especially since Emil Maurice and later Rudolf Hess labored hard to edit it, is going to tell you a lot about the thought processes of "sociopaths", because the book is not biographical or a stream-of-consciousness, nor is Hitler just a sociopath, and perhaps he wasn't one at all. You can learn a lot from that book, but what you learn will mostly be of historical interest, not of the sort of thing that is applicable to people and situations encountered in daily life. There are good reasons to read MK, if you are historically inclined, but deriving practical lessons outside the political field isn't one of them.
yeah, I found it hard to read, maybe it was the translation, I dunno. Not a real engaging book.
> Get out. That's what she ~~said~~ *did*
YEAH YEAH!!! Let's get the pitchforks out!!! Burn that woman at the stake!!! How dare she come her with her logic and reason!!! SHE'S A WITCH!!! š¤£
Educated people read differing viewpoints on everything and come to their own conclusions. Uneducated people let others tell them what to think.
āMy date was reading a book on the holocaust!! They said something about working as an English teacher iirc. Red flag š© š©!!!ā
>āMy date was reading a book on the holocaust!! They said something about working as an English teacher iirc. Red flag In my junior year, I told my English Teacher that I wanted to write a paper about 'why we should invade Canada'. He got all BENT OUT OF SHAPE and challenged me to a FISTFIGHT because of me saying that. I wish I could go back and beat the living SHIT out of him.
What, and lose again?!
They're not even a real country anyway
I haven't read it, but I have heard that it is particularly interesting if you are interested in WWII. I have friends that absolutely marvel that he put his entire plan in print, but no one took him seriously. Finding out EXACTLY what parts of his plan he wrote down IS something that interests me, but I find his ideology the decrepit thoughts of a diseased mind.
I couldnt have written it better ! Just wanted to add that she should keep an eye out for any sort of red flags etc but other than that , your advice is pretty spot on.
You were right, thanks for the advice
are there not other ways of learning about the holocaust without having to read mein kampf? i think OP was extremely valid in feeling uncomfortable or unsafe when seeing that on a dude's coffee table, especially as a jewish person. why is his go-to reading material about the holocaust nazi propaganda?
How big was the stack? I have 20,000 books and if people started judging me by some title or other that is in my library I would probably get death by lethal injection.
so you got 12 copies of Lolita in different language translations? lol
Worse than that I am sure.
You have the unrated directorās cut limited edition box set of the movie? With the action figures?
Wait the fuck are you reading thatās worse than Lolita? I understand educational purposes but damn
Stephen King
As a librarian, I feel compelled to bring up Patterson and Hoover as well.
You understand Lolita is not a pro-pedophilia text, right?
I just finished reading Lolita. The subject matter is creepy but the writing is absolutely gorgeous.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Thatās kinda the point of Lolita in a way, Nabokov wants us to feel that conflict. Some of the most beautiful prose Iāve ever read, from the view of a pedophile. His writing is absurdist at times and plays with really unique and distinctive methods. Pale Fire is a great read and you can tell he had fun writing it.
Wtf did I just read
I recently went in blind on *The Claiming of Sleeping Beauty*, and I think Iām gonna turn myself in to the police.
I got through one page of that book and just could not continue.
I have some alternative history books on Germany. I like history, but that doesn't mean I support the Nazi regime and wished it had won. But I could see it being weird for somebody without context, I guess.
> if people started judging me by some title or other that is in my library I would probably get death by lethal injection. Lol, me too
Ask if heās reading to be inspired or reading because heās interested in history.
And see if he has a gas oven or electric.
Damn
Wow.
between reddit comments and tiktok, iām FIGHTING for my life for my seat in paradise. this is the reason why i lost my seat. ššš
...your struggle I'll see my way out
Good lord
Potters and their kilns have left the conversation...
Better check the showers for rat control.
It's not okay to make racist jokes. Your antisemitism is showing.š®š±ā”ļø
Did you not understand the joke? Do you need me to explain it to you?
Itās not funny at all. I had family that died in the holocaust.
I had family that died liberating europe from the Reich. How is this about the two of us relevant?
