Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health

I regret throwing away this book.

This is because I tried to flush it down my toilet (a deserving fate, I know), but it clogged my toilet and I had to get a plunger out to fix it.

It is filled with fallacies, tautologies, and pseudoscience galore. I gleefully pointed out the contradictions in place by the end of the first chapter, then despaired for humanity that somebody took that crap seriously.

I'm still mad I wasted 50 cents on it at the bargain bin.

Ugh. I tried to read this book (out of curiosity), but I only got to page 45 before having to stop in utter frustration and disgust. It is all gibberish. All the words are recognizable in themselves, but whatever the author is trying to tell you makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

One of the things you are supposed to do as you read this book is to stop when you don't understand something and reread that sentence or section, and keep rereading it until you understand. You are not read further until you understand what you have read. Well, when there is no meaning underneath it all, it won't matter how many times you reread it, it just won't make sense. Ah, but that's the beauty of it. You read something over enough times and you show more either begin to convince yourself that you understand or simply move on and pretend you understand. In any case, nothing becomes clearer in the process. So, is this what it is all about? A kind of self-hypnosis?

Here is a paragraph, chosen at random:
"The engram has the aspect of--and is not--a live entity which protects itself in various ways. Any and all phrases in it can be considered commands. These commands react on the analytical mind in such a way as to cause the analytical mind to behave erratically." Whatever. Or this paragraph: "If you care to make the experiment you can take a man, render him "unconscious," hurt him and give him information. By Dianetic technique, no matter what the information you gave him, it can be recovered. This experiment should not be carelessly conducted because you might also render him insane." Wow. Does anyone ever get through this book? Back in the free pile it goes -- or maybe the trashcan. show less

DNF. I gave it the college try, I really did, but ultimately I decided that slogging through the rest of the book would be a waste of my time, it's not just the subject matter, but the writing itself sucks. How the hell this became a religion I'll never fully comprehend but at the very least this book offers a glimpse into insanity. Read if you're just morbidly curious, otherwise avoid at all costs.

I have attempted to read this book no less than a half dozen times. I have never been able to make it past page 32. First I start mumbling to myself, then I start keeping tally of the number of inconsistencies and made up words....the next thing I know I am stammering and drooling with pent-up frustration at the complete psychosis that would cause words to be placed in that particular order...the last thing I remember before blacking out is jumping up and down on the book, screaming inanities (which, somehow, are more intelligible than the drivel contained within this tome).



Lather, Rinse, Repeat .... Every. Single. Farking. Time...



Look, I can read some ridiculous tripe (have you seen my library?)...but seriously, any thread of a show more coherent ... anything? show less

A pound of of megalomania + a cup of science fiction + 1/2 each of bad history, bad philosophy, and bad psychiatry. Get baked for an hour. Then throw this book away because it's utter garbage that only continues to get sold because of either curious people like me or because members of the cult have to buy it.

Looking at the positive reviews below, one is a total duplicate of the other, apparently by the same person on a different account.

The author did a great job of demonstrating that he had absolutely no understanding of any branch of science. His pseudo-philosophical rantings in the areas of biology, psychology, sociology, and other areas were laughable.

L Ron should have stuck to science fiction (at least then I wouldn't have to worry about reading his crap). I find it appalling that anyone would read this book and take it seriously but then there are other "religious" books that people take seriously and that is scary too.

Some of the worst drivel I've ever read. At first I didn't think I could finish this moronic ranting, but then I started to be amused on every page by the sheer lunacy of the author and the idiocy of his concepts and how gullible those are who buy into this concept that the author openly stated he was starting in order to create a new church as a personal tax break. You'll have more fun tearing up a ten dollar bill and watching if float down the gutter than reading this pathetic text.