I wrote the Anarchist Cookbook in 1969. Now I see its premise as flawed.

[Redfairen]

Forty-four years ago this month, in December 1969, I quit my job as a manager of a bookstore in New York City's Greenwich Village and began to write the Anarchist Cookbook. My motivation at the time was simple; I was being actively pursued by the US military, who seemed single-mindedly determined to send me to fight, and possibly die, in Vietnam.

I wanted to publish something that would express my anger. It seems that I succeeded in ways that far exceeded what I imagined possible at the time. The Cookbook is still in print 40 years after publication, and I am told it has sold in excess of 2m copies. I have never held the copyright, and so the decision to continue publishing it has been in the hands of the publisher.

.......

Over the years, I have come to understand that the basic premise behind the Cookbook is profoundly flawed. The anger that motivated the writing of the Cookbook blinded me to the illogical notion that violence can be used to prevent violence. I had fallen for the same irrational pattern of thought that led to US military involvement in both Vietnam and Iraq. The irony is not lost on me.

To paraphrase Aristotle: it is easy to be angry. But to be angry with the right person, at the right time and to the right degree that is hard – that is the hallmark of a civilized person. Two years ago, I co-authored a book entitled Becoming an Emotionally Intelligent Teacher. Although written for educators, the book serves as an implicit refutation of the emotional immaturity of the Cookbook. The premise is that all learning takes place in a social context, and that teachers with a high degree of emotional intelligence construct relationships with students that enhance learning. I continue to work hard, in an Aristotelian sense, to be more civilized.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/19/anarchist-cookbook-author-william-powell-out-of-print

[msongs]

1. as atonement perhaps returning the royalty checks would be a start :-) presumes of course

there were any such checks

[Redfairen]

2. Actually, no

In another part of the piece he says he's never held the copyright to the book. i've just edited the original post to include that sentence.

[Warren Stupidity]

3. youth is allowed to be wrong for the right reasons.

[Jackpine Radical]

6. Depends on the contract.

Often one gives up the copyright upon publication but the contract specifies that royalties will continue to be paid.

[MADem]

4. Ah, the wisdom of age.

So much time could be saved if people would at least LISTEN to old folks. They aren't always right, and they may be set in their ways in some regards, but one fact is indisputable, they've pretty much learned from their mistakes.

[Gothmog]

5. Back in 1973 my high school debate squad had a copy

I remember reading this book back then and one of my debate partners manage to make a form of explosive without killing himself

[Mopar151]

7. The voices tell me that Thermite is the answer!

Hey, if it's all "Top Secret", the stuff turns into a holy grail, so the "Cookbook" becomes an answer. The "Emotionally Intelligent Teacher" can relate that, like any powerful tool, you don't want to fuck around with it without proper purpose or training.
There are a lot of videos about Thermite on YouToob, of course - but the one that impressed me the most was the demonstration of it's correct and constructive use.

That's right - light the magic powder in the hopper with a match, and the river of fire will get so hot that it will fuse the ends of the rail!

[bemildred]

8. Right. nt

[Bassist Donna]

9. Fighting for peace?`

"Fighting for peace is like screwing for virginity" — George Carlin

I think he said it best.