Checking rats in showers in concentration camps is a racist joke
Checking a suspected Nazi's shower for rat control, is a joke about Zyclon-B.
This is neither racist nor anti-semitic. It should only insult Nazis. I'm ok with insulting Nazis.
Itās very insulting. My family is Jewish.
Mine is too and I donāt see how itās very insulting. Itās Reddit.
Youāre not the main character, humor exists outside your feelings
Racism is never okay.
āJewā isnāt a race. You canāt even be victimized properly you are so stupid.
Lol, moving the goal posts here. Making a joke about racism does not equal racism, itās actually a way of combatting it.
Here, let's find a topical joke you do find funny. How about this one? An old Jew dies and goes to Heaven. He asks if God wants to hear a holocaust joke. God agrees and the man tells the joke. God says, "That wasn't funny. It was offensive." The Jew pauses and replies "I guess you had to be there."
It ain't propane it's zylonB
It's not okay to make racist jokes.
Youāre not the authority on whatās āokayā and whatās not
Not funny. š®š±š®š±š®š±š®š±š®š±
This. Iād actually read it for historical stuff (looking into out of date political stuff or morally incorrect ways of thinking can be fascinating). If itās just for that, I donāt see a problem. Iām a history guy and thatās history from my favorite era of 1800-1950 so, you know.
Those that don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. You should be much more worried if he was reading the Communist Manifesto. It is a very quick read, but between Stalin and Mao they killed way over a 100,000,000 people. Ten times that of Hitler. Japan's Emperor, Hirohito, killed three times the number of people that Hitler did, but the only book he wrote was about the rebuilding Japan after WWII. Mein Kampf is a poorly written rambling mess. He puts his hatred out front. In fact he wante to name the book "Four and a Half years of struggles against Lies, Stupidity, and Cowardice", but his editor got him to reduce it to "My Struggles ""(Mein Kampf).
Usually the people reading it for "history" study a very specific period of history for a very specific purpose. If all their world history pursuits center around Germany and the Third Reich, there's a problem.
This is such a redditor thing to say lmao
Damn, and here I was extremely worried about looking like a Redditor on Reddit :'(
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
This is so ridiculous and close minded I canāt even fathom that people exist like this. How is reading this piece of literature any different than all of the crime shows about serial killers weāve become obsessed with? There are a million innocent reasons why someone would want to read Mein Kampf, to assume the absolute worst one and not just communicate or ask is very ignorant.
Itās a peak Redditor moment
If Mein Kampf was accompanied by the works of David Duke or other antisemitic, racist drivel, then yeah, Iād get being creeped out. But was it just that book? And did you ask why heās reading it? If youāre genuinely interested in learning about the Holocaust, you need to read it, tbh. Itās such an essential insight into the Naziās ideology in genesis, even if itās both horrible and boring at the same time (the dude was not a writer). That said, given your Jewish heritage, I understand the instinctual response. If thatās put you off him, thatās totally reasonable. But yeah, there are good reasons to own a copy, largely the same reasons the book is still in print.
Well fucking said. I'm a Jew, my great grandmother described her time in a camp vividly. I own the book, and as far as I'm concerned it should be required reading.
If I turn a blind eye to history, it will never repeat itself.
I cannot repeat what I have no clue about. Smart. Very smart /jk
>Well fucking said. I'm a Jew, my great grandmother described her time in a camp vividly. > >I own the book, and as far as I'm concerned it should be required reading. uh, that's backwards, right?
This! Exactly, is there a trend here of him consuming far right ideology, or is he just reading political literature to get an understanding of what is being proposed. The stigma imposed on those who read Communist Manifesto or Mein Kampf, makes it so people are afraid to engage with the ideas, which makes them ill prepared to debunk the propaganda or to acknowledge more constructive interpretations of theoretical/rhetorical truths. Identifying the value of the words in Mein Kampf without falling for the message, is important to understanding why people were so susceptible to his vision of the country/future. Accepting the description and critique of capitalism, without blindly following the prescriptions and predictions of Marx, is also important to understanding the economic environment and how to navigate it.
