Contradictionary

by CrimethInc.

Whence do Stockholm Syndrome and Broken Window Theory derive their names? What is the common root of aristocracy and democracy? Who gets diagnosed with Anarchia and Drapetomania? How did voting kill Edgar Allen Poe, and why is a crater on the dark side of the moon named for the man who blew up the Tsar? Alternately scathing and sublime, Contradictionary pulls back the curtain from the war within every word, revealing the conflict behind the façade of the commonplace.

In the tradition of The Devil’s Dictionary, our Contradictionary assembles a wide range of wit and whimsy. This is no mere miscellany, but a lighthearted work of serious literature, concentrating a wealth of ideas and history into aphorisms and anecdotes.

Genres: Philosophy, Politics, Nonfiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2013

About the author

From the official website:
Crimethought is not any ideology or value system or lifestyle, but rather a way of challenging all ideologies and value systems and lifestyles—and, for the advanced agent, a way of making all ideologies, value systems, and lifestyles challenging.

Reviews

[Rich · Rating 5 out of 5]

I expected to jump around and instead read it cover to cover. So many good things...

[xDEAD ENDx · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came for the abstraction and stayed for the colophon.

I've always admired The Devil's Dictionary, and the definitions in Rolling Thunder were something I look(ed) forward to reading. (I would even present dramatic readings to roommates.) This is a nice collection of those definitions and more. A lot of the historical anecdotes were exciting to me, and a few of the definitions even caused me to be self-critical (the nihilist who wishes to destroy everyone). There is a lot of light-hearted prodding throughout the pages, aimed at insurrectionists, nihilists, syndicalists--the whole lot of us--and some more heavy-handed criticism towards liberals and identity politicians. All around inspiring, reflective, and interesting.

[Donald · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm not sure who the intended audience of this book is. On the one hand, it is very inward looking and obviously written for other anarchists. On the other hand, it's extremely didactic and seems to be making arguments to the uninitiated. There are funny moments, but I don't think the goal is humor. Maybe my problem is that I've already heard all the anecdotes and read all the quotations...

Here's a fragment that captures everything that's wrong about this book: "One can't help wondering what Judge Aiken would be capable of on the other side of the bench. Would she still insist on due process of law, urging others to be patient as people were sold into slavery or carted off to Dachau?"

This is absurd. Arguing against the worst possible example of something is not an argument against the thing itself. Loads of people who believe in law and the state have made arguments against slavery and death camps (actually, that's the case of almost every single person quoted or discussed in Contradictionary).

Sections that seems particularly bad to me: Proxy War (the closing of this is almost tragically delusional), Mediation (language is mediation! being against all mediation is absurd!), Morality, and Reviews (the sentiment in this section is almost word-for-word what Dave Eggers said somewhere; it's a refrain one hears only from successful writers).

The worst thing in the book is the section for 'Family'. Sorry, but most families are not abusive hells. Again, decrying the very worst example of something is not an argument against the whole. It's intellectually lazy and grossly populist. Who finds it compelling?

Here is the family section:

Once, a mutual aid society established by nature herself; today, a miniature state ensuring that each generation grows up accustomed to hierarchy and abuse, or, at best, a sort of reservation to which any compassionate impulses can be quarantined. Should a well-meaning parent not wish to be deputized to perpetuate this state of affairs, the children can always be held hostage (see Child Protective Services).

Given the subsequent discussion of Nature, I'm not sure whether the beginning of this entry is ironic or not.

But I really don't understand this, especially since 'the critique of family' has been largely realized within the current society. Does anyone - outside those subjected directly to abuse - really wish their parents were more absent? It seems most abuse is the absence of parenting, not its presence. If you want a world without parents or family, you don't have to look very far today.

I really like my family and find this to be true of most people I know. I'd even go so far to say that I think the biblical admonition to honor one's parents is a good one. Obviously, to honor does not mean to obey always... but such qualification is really unnecessary because it's so obvious (whatever you think about the decalogue, it's clearly not ordaining the toleration of child abuse).

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful. One of the most enjoyable coffee table books, one where I read a few pages laughing and thrilled by the content and as it is a dictionary of sorts, could put it down for days and do it again. Will remind you of the realm of possibilities and incredible creativity that abounds. Highly recommended.

[River · Rating 4 out of 5]

A witty (as always) look by Crimethinc at "the war in every word." Basically it's just a series of short definitions and anecdotes relating to a series of words and concepts that anarchists are likely to come in contact with. The in-jokes are frequently hilarious for those "in the know" while there are some good, solid explanations of harder-to-understand concepts for newer folks. Overall it's an interesting book.

[Mercury's Widow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reads like a book of poetry because you can read it in any order and each definition is so insightful, clever and brimming with truth. It gave me a more critical way to view the world without telling me how to do it.

[ػᶈᶏϾӗ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining, educational, inspirational.

[Nora · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am, obviously and surely enough, the book's intended audience.

[Kieran Telo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have a few of these idiosyncratic dictionaries including, of course, that of Ambrose Bierce.

This particular one, written from an anarchist perspective, is uniformly excellent, often illuminating and educational, and a beautifully printed artefact besides: everything so carefully put together, typeface and all.

[A]

Review: Those who can, write; those who can't, write reviews. Writing reviews is the surest shortcut to a sensation of power for those who lack the dedication necessary to create something of actual worth. In passing judgment on others' work, the reviewer experiences a fleeting high of self-importance cheaper than any other.

[Brendan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great update of The Devil’s Dictionary from Crimethinc’s distinctly anarchist perspective. Entertaining.

[Markell Braxton-Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Writing a review about an anarchist dictionary on an Amazon-owned platform is…

[Jen Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everything you would expect from CrimethInc. Witty, but also biting.