Most essential writing in history of mankind?

The Bible.

End of thread.

Plato's Republic

Greek and Roman thinkers who produced the ideas behind the Constitution: Aristotle, Lucretius, Cicero, etc.

Shakespeare's entire collection of plays and poems

Faust Part I and II by Gothe

Who knew this place actually attracted people with functioning neurons in their skinny, wasted heads?

Philosophizer wrote:

I agree with the books already suggested, but a couple more I would recommend are Dante's Inferno, Plato's Republic (essential, but I'll be honest, I did not enjoy reading it much), the Confucian Analects, The Prince by Machiavelli and Hamlet by Shakespeare. A personal favorite that isn't quite as essential would be On the Road by Jack Kerouac.

Douche Alert! Douche Alert!

German, English, American Guy wrote:

Illogical wrote:

The Bible and Quran are nothing but fictional

Point taken. but I believe you know where I am coming from lsting them in a different category than the odysee.

Just so you know, there actually was a Trojan War. And the Iliad and the Odyssey were quasi-scriptural to the ancient Greeks, so I don't see why they should be in a different category than the Bible and the Koran.

The Road to Serfdom by F.A. Hayek

German, English, American Guy wrote:

I am not even that religious, but if you read them right, I have to go with two books:

The Bible and the Quran

also the teachings of buddha

if you want to go fictional, it's getting more difficult, bud the Odyssee and the Iliad would be the obvious choices.

You can’t be serious about the ‘Quran.’

Islam is 6th century arab-tribalist pagan moon-god divinely sanctioned malice - political sociopathology and hate-speech against anyone not willing to submit themselves under the rule of the tribe.

It is a protection racket, founded on caravan raiding brigandry, and the sharing of women, live stock and treasures, that was invented by one particular Arab tribe for Arabs, and by men for men.

It added a hotch-potch of bits and pieces of Christianity and Judaism and a veener of pious sounding rules to intimidate the illiterate , the ignorant and give itself an air of respectability.

It is the only religion founded by and idolized for, being a brutal, cruel militarist warrior.

The Koran is a war manual.

The 60% to 70% of the Koran , Hadith and Sira are dedicated to the violent conquest and domination of non-believers.

Islam is little more than a divinely sanctioned slaughter house, with way to high an opinion of itself.

It is codified tribal honour, malignant narcissism.

Millions of people have wasted thousands of years of human existence in response to a con-trick, which has been a disaster for its original victims - Muslims, as well as we Kuffars.

Plato was an idiot.

My answer - Yi Jing

religious texts, especially those of the abrahamic cults, are merely fictional allegories worthy of no more respect than aesop's fables and often less due to the plethora of immoral behavior they condone, including but not limited to: slavery, polygamy, genocide, rape, and passivity in the face of injustice

the most essential writing? the U.S. Constitution.

its creation signifies the greatest single step of society's escape from the grip of religious superstition and the tyranny of monarchy and the greatest single step towards reason, civil rights, and individual freedoms.

The Wretched of the Earth by Frantz Fanon

How to Win Friends and Influence People - Dale Carnegie

All you need to know to mingle with most of the people in this world too caught up in themselves to not understand you are manipulating them.

Summer of Malmo thread. It can have a positive effect on most people, regardless of intellectual ability. It's simple and productive.

Human Action

Ludwig non Mises

Birth control glasses wrote:

The Road to Serfdom by F.A. Hayek

yes

Karl Popper's "The Open Society and Its Enemies" is great even if you think falsification fails.

Open critical thinking

lots of rich history of thought

good for a young guy to read will open a lot up to you

Wisenheimer wrote:

Summer of Malmo thread. It can have a positive effect on most people, regardless of intellectual ability. It's simple and productive.

That's a very kind thing to say. If SOM's utility has matched my intent, then I've accomplished something.

The Bible is the most important record of all time -- God's Word to man.

Crimson wrote:

the US Constitution.

The US was the first democratic republic. Now many nations use govts based off the ideas in the US Constitution.

Nope, On Liberty is a far more important work than the US Constitution in that regard.