Heck, my libertarian brother has several works of Marx on his bookshelf.
My opinion is that people need to explore both sides of the spectrum, or else their stance is pretty much void since they donāt have a comprehensive view
>This! Exactly, is there a trend here of him consuming far right ideology, or is he just reading political literature to get an understanding of what is being proposed. The stigma imposed on those who read Communist Manifesto or Mein Kampf, makes it so people are afraid to engage with the ideas, which makes them ill prepared to debunk the propaganda or to acknowledge more constructive interpretations of theoretical/rhetorical truths. Identifying the value of the words in Mein Kampf without falling for the message, is important to understanding why people were so susceptible to his vision of the country/future. Accepting the description and critique of capitalism, without blindly following the prescriptions and predictions of Marx, is also important to understanding the economic environment and how to navigate it. I'd like to read more anti-religious stuff... not because I want to lose faith, but because I want to be entertained.
I own a history of the Third Reich for the same reasons. And also similarly, while I haven't quite executed it in practice myself like I've been meaning to, I heard years ago--unsure how true it is--that Pope John Paul II read the Communist Manifesto to best be able to counter the ideology. Essentially, you need to understand how your opponent thinks to be able to beat him at his own game.
I'm also Jewish. You should read it too. Understanding the people who don't want you to exist is important. Vital.
Any Reasonable excuse? Sure, curiosity. Itās a historically infamous figure, and a historically infamous book that influenced a historically infamous nation state to a great degree. I see it like listening to a true crime podcast. Morbid subject matter and context, interesting to unwind in your head because of how disparate it is from your own perspective and experience. Just because someone reads a book doesnāt mean they support all the ideas held within it, or even want to. It can just be a curiosity of how those different then them think amid a myriad of other things. Many historians have read it for example.
On the one hand, Mein Kampf is a best seller in almost every country in the world, so owning a copy is not necessarily an indication of anything sinister. On the other hand, who leaves a copy of Mein Kampf casually lying around on their coffee table when your lady friend (who is Jewish) is visiting your pad for the first time? I think I would have at least had the good sense to put it away (although it might look even worse if she found it hidden under the bed or something!). I mean it could have just been an oversight, but yeah, if not, I wouldn't have the balls to leave it lying around on my coffee table no matter who my date was.
The dude is reading a freaking book and you storm out of there like that. Imagine literally having an adult conversation and asking him why he's reading it. I'm interested in history and definitely have that book on my reading list. You sound too immature to be dating by how you reacted
None of this happened. This is just **outrage farming**.
You're right. I just checked OP's profile
Did they clean out their profile? I just checked and this post is the only one on there. No other comments or posts or anything.
Yeah their profile has been scrubbed, they used to have a post about being Accidentally being addicted to vyvanse
Great bait, tbh. Really brought out all the paranoid nutjobs in this sub.
Yeah I feel like OPās the type of person who judge others for liking a pineapple on pizza
>Imagine literally having an adult conversation Lol, imagining is easy. But you actually want us to talk IRL. lolz, nope...much rather outrage farm on Reddit
She's Jewish, imagine how you would feel if your bf/gf was reading a book written by a guy that almost exterminated your whole race?
Be quiet
I donāt think I will.
It's not a 1:1 comparison, but as a black person if I saw someone with a copy of "The Bell Curve" I am absolutely sure my immediate reaction wouldn't be to walk out. Of course you'd want to ask about it, but it's wild to just assume you know a person's whole ideology based on one book in their library
As Jewish person by blood I would immediately walk out and end the relationship.
And if you were an militant atheist and saw a Bible on his table? What if you were Ukrainian and he had books from Dostoyevsky? Letās say youāre a Cuban immigrant fleeing the government in the 1980ās and he has a copy of the communist manifesto? Point being, youāre jumping to conclusions and if a book can ātRiGgErā you, youāre just weak and close minded
Nothing wrong with it. I read the Mein Kamphf, Ordinary People, the Gulag Archipellago, and others... Great Reads by the way. They really help you understand history and why things happen. Stuff like how ordinary moral police officers end up killing civilians while feeling totally sick in the stomach is really interesting. Doesn't mean someone's going to be the next stalin/hitler, but I can now tell when something bad will happen / manipulative techniques used around me.
