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Healing Our World in an Age of Aggression
Through its win-win approach, Healing Our World illustrates how the rules of social interaction which we learned as children hold the secret to universal harmony and abundance.
451 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 8, 2022
22 April 2019 - Having met and gotten to know Mary Ruwart in the 1980s, I was fortunate to read this book in manuscript shortly before it was first published in 1992. I have referred back to the published version many times since, because it is a very good reference on many issues. The author is highly knowledgeable about libertarian theory and the practical issues she deals with in the book.
I especially liked the section on government regulations and the FDA in particular. The author has intimate knowledge of that agency, having been a research scientist at Upjohn Corp., a large pharmaceutical company, for many years, and how Upjohn and herself were greatly affected by the policies and administration of the FDA. The very real harms that the FDA, if not all government agencies, cause to consumers is well laid out in the book. Her subsequent book "Death by Regulation" goes into even more details. Also highly recommended, especially now, after the covid disaster, to a large extent caused by the FDA, CDC, etc.
This book is an excellent intro or intermediate book on libertarian ideas and how they deal with real issues in the world, and can hep set you free.
I especially liked the section on government regulations and the FDA in particular. The author has intimate knowledge of that agency, having been a research scientist at Upjohn Corp., a large pharmaceutical company, for many years, and how Upjohn and herself were greatly affected by the policies and administration of the FDA. The very real harms that the FDA, if not all government agencies, cause to consumers is well laid out in the book. Her subsequent book "Death by Regulation" goes into even more details. Also highly recommended, especially now, after the covid disaster, to a large extent caused by the FDA, CDC, etc.
This book is an excellent intro or intermediate book on libertarian ideas and how they deal with real issues in the world, and can hep set you free.
May 6, 2010
This is probably on of the most important books I have ever read. I recommend it to anyone who cares about issues such as education, poverty, the environment, terrorism, or crime prevention.
I find many of my more liberal minded friends very frustrating at times because I don't think they are wrong; I think they well-intentioned but horribly misguided because they lack an ideological compass. This book is that compass. It does an amazing job of demonstrating that libertarians/anarchist want the same thing everyone else wants, but we believe that aggression is neither the moral or the practical means to achieve those ends. One of the first lessons we teach our children is to not aggress against others, but in our own lives we support and sometimes even advocate aggression to solve the world's problems. The child who steals another child's toy or hits another child will usually "reap what they sow", and so do adults who aggress.
I find many of my more liberal minded friends very frustrating at times because I don't think they are wrong; I think they well-intentioned but horribly misguided because they lack an ideological compass. This book is that compass. It does an amazing job of demonstrating that libertarians/anarchist want the same thing everyone else wants, but we believe that aggression is neither the moral or the practical means to achieve those ends. One of the first lessons we teach our children is to not aggress against others, but in our own lives we support and sometimes even advocate aggression to solve the world's problems. The child who steals another child's toy or hits another child will usually "reap what they sow", and so do adults who aggress.
March 16, 2014
This is one of those books that will change your entire outlook on how the world works. Ruwart provides the most clearly written explanation of how markets work that I have yet to read. She uses real life examples to back up her points and shows how far most governments have gotten from allowing market forces to make decisions that best benefit those affected by the results. Ruwart makes the concepts very easy to understand by using what she calls the Good Neighbor Policy. Her other concepts flow from this idea of doing unto others what you would have them do unto you. Put this book on your list to read soon.
March 8, 2009
Feel-good intro book for Libertarian philosophy and activism. A bit too feel-good because the writers are also Aquarians, but it is easy to read unlike a lot of political literature, and it gives very down-to-Earth examples from everyday life.
January 2, 2012
The second great commandment taken to its logical conclusion at the societal level, proving that love truly is practical and ideal.
"We need not choose between the ideal and the practical because they are simply two sides of the same coin."
"We need not choose between the ideal and the practical because they are simply two sides of the same coin."
January 13, 2021
Unbelievably childish.
December 18, 2008
This book is a tremendous achievement. It shows how we hurt ourselves when we aggress against our neighbors, either directly, or through the use of the guns of government. As I have already read half of the second edition, I would probably never have read this third edition if it wasn't selected by The Freedom Book Club.
Dr. Ruwart shows us the four layers of aggression that make up the "pyramid of power", exposing how life COULD be without aggression. She shows us, clearly and logically, how, when we climb towards the top of that black pyramid, we not only hurt our neighbors, community, state, nation, and world, we also hurt ourselves.
I find particularly interesting the way Dr. Ruwart explains how, by only entertaining offers of unconditional surrender during World War II, the aggressive posturing of the United States government cost the world many hundreds of thousands of lives. Also, by NOT entertaining offers of CONDITIONAL surrender, the government of the United States greatly hindered the highly active German resistance movement, possibly prolonging the war in Europe for THREE YEARS!
A point that personally touched me, was the afterword about Mary Ruwart's sister Martie. She tells the story of how Martie got sick, then got remarkably better, but ultimately she died. Many people in my own life, after being diagnosed with cancer, have had to suffer terribly, possibly due to government force applied to the health care industry. I actually wept when I read this section.
