Steal This Book (1971) | Hacker News Reader

Steal This Book (1971)

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36 pointswz100013 comments

A classic. There's also a pdf of a scanned copy supposedly stolen from the Library of Congress. [0]

0: http://www.semantikon.com/StealThisBookbyAbbieHoffman.pdf

It's been a long time since I've seen my printed copy, but I think that remark was actually printed on the copyright page of the real book.

Anyone know of a modern day equivalent to this? This book is about living off the grid and a sort of anarchistic lifestyle, but it is super dated. Would be interested in a modern day take on this.

Honestly, except for some details, not much has changed.

There's no more Uruguay 10 Centesimos anymore, what will you do without the soda!

Yes, there are a few.

Days of War, Nights of Love [0] EXPECT RESISTANCE [1]

Days of War, at least is almost a super zine compilation, with many points of view. The most interesting thing I got from it was that it gave you permission to take only the parts of an idea, argument, whatever that you liked, and leave the rest well alone, and form your own ideas. (The closest book to this would be The Art of Looking Sideways, by Alan Fletcher [2] which is as apolitical as you can make it, but is basically the guy's creative sketchbook distilled down. Pick what you like, and be inspired.)

That sounds so simple and obvious, but there's many times when we fall into a herd mentality for various reasons, and those brilliant ideas get packaged with those not so good ideas. See, for example: any of the main monotheistic religions. Great! ideas in those, and some not so great ideas. One way to get around that is to have plural, indeed anonymous, authors.

One problem with more contemporary "Steal This Book" lifestyles is that it is a community-driven ideal. You JOIN a community, and live a certain way within that community. You can't really live outside the margins. Sure, you can read, understand, and appreciate the ideas or point of views from a distance, but I guess the open-ended question is, when are you going to take the plunge? Sounds a bit fascist, but it's based on a system of acceptance and trust. Freaks are not turned away; their unique perspective and problem solving abilities are seen as an asset. For example: what IS it like to go through the world as a non-passing trans women? You gonna need some good friends.

I've lost pretty much all ties to the anarcho-buddies I've had. I fear the squeeze from the recent housing bubble has made even their cheap lifestyle unbearably difficult financially to pull off. I like to think they're all living on farms, a little ways off in the plains.

[0] http://crimethinc.com/books/days.html [1] http://crimethinc.com/books/er.html [2] http://www.phaidon.com/store/general-non-fiction/alan-fletch...

And actually, the entire Situationist movement should be looked at, for historical perspective. Clearly, not where this all stems from, but a fairly important part of it all.

The movie version seems to have languished into even greater obscurity.

I'm rather fond of it, it's appropriately titled "Steal This Movie" and I believe Abbie would be glad for any of you to do just so.

There's also a lesser book called 'DO IT!' by Jerry Rubin, if you really want to immerse yourself in that culture. Abbie and Jerry had a falling out and their later lives looked very different. Jerry even ended up being an early Apple investor apparently.

The movie isn't really a 'version', it's just a movie about Abbie Hoffman.

I'd recommend stealing a copy of Ringolevio by Emmet Grogan,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmett_Grogan

or if your local bookshops' security is too good you can read some of it at http://www.diggers.org/ringolevio.htm

People may also be interested in "BAMN - Outlaw Manifestos and Ephemera 1965-1970"

http://www.amazon.co.uk/BAMN-Any-Means-Necessary-Manifestos/...

I read this book over and over again when I was a kid; my paperback copy is quite worn.

I wonder if you can still get a free elk or buffalo from the Department of the Interior.

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