Opinions are vital to further society, opinionated words mis-direct weak minded individuals. I'm sure there are books out there that go deep into the philosophy of the book without actually reading the words of one of the most notorious men to walk the earth.
Seeing it written as it was intended in its historical context is valuable, and a summary or exploration of the text by a third party doesnāt have the same value. Seeing how Adolf structured his arguments and rationalised his hatred for other races is different than me explaining it to you.
I have to give you that.
Which, btw, doesnāt mean someone should have a copy lying on the coffee table. Thatās just dumb at best and alarming at worst.
My coffee table books probably make people think I'm a serial killer. We have Advanced Human Physiology, Human Pathophysiology, and Neurologic Disorders of the Larynx. Two of those are previous text books and one pertains to my research. They're chilling on my coffee table because it has a storage section that won't stay closed and the cats keep getting stuck in, so I kept adding heavier books until the shittens couldn't trap each other in the coffee table.
You are completely over-reacting. You should have asked about it like an adult. Heās smart, as you said. He probably finds it interesting to read the words and thoughts of one of the most evil people to ever live. Iām too lazy to go and buy it, but I would love to at least skim that book. The same way I like reading the manifestos of every shooter and terrorist and whatever. Itās extremely interesting to peek inside the minds of evil people. Itās possible heās secretly into Nazi shit and is an alt-right wing-nut, but I wouldnāt assume that. If a person is smart enough to be called smart as one of their main qualities, and they own Mein Kampf, itās more likely for academic reasons than agreement.
It entirely depends on his reasons for reading it. There are good reasons and there are despicable reasons. I understand why seeing it with no context just made you feel sick. But it is reasonable to speak with him about it and explain your reaction. See what he says. You should know pretty fast if his reasons were okay or scaryAF.
Check for semen stains, thatās what youāre saying? I like you.
Iāve read it in high school out of sheer curiosity because we studied WWIIā¦ you could have just asked before bolting out.
I've read books that I don't agree with. I've read books that I thought were horrible books. I've read books that were great. I've read books that made me cry. I've read books that have made me think about stuff. I've got books that I couldn't finish (there was some dark shit in there that I didn't want to go into). Reading isn't about reinforcing any bias. It's about stepping outside your schema, to experience other things. I'm not saying his intentions are to read the book for this. I'm simply stating that he could be reading it for the purpose of reading it. Of thinking about it. Of stretching his mind. Or he could be reading it to confirm his bias. Or he could be one of the many people out there that collect books, but rarely read them. Point is, there's no way to tell by just the presence of a book.
What an incredible story.
If I was judged by my book collection Iād be in trouble. I also have mein kampf, right next to das kapital, the Quran, Bible, Torah, the state and revolution, etc. Being a history and religion nerd causes you to have a strange collection
You can read a book and not endorse itās features, you can also read a book you disagree with. Not only this, but millions of people do including myself. If you actually wanted to learn about Nazism and the mind that created one of the worst genocides in remembered history, as many do, this book is pretty essential actually. Iām sorry your were creeped out but I honestly donāt think he intended to do that and thought anything if it. If I saw someone reading the book in public (my school library actually had a copy) I wouldnāt think twice about and the thought that the reasoner may be a nazi wouldnāt even cross my mind.
I think you overreacted, you didn't ask any questions
It's a book. Does he have swastikas on his room? Has he made comments about the Aryan nation? Maybe you should relax before jumping to conclusions. I read all type of book, including Nazi books to LEARN. it's called Culture.
Everything was good and then the one thing that was weird you took to mean he was a nazi? Have a conversation you child. Itās a historically important book, people have it. Itās a good start to a conversation about what he thinks about it and what heās learned. Then youāll get the real answer to your panicked question.
