The Conspiracy Against the Human Race
A Contrivance of Horror
by Thomas Ligotti · first published 2010
81% recommend19% neutral
Why HN recommends it
Bleak but well-written, accessible introduction to radical pessimism, building on Zapffe and sometimes called dark Buddhism. Suits readers who can stomach heavy material; the audiobook is also praised.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
"The Conspiracy against the Human Race is renowned horror writer Thomas Ligotti's first work of nonfiction. Through impressively wide-ranging discussions of and reflections on literary and philosophical works of a pessimistic bent, he shows that the greatest horrors are not the products of our imagination. The worst and most plentiful horrors are instead to be found in reality. Mr. Ligotti's calm, but often bloodcurdling turns of phrase, evoke the dreadfulness of the human condition. Those who cannot bear the truth will pretend this is another work of fiction, but in doing so they perpetuate t
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…some kind of "hero" in 50-100 years time. Humans and society is in deeper in trouble than we think and stand "no chance of being saved". If you are of sound mental state, I suggest Thomas Ligotti's "The Conspiracy against the Human Race" https://www.wired.com/2000/04/joy-2/ https://archive.org/details/TechnologicalSlaveryTheCollected... https://www.amazon.com/Conspiracy-against-Human-Race-Contriv...
on “Ask HN: What can be done to prevent a climate catastrophe?” ↗my reading has taken a dark turn this year. I blame it on Thomas Ligotti (first book on my list) ;) - The Conspiracy Against the Human Race (Thomas Ligotti) ... fun fact: S01 of 'True Detectives' has ripped part of the dialogue straight from this book without giving credit - The Trouble with being born (Emil Cioran) - The Industrial Society…
on “Ask HN: Favorite nonfiction books of 2018?” ↗nihilism and existentialism helped me overcome quite a lot. things like Thomas Ligotti's "The Conspiracy Against the Human Race", and Emil Cioran's "The trouble with being born" have opened my eyes to a new way of thinking that doesn't revolve around societies fetishism of positivity & optimism.
on “Anxiety and burnout: why kids are consumed with worry” ↗…Ellul, The Technological Society (La Technique) https://ratical.org/ratville/AoS/TheTechnologicalSociety.pdf Jacques Ellul, Propaganda https://archive.org/details/Propaganda_201512 Thomas Ligotti The Conspiracy Against The Human Race https://archive.org/details/TheConspiracyAgainstTheHumanRace and anything written by Peter Wessel Zapffe (an introduction to his work https://philosophynow.org/issues/45/The_Last_Messiah)
on “Ask HN: What are the best unknown books you have read?” ↗…accepting these thoughts, you weren't ever really happy; just in denial. Sure, acceptance can lead to happiness. It can also lead to madness. For an example of "dark buddhism", see Thomas Ligotti's "The Conspiracy against the Human Race". http://www.amazon.com/Conspiracy-Against-Human-Race-Contriva...
on “What’s the worst thing that can happen?” ↗"The Conspiracy against the Human Race: A Contrivance of Horror" by Thomas Ligotti. I was also expecting my first child at the time and it made me question my values and is it appropriate or fair to bring a child into this world.
on “Ask HN: What was the one book that you read and it actually changed your life?” ↗…lot in order to see myself as an outsider and gain better perspective was these books. Note they are incredibly dark and pessimistic and none of this will ever be on a Ted talk. Thomas Ligotti - THE CONSPIRACY AGAINST THE HUMAN RACE Zapffe - The Last Messiah also maybe you are not meant to work in the field you are in considering you feel this way. if you listen to your heart and there is nothing that drives you, why other doing…
on “Ask HN: How to accept that life is unfair?” ↗- Jacques Ellul "The Technological Society" - N.N.Taleb "The Black Swan" - Danny Kahneman "Thinking Fast & Slow" (also his papers with Amos Tversky) - Thomas Ligotti "The Conspiracy against the Human Race" - Peter Wessel Zapffe "On the Tragic" & "The Last Messiah" - Sokal, Alan D "Intellectual Impostures" - Simon Herbert "A The Sciences of the Artificial" - Herbert Marcuse "One-Dimensional Man"…
on “Ask HN: What books changed the way you think about almost everything?” ↗You can read everything of Zapffe's that's ever been translated into English tonight[1]! If you want more pure pessimism you shouldn't leave out Ligotti's "Conspiracy Against the Human Race", which also cover's Zapffe a bit. Ligotti is not a traditional philosopher but he makes some great observations about the relative rarity of true pessimism in Western philosophy. It's worth noting that…
on “The Invigorating Strangeness of Friedrich Nietzsche” ↗When I think about hypersane people, what come to my mind are: Josha Bach, Frans de Waal, Thomas Ligotti (The Conspiracy Against the Human Race), and, a non-human, fictional character: Mr. Spock.
on “The hypersane are among us, if only we are prepared to look” ↗…Practical Guide by John Karter https://www.amazon.com/Introducing-Psychology-Relationships-... 9) Lion Feuchtwanger "Goya" https://www.amazon.com/Goya-Lion-Feuchtwanger/dp/8476408838 10) Thomas Ligotti "The Conspiracy against the Human Race: A Contrivance of Horror" https://www.amazon.com/Conspiracy-against-Human-Race-Contriv... 11) Plato "The Republic": https://archive.org/details/PlatoRepublic/mode/2up 12) Lewis Mumford "The Story of…
on “Ask HN: Mind bending books to read and never be the same as before?” ↗You should read some books: The human predicament by David Benatar. https://www.amazon.com/Human-Predicament-Candid-Biggest-Ques... The conspiracy against the human race by Thomas Ligotti. https://www.amazon.com/Conspiracy-against-Human-Race-Contriv...
The Conspiracy Against the Human Race: A Contrivance of Horror by Thomas Ligotti is another fun read advocating an orderly winding down of the human project. Personally I find all this moral arithmetic with pleasure and pain pretty strange.…
on “Derek Parfit: The Perfectionist at All Souls” ↗The Conspiracy Against the Human Race by Thomas Ligotti: a good introduction to radical pessimism. If you get into it, it's a good idea to move on to Eugene Thacker, whose writing is deeper and less polemical. Fear and Loathing on the Campaign…
on “Ask HN: What nonfiction books do you keep rereading?” ↗I strongly recommend "The Conspiracy Against The Human Race" by Thomas Ligotti in the context of this line of thinking. The main point he makes is that acceptance of reality as it is, is unthinkable to almost everyone, and we all use different strategies to avoid…
on “Project Hyperion: Interstellar ship design competition” ↗