How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World: a Handbook for Personal Liberty

by Harry Browne

Book Overview

Product Details Paperback: 407 pages Publisher: Avon Books; Reissue edition (March 1974) Language: English This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B089M42YWG
• ISBN13: 9798645327477
• Release Date: January 1973
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 408 Pages
• Weight: 1.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

A good read... practical

Though I haven't read this book in 20 yrs. (I lost the old one, and plan on buying another copy.) I remember thinking at the time, that this book would've saved me a lot of emotional trauma had I only had it ten years earlier. To the point, this book looks at things with a no nonsensense approach when it comes to relationships and obligations. It looks below the the surface of the 'social contract" and asks what obligations do we truly have to ourselves, each other, and society at large? And whether you choose to accept Mr. Brownes' options or not, at least you've been made aware of the fact that these choices exist. Many people have a vested interest in keeping the status quo, especially those people we sometimes refer to as "takers". Mr. Browne points out that we are in no way obligated to support anyones addiction, neurosis, or world view, except our our own. I found this book refreshing, informative, and relevent to my life. I strongly reccomend it to anyone who needs a little freedom in their life.

Freedom as Natural Incentive for Good

Contrary to the "Don't live in my community" social fundies, one of the most significant points of Browne's book is that the forced (or brow-beaten) endless transfer of goods and services from one person to another never really benefits anyone, and cannot do so by the very nature of the process. Someone must selfishly receive such benefits.And then in come the professional negators to condemn them for doing so, substituting coercion and unwarranted obligation as the only salvation. For the recipients of benevolence must also deny themselves and give to others, who in turn must not receive but give to yet others, and so on without end.The ideal unselfish world would be for everyone to be totally miserable, having lived only for others who never are benefitted on pain of being social sinners against the universal unselfishness doctrine.Those who review this book as anti-marriage, anti-children, and anti-responsibility assume as a necessary universal truth of their social fundamentalism that self-interest necessarily precludes generosity, benevolence, charity, or any thought of the rest of the world. Such indidividuals have their own vested self-interests in pushing such a narrow-minded bigoted stereotype. Notice the annoyance they cause in the people around them. But they sure do have a glorious set of commandments to bible-thump at the rest of humanity, don't they.In this truly seminal work on personal happiness, the myths and vested interests of those who would stereotype rational self-interest as evasive of responsibilities to others in the world are thoroughly exposed. In fact, ignoring such duties are shown to be the end result of the Unselfishness Myth and other forms of grasping collectivism, whether in government or in the diluting of incentive in the private sector.The preachers of unselfishness and forced love are apparently too busy lusting to scold the rest of us with their prescriptive dogmas to be careful readers.Help yourself first and you'll not only be happier---you'll find yourself kinder to others, less angry, more benevolent, all fueled by your own choices and values. In other words, religious and social guilt will be out of business in your life. Rationally selfish individuals just don't have those duty-grudges to use to whip everyone else into line (for "community" of course).Besides, if you only live unselfishly, you'll spend your whole life vicariously preoccupied with the self-interest of others, whereas if they did the same for themselves, you'd consider them evil!Forced love is rape. Whether from forcing money from you to benefit someone else (as in taxes and other forms of extortion), or in pressuring you to benefit others because of some assumed "duty" (as in corporate United Way pressure, certain religious groups, political parties, etc.). Coercion causes hate and resentment like nothing else can. It is virtually a formula for human misery.Only freedom gives purpose, conviction, enthusiasm, and genuinenness to ac

This book changed my life.... much for the better!

I first read this book in 1974, in college and starting a career. I was hell bent on changing the world, and this book stopped me dead in my tracks. I read it now as a personal ritual once a year, it has saved me a lot of time and wasted energy, not to mention money. I've been far more successful AND happy changing my own world, and you will be too with the help of this book. Invariably the people I've met over the years who practice these principles are the most open, generous, productive, happy people I've known. Too, the ones who preach (and practice) self sacrifice and "unselfishness" (i.e., Altruism)invariably have their hand in someone elses pocket, yours perhaps, or are quite willing and eager to sacrifice others as well, you perhaps, for your own good, of course. Don't let 'em get away with it.BUY THIS BOOK. Except for Libertarians, freedom is a concept largely ingored these days, most likely because freedom involves responsibility--for yourself--what a concept! READ THIS BOOK. Browne doesn't let anybody off the hook. GIVE THIS BOOK AWAY. Then people won't wonder how you can be so self assured and still be a nice person. You'll be an enigma! And there aren't nearly enough of us enigmas out here....

In the will of my father

My father passed away when I was at the age of 6. In his will he left this book,"How I found freedom in an unfree world" to be given to me at the age of 18. This book is the only thing that I have that may tell me how my father would have offered advice to me in growing up. Every sentence I read feels like it is coming from the lips of my father. Thank you Harry Brown for your contribution and completion to my life.

There is no better guide to life than How I Found Freedom...

I first heard Harry Browne speak in the early 70s on NBC's Today Show, where he was promoting his book, How I Found Freedom in an Unfree World. I had never heard someone speak with such clarity, rationality, and insight. I bought the book and found it so remarkable that I have never stoppped rereading it. In fact, despite the book's being slightly dated now (and the original is out of print), I continue to have my students read, analyze, and react to Browne's ideas in the courses I teach at the the Pennsylvania State University. I was therefore thrilled to read the following announcement I just received about a re-issuing of the book: "LiamWorks Publishing: 387 pages, $24.95, hard cover. This 1997 edition contains a new Foreword and Afterword by Harry -- both written following his 1996 Libertarian presidential campaign."