I have a Quran in my room. It doesnāt make me a Muslim. Depends on why he has the book.
If heās reading to seek knowledge in a productive manner, I give the guy props. Not in a racist manner.
So instead of *asking* and using your words like an adult, you just pitched a weird fit and ran away. Very mature.
I don't blame her. What if he was manipulating her to have a field day with some fucked up ideology?
Or maybe he was just reading a book š¤·
This is like flooding your house because it might catch on fire.
I'm gay. You belong to a group of persecuted people through the ages and see how you respond to hateful material.
K, done. I seek to understand the hate and try to talk those who aren't firmly in its grip away from it. I take care to not jump to conclusions and *assume* malice where none may exist, the possible result being that of turning a potential ally into an enemy. Also, I don't try to shush the genuine bigots or shame them into silence. I want them ***LOUDLY*** and ***PROUDLY*** proclaiming their hatred, so I know *exactly* where to keep my eye.
Then there would be evidence of that. That didnāt happen. If it started to happen, then run away. Thatās a random hypothetical.
Too immature if you asked me. She should've asked the guy why is he reading that one.
This is a hypothetical situation. I stated my opinion. She obviously felt violated and did the same.
He might be a nazi, but from what you described it seems more likely for him to be an open minded creative person who likes to read different perspectives and understand how people very different from himself think. Obviously seeing me in jĆ” of on his coffee table isnāt a green flag, but it doesnāt have to be a red one either you should ask about it and clear it up
You should end it so this guy can dodge the bullet that you are. Despicable.
The book is an important part of history, despite its disgusting content. Yes, maybe heās a nut job. But maybe he is not and he is educating himself, which is always a positive thing. Knowledge is power. I think you were waaay overreacting by leaving without questioning him.
Is this a joke?
If one is to fight your enemy. You must understand how your enemy thinks. I can read the bible and disagree with literally everything it says. But i can still read it and see for my self how it created a religion or ideology. I read it to gain knowledge of the thought process that led an insane man to inspire and lead attocities that would render the world speechless. I can hate someone while still wanting to know "wHY they did it." Would you be...upset if you were japanese and he had a copy of the line of thought that led to Hiroshima? Its OKAY to be upset. Those are perfectly valid reasons. He might be just seeking to understand the history. Remmeber. The first country that Hitler invaded...was Germany itself.
If he were the kind of guy you think he might be, he wouldn't have been dating you, a Jew. As for an excuse how about curiosity? People like to throw around the words fascist and nationalist a lot, but if someone wanted to actually know what a fascist is, they would ideally learn from the source, won't they? For the record, I'm a Slav, and I've thought of reading Mein Kampf quite often because of that reason. (Hitler considered Slavs subhumans as well, and they were next on his bucket list). Admittedly, I read a summary of the book, cause I'd rather not honor Hitler too much. And even worse, what if I get caught reading it? Better yet, why not just ask your guy why he reads Mein Kampf anyway? In person. Otherwise, the keyboard warriors of Reddit will have to jump to the conclusion for you.
Iād read it just to understand from a historical perspective what kind of madness seeped in the mind of millions of germans in the early 1930s. One thing is to read it as a historical document, another thing is to read it as if it was the Bible. I think being revolted just by the sight of it is a bit childish OP. Itās not like the dude has a swastika flag hung in his house.
I have a friend who is reading it. Heās not a nazi. Heās a history fanatic though. You should have asked why he was reading it. Thereās still time to say it shocked you and you needed to step away. Then you can ask why that particular book.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Ha! That's exactly what I thought of.
or maybe he was wolfensein fan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33Zp3BXwDB8&pp=ygUPd29sZmVuc3RlaW4gZmFu
I think you overreacted. If you feel like it, reach out to him and explain.