This heavily footnoted book shows many breathtaking examples of the benefits of cooperation, and the disasterous consequences of coersion. From the millions of lives that might have been saved from malaria (greatly reduced before the ban on DDT took effect), to the destruction of jobs through minimum wage and licensing laws, this book shines like none I have ever read. Only through voluntary cooperation and implementation of the Good Neighbor Policy can we begin to heal our world.
Dr. Ruwart shows us the four layers of aggression that make up the "pyramid of power", exposing how life COULD be without aggression. She shows us, clearly and logically, how, when we climb towards the top of that black pyramid, we not only hurt our neighbors, community, state, nation, and world, we also hurt ourselves.
I find particularly interesting the way Dr. Ruwart explains how, by only entertaining offers of unconditional surrender during World War II, the aggressive posturing of the United States government cost the world many hundreds of thousands of lives. Also, by NOT entertaining offers of CONDITIONAL surrender, the government of the United States greatly hindered the highly active German resistance movement, possibly prolonging the war in Europe for THREE YEARS!
A point that personally touched me, was the afterword about Mary Ruwart's sister Martie. She tells the story of how Martie got sick, then got remarkably better, but ultimately she died. Many people in my own life, after being diagnosed with cancer, have had to suffer terribly, possibly due to government force applied to the health care industry. I actually wept when I read this section.
This heavily footnoted book shows many breathtaking examples of the benefits of cooperation, and the disasterous consequences of coersion. From the millions of lives that might have been saved from malaria (greatly reduced before the ban on DDT took effect), to the destruction of jobs through minimum wage and licensing laws, this book shines like none I have ever read. Only through voluntary cooperation and implementation of the Good Neighbor Policy can we begin to heal our world.
November 3, 2016
An alternate, though probably less marketable, title for this book could have been, "At Gunpoint, If Necessary." These four words are appropriately laced throughout the book to remind readers that at the end of the day, every law and act of government is ultimately backed up by the threat of violence. This is an important point that so many books on political philosophy dance around but fail to articular in such clear understandable manner. The consequences of so much government are fatal physically, economically, emotionally etc. and she clearly illustrates why on issue after issue. If we truly desire a society that is peaceful and prosperous, we would get smart and apply the non-aggression principle from our personal lives to government and reject the employment of the guns of government for everything but the protection of rights.
Ruwart systematically goes through issue after issue and illustrates the consequences of government aggression. By the end of the book you realize that the guns of government and the philosophy of aggression are like a cancer on society. The only solution is applying the non-aggression principle to government.
Her chapter summaries are a great characteristic of the book for easy reference. I may consider using this book with my kids when they are teens and old enough to understand more abstract ideas like political philosophy. I've read many books on freedom and this is probably the best I can think of for that. I categorized this book under Hard Core Truth and Required Reading.
Curiously absent from the issues she discusses is abortion.
Ruwart systematically goes through issue after issue and illustrates the consequences of government aggression. By the end of the book you realize that the guns of government and the philosophy of aggression are like a cancer on society. The only solution is applying the non-aggression principle to government.
Her chapter summaries are a great characteristic of the book for easy reference. I may consider using this book with my kids when they are teens and old enough to understand more abstract ideas like political philosophy. I've read many books on freedom and this is probably the best I can think of for that. I categorized this book under Hard Core Truth and Required Reading.
Curiously absent from the issues she discusses is abortion.
July 17, 2012
It changed my mind about the responsibilities of government, and for that reason I like this book. It forwards many ideas of the Libertarian platform. Basically this is that government should practice nonaggression. No taxes, no licensing laws, no minimum wage laws, no centralization, no regulated gvmt. monopolies, and more. Some ideas bothered me: environment and gun control. Other ideas fascinated me: work prisons offering restitution instead of punishment. Other ideas reinforced my views: private education and business in general offering customers the choice of service providers. Interesting and informative about "over population," what makes nations wealthy, what wealth is, and more. (Wealth is limited only by our creativity. When gvmts. restrict wealth creation, the disadvantaged are hurt the most.) Highly recommend.
April 21, 2014
ruwart's important discussion about social justice and nonviolence is a book that I sincerely hope makes its way to the nightstand of everyone who cares about peace, love, people and the environment. I would like to credit this book as part of my recovery process from the deep despair onset by years of immersion in grit, hooplah, and causes. In an empathetic, sensitive way, Mary discusses consequences of the initiation of force on endangered species, the land and the sea, our bodies and modern healthcare. She discusses the importance of removing the boot from the necks of the poor at home and people in developing countries, and people who do things that aren't hurting anyone.
I would strongly recommend that you read this book. the book is available in print and may still be available for free online.
I would strongly recommend that you read this book. the book is available in print and may still be available for free online.
September 10, 2022
It's fairly baseline libertarian talking points, and while that's all good and well, it wasn't what I expected. There wasn't anything new there for me. I had it at 3 stars originally, giving it a fourth now for being on the right side.
Want to read
November 6, 2008Recc by Matt Reddy
to-buy
September 7, 2015Modern library top 100 http://www.modernlibrary.com/top-100/...
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews