The Theory of the Four Movements

Well that was mostly terrible but not entirely so. I'll try to break this down.
We have about 5% cult-leader style self-promotion and praise, the author compares himself to Columbus and Hercules at various points.
About 10% wacky interpretive fiction, something along the lines of Phrenology or Astrology but he applies it to everything in his 7000 year old universe. From peacocks to the northern lights to the fact Earth doesn't have cool rings like Saturn (he seems particularly bitter about that :P ), in the authors view these are all symbols placed by a god to tell us we're doing things wrong.
Another 5% is fairly well aimed critique of civilization and capitalism, the critique is far longer than 5% of the book but only about 5% is not show more tedious.
So i think we're up to 25%, now, add 65% mind numbing tedium and we're left with a 10% golden nugget of wisdom.

The authors utopian ideas are not terrible, his attempt being to create a system in which peoples greed, jealousy, ambition, sexual passions etc. are beneficial rather than destructive. Using a sort of rival club system combined with the usual commune idea.
However the real highlight is the authors views on slavery and especially the role of women in society. Frankly in some ways his views are more advanced than those of today. Although he doesn't go into too much detail, meaning his views on female equality may not entirely be the same as a modern view of female equality.

Nevertheless some really interesting stuff, like i say a lot of the time after reading an old book, nothing much seems to have changed :( , the authors critique of capitalism and gender equality still being annoyingly relevant.
Overall though still boring as hell :) . show less

Best introduction ever. (1808 version)