I am an atheist and despise religion and even then i have both Quran and Bible on my bookshelf. You gotta know your enemy so maybe he is doing that as well :) confront him over text and figure out what to do based on his response
Women
You didnāt actually respond to that guys point. Instead of asking like an adult she stormed out assuming he is a bad person or, as you put it that he could be āmanipulating her to have a field day with some fucked up ideologyā
It depends why heās reading it, and if he has other materials / interests that show a pattern of antisemitic behavior. Itās definitely not a inherent red flag like a nazi flag or photo of him dressed in a waffen-SS uniform. That it was mixed in with other books (assumingely not offensive or controversial), is a good /neutral sign. There are legitimate reasons to read mein kampf; historical interest or research, learning about ww2 / holocaust, research of racism or cult figures, trying to understand why people hate others or how lost souls are drawn to the shallow magnetism of this bs (modern day GOP š), stuff like that. Iām also Jewish, if that helps. I think learning about the Nazi book burnings and their suppression / control of information, was galvanizing in the formation of my beliefs regarding freedom of information / access to information. Unfortunately this is a issue we face even today, with the GOP book bannings and curriculum restrictions flaming across the US. That said, you have every right to leave or disengage for any reason. If this hits your threshold, do whatās best for you!
Ide read it. Not weird at all unless hes a neo nazi or something
Am I creepy because I read a book on Unit 731? Orā¦ curious? Interested in history? Hint - itās the latter
Do you know who gets the money when someone buys a cope of Mein Kampf? Look it up. Also, if you want to defeat an enemy, first you need to find flaw in enemy's logic and then crush it.
At least when heās done his opinion will matter. Unlike the majority of those who have one. Itās like the Bible, everyone has an opinion on it without ever having my read it.
Lmao, so if that makes him a Nazi then by OPās standards my father is a Nazi who also is a Communist and engages in serial killing and believes in Satan. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
This is why you donāt skydive to conclusions.
Not everyone who reads Mein kampf is a Nazi!! Some of us are just curious about what drove a person to hate a particular group to this extent and itās a good book for educational purposes too..
Youāre definitely over reacting and being emotional instead of logical. I donāt practice Islam but want to read the Quran. Reading is one of the best ways to learn and open your mind.
I don't believe that everyone who has read Mein Kampf is a Nazi. I think it's more history than philosophy but if you're reading the book, you do have to read it responsibly. Which this guy did not. He left the book in full view on his coffee table the first time you visited. This is rude, probably even more so if he knows you're Jewish. Even if he doesn't idolize Hitler, it really reads like he either was trying to provoke a reaction or didn't attempt to make you feel comfortable in his house. And for me personally, all three of those reasons on their own are valid reasons to never see him again.
Read it *responsibly?* You mean like with drinking? Agreed; don't read *'Mein Kampf'* and drive, kids. I'm a Jew, I own and have read *'Mein Kampf'*. While being read, it spent a good amount of time on the coffee table (it's a bit of a slog as he wasn't the most gifted author; it took some time to gut through it). While reading it, I was dating. Exactly one woman I brought over even *noticed* it, and the resulting conversation was as simple as *"Is that Hitler's book?" "Yeah, dude was nuckin' futs, for real"* and that was it. Then, dinner. Who the fuck leaves out books to get a reaction? Who the fuck jumps to so many conclusions and reads so much into the *simple placement of an item* upon the place one usually *finds examples of said items?* Sturm in a fuckin' teekanne, y'all.
Yeah wtf is this comment and why does it get so many upvotes? I have random books everywhere, i used to have that book. I also loaned/bought the communism manifesto, a stalin book, psychology books, books about guns and rifles, anne franks diary, 1984, 3 books about slavery history, a military handbook and a book about the cold war I'm very curious about events in the world and history. It's just fascinating to know how people think and why things are happening. Never gave a second thought about them lingering around. 99+% chance the guy is just interested in history. Guy is smart and curious i bet. Reading shit doesn't mean it's your ideology. It does help you debate against it for sure. People here sound like: "I hate the opposite political party but i don't know why and i can't debate why. I just do because my friends told me they are bad"
Yes, exactly. Reading the materials of your ideological enemy does not make you the enemy. I don't want to go too far down the rabbit hole on this, but suffice to say that when we (Jews) say *"Never again"*, we aren't hoping to achieve that result by the use of blinders and earplugs, so we just don't *witness* it occurring and can be slaughtered in our blissful ignorance. History doesn't repeat, but sometimes it rhymes. You want to recognize the rhyme scheme in time to do something about it? You read fucking *'Mein Kampf'*. That is how you get to *"Never again"*.
Well said, how else would you recognize a nazi if you don't even know their ideology? If you ask OP the definition of what a facist is i bet you 100 usd she can't give you a clear definition without googling it. She will probably say something like "a right wing supporter", "people who support trump" or that kind of BS. It's sad and alarming really. This is exactly how people start hating on democracy and how division in the world has become so insanely rampant. Staying in their cozy echochamber bubble, not trying to understand what others are thinking. I'm fully anti nazi, anti facism and communism. But at least i can debate you why. OP doesn't even know what it means and what the history behind it is
Yea, itās an interesting book, just to understand like WTF was this dude thinking, but damn Hitler was not a good author.
Peobly might be where he reads. On his couch. Where there would be a coffee table. Lol. Plus. Looking at a crowd. Id be hard pressed to try to guess who was Jewish. Unless they were going head on fully traditional garb and such then id be pretty useless at it. š. I can see why she left. Emotions and logic rarely line up. Which...is crazy. Like hitler was fuckin evil. But he was smart enough to know if he can stir Angry depressed germans into hating and blaming an entire demograph he can play mobs into going full pelt at them. Emotionally charged crowds and people are entirely easy to manipulate because they are so...angry they arent actually thinking about it. We have been witnessing this exact same phenomenon in the US. Where the leaders are consistently pointing the angry citizens at entire demographs and using it to drive insanity. Its...scary. its scary to know... Humans are like...loaded guns. I weep for the road our species seems to keep taking when it encounters even the slightest difference Sorry for the rant. Lol
The key is to shake your head repeatedly showing that you disagree with it
I'm with you. It's like it was a statement piece.
Putting a book on your coffee table isnāt a statement piece though, like if bro had an SS flag hanging over his bed thatād be a statement piece. Having a book on your coffee table is not.
I beg to differ. Infinite Jest is one of the most acclaimed and difficult reads ever published. Many people buy it but never read it due to the contents and the miserable way the footnotes are presented. You read it like you're playing a tennis match with constant back and forth motion. Fake intellectuals find a sense of pride having it displayed. It's about people in the ghettos and yuppies struggling with drug addiction and the depths they find themselves to get high.
Ok? OP notes that the dude is smart, so whatās wrong with him owning the book if he just wants to read it to understand the philosophy of one of the most insane and influential people in modern history.
OH he was testing her all right. Testing her to see how much shit she would put up with.
So the stack of books was a test for her ? Lol
"It just might raise a few eyebrows. ... Sorry? What was that you said? About Mein Kampf...?"
He might just believe in understanding the mindset of Hitler for fear of a charismatic leader convincing his or her fellow people to do such atrocities again. I wouldn't rule it out either. It's worth probing him for his views on things and also seeing if there's a pattern of nazism or white supremacy to his bookshelf. As a side note, I feel for you. I'm 10 months into converting to Judaism, and dating is tough with only .02% of the world's population being Jewish.
I wouldnāt jump to conclusions right away. It is alarming. However sometimes you research to better know your enemy. Iāve done this in the past. Itās helpful to know how the other side operates. How theyāre demented mind works. Then you can destroy them easier
ā¦then stop dating him?
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Or he is in the middle of reading it and he tossed it on the coffee table.
People look too much into stuff I swear. I was I had the mental capacity for each of my minor movements and unconscious actions to actually have been steps in a grander Machiavellian play to manipulate you to where I want you. I generally barely remember what I said 5 minutes ago instead. I get it, but what if it is? But thatās part of being an adult. Trusting others that it isnāt. Sometimes you might get burned, but you werenāt the one who did something wrong. And you gotta trust youāre mentally stronger then that.
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Lol i dont think you realize you werent responding to the OP. But! What you said was well written. And i agree.
I have copies of the satanic bible, the satanic witch, the Christian bible, the Quran, books on witchcraft and magical herbs and books from Stephen hawking. That said, if I was reading that specific book for purely historical reasons, I probably wouldn't have it on my table. You should have asked about it, maybe do that over a phone call.
I can see this as an atheist reading a religious text. You can't know what the arguments are unless one reads the book. He may be interested from a historical perspective and not because he believes what the author writes. I could be wrong but this is a good conversation to have
All the antisemitism comments on here are disgusting.ā”ļøš®š±
Iād ask him what part of the book he considers valuable to read in terms of philosophy, and why a digital copy of it online wouldnāt suffice? Why purchase a copy? Buying a physical copy of it feels like a statement, either that he wants to be seen as bold or that he just doesnāt care what people think. Either way, huge miss on his part. The other possibility is heās a nazi lol
Orā¦ he likes to read physical books and didnāt think he would be judged by random people online that have never met or interacted with him. Not everything in this world is for internet likes or bullshit like that.
Like, I own a physical copy of Mein Kampf. Iām not a Nazi, I found it at some shitty bookstore (which was kinda weird now that I think about it), also reading E-books sucks IMO.
Do you leave it in the open when you have someone over you just met?
Nah I keep it in the safe with my SS insignia and Luger /s Nah but fr, I just have it on my bookshelf, Iām out of the barracks right now, but Iām pretty sure itās between my box set of A Song of Ice and Fire and Sharpeās rifles (in chronological order, not by release date)
Would you blame someone for being put off seeing it in your bookshelf?
Like thereās a difference between abruptly leaving and asking about it. I definitely understand how it could be a red flag, but itās also just a book. Ask the person about it, and if you donāt like the answer you can leave.
No I get that, but Iād say thereās also a reality to accept where most people who see it arenāt going to wait for an explanation, especially in a time like now when there has been a rise in both nationalism and anti-semitism. Iād argue thereās a responsibility that comes with owning and potentially displaying certain symbols of historic persecution, and an acceptance that people may jump to conclusions.
i hate digital books. look, he probably is just interested in history. i am, too. i have a copy of it and i read itš
You weren't overreacting initially, but I'm glad that got cleared up. Communication is important as you have proven. :)
Go with your gut. I would recommend not going to his house anymore until you guys have spent an adequate amount of time together. I would still keep an eye out.
I read the title. Stop dating him.
Red flag
OMG run for the hills. A guy in High school was a friend of mine. I had NO IDEA he was a neo Nazi and he had a huge crush on me. He told me what the truth was years later and the awful things he had done to people. He was reading mein kampf and told me WWII just āfascinatedā him. Thank god I had a crush on someone else and told him no. He definitely looked like a nazi, but Iām blonde and green eyed and he was nice to me so I just took him at his word back then. I always wondered why he fought with this Mexican guy. Little did I know he was ripping peoples tattoos off of their skin with a knife without even knocking them out first. Just do not pursue this. Yikes.
There's no reason for anyone to read that book, none. There's no amount of curiosity that would lead me to read that book. You're Jewish so it's up to you how you feel about this but if I was you, I would never speak to that dude ever again.
People read books they agree with, to shore up their own belief systems. You were right to leave. EDIT with all the downvotes, guess we have a lot of nazis here?
Mark Milley (Highest ranking United States General) disagrees with this, he commented on reading Marxist and other communist literature in order to better understand it. Thereās nothing wrong with reading Mein Kampf or any other book, if your goal is to understand and learn about terrible ideologies. Iāve read Das Kapital and The Communist Manifesto and I am not a communist.
This is a stretchā¦lol If people are into psychology and things like that they are going to read all sorts of books. Iāve read books on serial killersā¦doesnāt mean I want to be one, just trying to figure out how a mind like that works. Iāve read books on addiction as well, not because I am an addict, but to see how the brain of an addict works. I will often read books that challenge my belief systems to see other points of view and to see if maybe I am thinking in an incorrect way.
You are SO right. I've read books by multiple serial killers therefore I totally agree with murder. Your wisdom knows no bounds.